Patricia Boyle, who has lived in Armenia for over four years, writes:

What to bring
There is almost nothing that I cannot buy in Yerevan nowadays that would be essential for female hygiene. One can find toiletries from a variety of companies including familiar American and European brand names, sanitary napkins and tampons, lingerie, and clothing of all sorts. If someone has a particular brand preference then it is a good idea to bring the necessities because the choice is limited in Armenia. Also, personal care products are often much more expensive that in the US, at least.

It goes without saying, of course, that it is probably safer to bring prescription medication along, although it is very possible that most prescription drugs can be found here. The problem is that one cannot count on that fact. Also, if someone takes a medication like Synthroid, as I do which is a hormone, the available brands are Russian, and for hormonal drugs, I have been told by a health care professional, minute variations in the medication can have adverse affects. Also, HRT (Hormone Replacement Treatment) is rarely practiced here, so women who are on HRT should bring an adequate supply. Birth control pills would be another example, of course, of such medication.

This is not just for women, but I bring a good supply of allergy medicine with me because I have had a lot of problems with allergic reactions to airborne irritants. In spring when the poplar trees are in bloom and the sidewalks are covered an inch-deep in cotton fluff, it is particularly acute.

In the warm months, I use a lot of insect repellent because of the vicious mosquitoes and, even worse, horrid little invisible silent insects which are probably some kind of midge or what are called "no- see-'ems" in some places. Their bite leaves welts that itch for weeks and sometimes turn into blisters. After a camping trip I ended up with 75 bites on my body and had to take antihistamines for relief. That's when I put insect repellent on my shopping list for the US. I have never seen any for sale here.

What to wear
Armenia is a relatively conservative, traditional society and definitely a male-dominated one. Women dress here in a whole range of styles and fashions. You can see women wearing mini skirts, jeans, now even shorts (though not very short ones). Women often use a lot of makeup. Middle-aged women tend to dress more conservatively and more formally than younger women. On the whole, women dress less casually than Americans do.

What to wear in Armenia can be approached on two levels: the weather and appropriateness. Weather conditions are easier, naturally, to describe. Summers are generally very hot and sometimes very humid. The coolest cottons you have will feel the best. Women here wear sun dresses and sandals. Four years ago, one never saw Armenian women over ten years old in shorts, but this past summer there were many young women wearing shorts. As more and more foreigners come to Armenia, people are getting used to some of these changes.

Fall is usually beautiful with warm sunny days and cool nights, but it is good to be prepared with a warm sweater or jacket even in October. By late October and early November, woolens start to feel good, though there are still many warm sunny days.

The winter months are cold, and, because of the difficult economic conditions of the past years, many buildings are not well heated. A problem for me has been that when people do have means of heating their homes, they tend to keep them warmer than I find comfortable, so I have come close to passing out from heat stroke sitting in someone's home when I have on my thermal underwear underneath a wool sweater. Layering is a good idea!

Spring is a completely unpredictable season with very cold damp days even into April as well as pleasant days. Often there is a lot of rain. The temperatures are quite pleasant in May and June, with long sleeved clothing and lightweight knits being still comfortable.

One of the factors that one must keep in mind when deciding what is appropriate to wear is to remember that many people have preconceived ideas about what foreign women are like. There is a widespread stereotype of Russian women, for example, which has caused many of us irritating encounters with men who took us to be Russian women of a certain professional background. In most cases where I have had some man approach me with various suggestions, I have been alone after dark. Since I do not dress in a way that any but the strictest fundamentalists would call provocative, I assume that it was not the way I was dressed, but rather the fact that I was obviously a foreign woman and was out by myself after dark. So, my own guidelines are that I dress to try to minimize drawing attention to myself as a foreigner to some extent, but often my way of dressing is no different than what I would wear in the United States. I have heard positive comments about women who dress fashionably or with care. The only negative comments I have heard about the way foreign women dress is when they are perceived to dress sloppily or so casually that it is taken to be insulting. Neatness is valued. One of my friends pointed out that although all foreigners get stared at, if someone is dressed in what is judged to be a particularly sloppy way, that person will be stared at even more.

