When I first came to Armenia and started to learn the Armenian language I was overwhelmed by the difficult task ahead. I decided I was going to try and only learn the basics for survival because after all, who speaks Armenian? 

I started a running club by accident. During my site visit, when my counterpart asked me to introduce myself to the entire school – ninety one students crammed into a single classroom – I mentioned my early morning running routine. The next morning around 6:30am, half a dozen sleepy but eager kids were waiting at the edge of my host family’s vegetable garden.