Shurjpar

Armenia has got me doing things that I never ever would have seen myself doing before...like dancing shurjpar (like a communal dance). 

So on my first evening here with birthright we were all invited to go to a dance studio which opens itself up to the public one day every month for people to come and learn these traditional dances. Imagine a relatively small studio packed with hundreds of people all trying to follow each other along. There were a few professionals leading the way but it was basically about getting in there and going with the flow. I realized that I have absolutely no flow. At first i felt incredibly stupid and self conscious dancing with these people I didn't even know, but after about half an hour we all just got in there, held  hands, and stomped that floor (along with a few of my toes).

I was so horribly bad, the women next to me even said "aziz jan chi statsvum ko hamar (my dear, it's just not happening for you)." The sad part is she was so right. She even offered to teach me how to improve my technique. 

I must say I really didn't want to go to this thing  but I ended up having a great time with a bunch of people I didn't even know. Armenia does that to you sometimes.