I would recommend bringing comfortable shoes with soles that aren't slippery since the sidewalks are dreadfully uneven and floors in public buildings are often made of stone or waxed wooden floors. I have done a fair amount of skidding in high heeled shoes. In winter, ice on the sidewalks is a big problem so boots with a good non-slip sole are essential.

What to avoid
Being out alone after around 10 o'clock at night increases a woman's vulnerability here, just as it does in many other societies. The added risk here is that it is not accepted culturally. I sometimes do return home late from events by myself at such hours, and when it is necessary to do so, I follow the procedures I learned living in downtown Los Angles: walking purposefully with the right body language, avoiding dark areas, being aware of my surroundings, etc. In the past year, there were two attacks on American women in Yerevan. In one case, passersby came to the rescue; in the other, calls for help were ignored by those passing by. But in a city of over a million people, there is a risk.

Medical aid
If I were a tourist who had a medical problem, I might check with my embassy's consular section for information or I might go the Public Health Department at AUA (American University of Armenia, 40, Marshal Baghramian Street, Yerevan) to see if they could give me information on where to go, or I might go to one of the NGO’s that had medical outreach programs to see if they could refer me.

Tips

· The US embassy has a laundry service for 60 cents per kilo.

· Be prepared to wash your own hair if you go to a local beauty salon to get your hair cut. I take my own shampoo, comb and towel when I go since hygienic practices at the place I go to are not what I am comfortable with, e.g. everyone uses the same comb. If anyone wants to try the place I go, it is called Lux (pronounced 'Looks') and is located just off of Sarian Park. Rudik is the name of the man who cuts my hair. He has no set prices, but the going rate seems to be around a thousand drams. I sometimes pay him more and sometimes in dollars. Many beauty shops have "esthetic salons" where you can get facials and manicures.

· The Hotel Armenia (Republic Square) has a full-service beauty salon where many of the foreign community women go.

Undoubtedly the first thing foreigners notice when they come to Armenia is the smoking. The surgeon general has made no headway in the CIS, including Armenia, and Armenians accept others smoking, even when they know it is not healthy. It may seem like half of adults smoke, and many smoke in great amounts. There is no getting away from it in public places, except to walk away or go outside. Even offices that have clearly marked No Smoking Signs will consider being hospitable more important and allow people to smoke. For the militant anti-smokers, consider outdoors Armenia, or facing a complete lack of comprehension (or accusations of cultural imperialism on your part) by your constant protests. Of course it is possible to get away from smoke in your own room, and you can ask people politely to refrain if it is too annoying. As a guest they will respect your request in a private home, and you may get several nods of gratitude form other local nonsmokers. Just don’t get evangelical about it, and you can make your request accepted.

Perhaps the single thing that drives Westerners most stir-crazy in Armenia is the unbelievable amount of bureaucracy that can be involved in getting the simplest tasks done. In an official sense, the number of stamps, offices, rude secretaries and indifferent treatment people receive is a picture of the ways Soviet thinking dies hard. For the typical visitor, the most annoying experiences will be at customs (and/or renewing a visa), and getting served at shops and stores.

For customs and immigration, there is nothing you can do except savor the moment and wait your turn. All those people shoving to get in front of the line at immigration will still have a two hour wait for the luggage to appear. Customs officials can be abrupt, but they are not often rude. It is a sign of "macho" in Armenia to appear nonchalant (to the point of ignoring the other person) about everything. The customs official may actually be a bit intimidated by the foreigner, and overcompensating. Just relax, smile, and you’ll find the officer may do the same. Customs at the airport is the worst it can be for the tourist, and once through, you enter a very fluid culture.

Armenians are skilled at breaking rules and getting attention. Normally extremely polite and helpful, something of the old mindset grips them when they enter stores and shops. It can unnerve a visitor to approach a counter and patiently wait for service while ten to twenty locals march up and demand service. The person behind the counter will most likely not notice your good will and patience. There is nothing to do except understand this is accepted behavior and to assert yourself. Once contact is established with the shop attendant, you may very well become the center of attention, and all others are brushed aside. It may help to remember that decades of long lines and empty shelves during Soviet times does affect the local psyche and turn them into aggressive shoppers (but no more than the blue hairs at a basement sale in Macy’s).

