What's that on your nose?

This magnificent creature is a rhinoceros beetle – one of the largest and most fascinating beetles in Armenia. When I was a kid, first collecting bugs, then photographing them, I really wanted to find one, but never did. So, this here monster represents my childhood dream come true!

Some interesting facts about rhino beetles, gleaned from books and Internet: they are mostly useful creatures, their larva feeds on rotting wood, recycling it back into the ecosystem, only males have the horn and use it for territorial/food fights with other males. Females are larger, but with no horn.

What I find fascinating about these beetles, is that they are considered among the strongest creatures in the world. A rhino beetle is said to be able to carry 850 times its own weight!

The close relatives of this guy are the huge African rhinos, some of them as big as the palm of your hand! This European cousin is only about 5-6 cm (2-2.5 in) long. But he does have an imposing appearance, doesn’t he?

How do you say "Christ" in Armenian?

I now sit in the same room with 4 lawyers (the so called Legal office). The work is done simultaneously in several languages, so at any given moment someone might be writing a contract in English, someone else - constructing an offer in Russian, and a third – translating something from English or French into Armenian. Naturally, everybody needs help now and then, and phrases like "How do you spell 'territorial'? What's 'continuity' in Armenian?" fly around all the time.

Today, my coworker is translating a Habitat for Humanity contract.

-How do you say: "to build houses where people can experience God's love" in Armenian, asks she. A minute later: -And "to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ".

-Dont they know we are the first Christian country? - chimes in another coworker. We were the first to "promote the Gospel".

-Yet we none of us have these expressions ready in Armenian, I say. Isn't it sad?
-Well, we are not religious people! returns the first coworker.

The conversation then quickly switches to sects (which in Armenia means any demomination except the Armenian Apostolic Church) and how everybody hates them.

The head of Legal service walks into the room a few minutes later and is asked about the translation.
-Oh, for God's sake! Tell them to throw those parts out! - he suggests. - The state bodies might think they are registering a religious organization and there will be difficulties unlooked for!

How do you witness to people like these?