Tags
1995-97, Armenia, first English-Armenian dictionary, Gyumri, Lord Byron, Peace Corps, School #20
This was the reason I was sent to Gyumri, Armenia. To teach English at the Lord Byron school. It was a gift from the British government after the earthquake. Turns out that Byron helped to create the first English-Armenian dictionary. There was a statue of him outside the main building. My students had less of an idea of who Byron was, though. One day a boy, Aram, told me “please, next time you see Mr. Byron, tell him he is a very nice man.” I smiled and told him that I certainly would.