Another nuisance is the ways the bands at restaurants and bars always seem to play their music at ear-splitting levels, how the street vendors peddling music tapes compete to drown out sonic booms, and how just when you are about to go to sleep, someone cranks up another rendition of the latest rock hit. Armenians love music, all kinds of music, and they like it loud when they are celebrating. It doesn’t seem to bother them (or their hearing), and if it is too annoying, just move away from the direct path, or go to another place. Of course if you’re stuck in a hotel room, and the band is playing on the opposite wall, you may have no choice but to join in the fun. No matter how bad it may seem at the moment, it is not rudeness or disregard for the feelings of others. It is something closer to the urge to invite all around one to celebrate and enjoy the moment. The Amrenian character is family oriented, clan-oriented, tribe oriented, and the call to gather is strong.

No matter how loud or annoying it may seem, it rarely goes past midnight or 1 a.m., and if you are staying in a private neighborhood, the unspoken rule is for everyone to get quiet at 11 p.m. Of course, there are exceptions, one of which is for young men to drive up to apartment buildings, honk their horns and call for a friend to come out. If it is truly annoying to the neighbors, someone will call them out, but normally it doesn’t last longer than a few minutes.

Generally the cheaper the place you stay in (in urban areas), the more noise and "evening encounters" you will face. This is not always true, but there are hotels in Yerevan that are favorite "trysting places" for locals. Wherever we are aware of specific nuisances or dangers associated with a hotel, we will list it.

As for the bureaucratic nuisances, as a foreigner you are protected from the worst aspects of local reality. Once any outward brittle exterior is broken, the warmth and interest in you is genuine. And no matter how bad it may seem, just remember it is never as bad or annoying as elsewhere in the CIS (Russia being the expert at apathetic behavior and rudeness--they created the system).

Another nuisance is the lunch break every official office takes just as you are entering. Sometimes from 12-1, sometimes from 1-2, sometimes from 2-3, workers stop what they are doing and take their break, and no manner of request will get them to help until the lunch hour is through. They don’t always go back to work exactly at the end of the lunch hour, either, and a gentle (or aggressive) reminder of the time may be necessary to get the wheels going. Many private shops, the shuka and yarmarka are immune from this practice, so you have options if you’re shopping. Otherwise, spend the time looking around. And before you blow your top, remember that the workers who greet the public are getting no more than $20 a month for their job, and the lunch break is the least they can entitle themselves to.

Most nuisances are misunderstandings: the persistent person who approaches you on the street or outside the hotel asking where you are from, do you like Armenia, do you need help? In the West people are conditioned to be suspect by this behavior. In Armenia it can be a come-on, but more likely it is simply someone simply trying to strike up a conversation. Outside hotels and popular tourist sites, they probably are looking for a guide job, and you may hire or not as you please. Otherwise treat the person as you would any other person who strikes up a casual conversation. If you are nervous about the encounter, simply decline to speak and walk away.

A sad development has been the appearance of desperately poor families sending their children to areas frequented by foreigners to beg. This was an unheard of situation a few years ago, and the locals are genuinely distressed by the situation. Children are very persistent, and may follow you with appeals for "hats pogh" (bread money) for great distances. This is a difficult situation, since your first urge will be either to think it is a scam (though many appeals are by genuinely needy people), or to empty your pockets (and some beggars are making more than working people). However heartbreaking (and convincing) the children are with their appeals, we must suggest you refrain from emptying your pockets when one approaches, or abusing them if they make an appeal. Follow your conscience, and judge what a few drams can mean to someone who you think is really needy. Otherwise decline and walk on. Eventually they get the point and leave you alone.

