Annual reunion of UNDP retirees: Armenia and Georgia, 2024
Lessons learned from Anahit
The best guide ever!
Dear Anahit, you just said that this UNDP group was the most intelligent you had encountered.
Indeed! But there were important lessons we learned from you for which we had had no training in
the past…
How to handle Grandchildren!
- We’ll meet in the living room at 6 pm, by the purple couch. Don’t be late!
- The bathroom is there…
- With dinner - milk or apple juice? Milk? click click. Juice? click
- School bus tomorrow at 7 am. If missed, use your pocket money to take a taxi (just ask Ingolf)
- Most of all, we will answer Every question, patiently and knowledgeably. Even if it has been answered before numerous times. We will not say - ask your parents, your siblings, or look it up on your phones or in grandma’s hard copy encyclopaedia…
And we will end every day by saying: “I love you guys!”
Thank you Anahit!
Renu Chahil-Graf
Yerevan, October 2024
Under the Walnut Tree
A Love Poem
I’ve come all the way from gay Paree
To meet you in beautiful Armenie
Won’t you please meet me
Under the walnut tree?
I parked my Rolls-Royce in Republic Square
Hoping you would meet me there
But you did not care
So won’t you please meet me
Under the walnut tree?
I raced up one hundred steps
Taking many deep breaths
Repeating, I’ve come from gay Paree
To meet you in Armenie
Still, you do not meet me
Under the walnut tree
Then, with the Holy Mother of God I made a plea
I’ve come from gay Paree
To meet her in Armenie
But she won’t meet me
Under the walnut tree
Holy Mother of God just looked at me
With eyes filled with melancholy
Struggling up another 100 stairs, this time to the cave
Where I finally had a brain wave!
With no time to waste
I ran with haste
To Saint Gregory the Illuminator
Help! I said, it’s getting later and later
I came from gay Paree to meet her in beautiful Armenie
But she won’t meet me, under the walnut tree
The next day I awoke with a feeling so light
Of pure delight!
She had finally agreed
To meet me
Under the walnut tree!
(As Anahit said, the power of St Gregory the Illuminator!)
Renu Chahil-Graf
Yerevan, October 2024
The UNDP Reunion 2024 Awards
The best storyteller - Barbara
The best contributor to the local economy - Renate
the fittest looking couple - Susan and Itzak
The best photo-montage maker - Soknan
The choicest hat wearer - Matthew
The three most diligent, determined, impressive role models: Eugene, David and Anna
The most magnetic couple: Ann and Richard
The best matched couple: Robert and Dominique
The wisest German wine advisors: Fritz and Charlotte
The best matched evening dressers: Anthony and Mariella
The best poser: Pratibha
The language wizard: Cécile
The absent minded, but alert, professor: Kevin
The run silent, run deep, don’t smile award: Joel
The best European olive oil award: Isabelle and Colin
The best father: Ross
The best and most romantic waltzer: Ingolf
The warmest, most loving, caring, affectionate, huggable award: Alessandra
Renu, the worst poet award!
Renu Chahil-Graf
Georgia, October 2024