Another nuisance for drivers and riders is the seemingly constant halts at road points by police. The police are technically allowed to stop any car for any genuine motor vehicle regulation infraction, but often they are simply ways to elicit petty bribes from the driver. All drivers will test the waters and determine whether or not to slip a few drams with their registration papers, and many times this works. However, each cop is required to give a certain quota of tickets each day, and if you are the lucky one at the end of his shift, you or your driver will probably have the license confiscated. This is normal practice. The driver has to appear at the police office to pay a fine and get his license back. If you are driving, it is unlikely anything of this kind will happen, unless you are involved in a serious infraction of the rules.

Street police are also involved in petty bribes given by street vendors and shops. It is illegal but inevitable. Officially they earn $10 a month, and little recourse is available to them for income. It is unfortunate, it is wrong, but it is a fact of life. And the same cop who takes "gifts" from vendors can be extremely helpful to you in time of need.

If you want to bike around the country, you will want to bring your own, as the more sophisticated road bike that is available in the West is generally not available here. Drivers on roads and highways can be a great nuisance, and even a hazard since they are not accustomed to bike riders on their "turf". There are no bike trails per se, but there are some great off-road paths that can be considered challenging to your skills. Bicycle repair must be taken into account, since repair shops do not exist here as in the West. Bring all spare parts. Roads are in bad condition, so it should be sturdy, and definitely wear a bike helmet.

For Women traveler risks and hazards, see Women Travelers.

It may not even be before you land in Armenia that you start to hear people talk of the "Mafia". While it is true there are genuine Mafia’s as there are in every other country, the term is also used to describe family clans, the banding of friends and relatives to start a business and groups of people coming together to protect themselves.

Armenia has several thousands of year’s history of having to band together to survive and protect themselves. The psyche includes a clannish existence, and doing business through connections. The axiom it is not what you do, but who you know is often true. This is perhaps the greatest deterrent to the emerging market system in Armenia, but it does not mean that you will witness shoot-outs or gang warfare on every corner. Far from it, Armenia is (compared to the West) an extremely safe country, and the chances you will encounter a genuine Mafiosi is very unlikely.

Except for the cautions given to Women travelers and the urban problem of pick-pocketing in crowded places, you will more likely feel more safe in Armenia than at home. Outside of Yerevan crime against foreigners is almost unheard of, and villagers will more likely be more distressed than you if something happened to tarnish their reputation. Likewise they are likely to be merciless against the culprit if found.

At the same time, you should be normally cautious about placing valuables and money in open sight, in unattended hotel rooms, or making obvious display of your personal wealth. It may not seem like much to you, but to someone who can only dream of taking a tour, it can seem an awful lot. There are car break-in’s and most locals have an alarm system and locked gasoline cap. The occurrence of car theft has greatly lessened as conditions have improved, but the driver of a car can still be spotted at a function from the way he periodically walks up to the window to check on his car. The US embassy recently reported a pickpocket that had robbed another local at night and tried to draw a passing American into the situation as protection. This is very rare, but if you are walking at night, walk with purpose and refrain from talking to strangers. In smaller urban areas and the rural areas, it is infinitely safer from even these petty crimes, but it is still wise to practice precautions.

Theft and Loss
If in a group, or having made arrangements through an agency, report theft to your tour guide or agency first. If you want to report the theft, you will have to fill out a form with the police. The chances of them actually catching the criminal are remote, though. For lost visas and passports see Passports and Visas in this section. Lost traveler’s checks may be replaceable--Midland Bank in Yerevan accepts major traveler checks so check with them before you come to see what types they will cover loss for. See Money for other options.

Arrest
If you are arrested, the Armenian authorities are obliged to inform your embassy or consulate immediately and allow you to communicate with it without delay. Embassies and consulates cannot represent you, but they can advise a lawyer and contact your family. Remember you are subject to the laws of Armenia as soon as you enter the territory, and no embassy can prevent prosecution if you have transgressed the laws.

An extensive list of local attorneys can be requested from the

Consulate of the American Embassy in Yerevan
((374-2) 52-46-61, AT&T 151-551, or fax AT&T (374-2)151-550).