‘Dear Armenia…’

Originally published on Repat Armenia website

 

Hayastan jan,

Thanks for being my home for the last 6 months. No, I’m not going anywhere just yet, but I wanted to thank you now, personally.

You provide me with unique experiences that I can’t be part of anywhere else. I have to thank you for keeping me company with your music and fountain show at the Republic Square. Your eclectic mix of tunes always entertains me, from Charles Aznavour to Cotton-Eyed Joe.  On weekends I get to enjoy the rabiz remixes played at our handicraft flea market, Vernissage. I am lucky to have befriended some of the woodworkers, who look forward to my visits whenever I get the chance. Thank you to all of the shopkeepers and restaurant employees who know my name and know my orders. Your warm smiles make me feel so much more welcome here!

They say Armenians are curious people. This is very true. When I’m not getting stared down by packs of girls for wearing converses or leg-warmers, I tend to attract the attention of mothers with daughters, the munchkins interested in my goofy smile or tendencies to stretch in public. The Armenian-esque mentality of being serious and sometimes glum has worked to my benefit, mostly. It is easy to stand out and brighten someone’s day with a smile or random act of humor. And when I’m not getting harassed by the old man who refused to stand up at a standing rally, who by the way, told me I would make a great wife (sarcastically), I amuse others with the songs I’ve written about Armenia’s public transport and interesting sense of fashion.

It is easy to overlook some of the other cities and villages, like Gyumri or Shushi, but I think they really provide a slice of Armenia. These historic towns will always have a place in my heart because of the way they opened their hearts to me. The random invitations into peoples’ homes and their desires to pour tuti-oghi down my throat show me that there is a side to Armenia that is more genuine than I could have ever imagined. They wonder why I’m in Armenia, and if I’ve come here to find a husband and have kids – since family is of utmost importance. Sometimes the gender-stereotypical comments can get on my nerves, but that’s just a part of the mentality that I can laugh at. Who likes to get beaten in football (soccer) by a woman?

To the lovely police officers and presidential police escort who have a habit of waking me up on a daily basis – it is not necessary to shout incomprehensible babble through your microphones, and no, nobody understands you anyways. Maybe if you followed the rules you were supposed to enforce instead of throwing your cigarette butts on the ground people might respect you. However, on a non-sarcastic note, I have to say I appreciate the police presence at night. I feel incredibly safe walking around Yerevan after sunset.

So, my dear Yerevan, there are some things you can do to make my smile a bit brighter. I still avoid marshrutkas (minibuses) like the plague, and I don’t like taxi drivers trying to rip me off because I’m a Diasporan. Just because I speak Western-Armenian, doesn’t mean I don’t understand you. I’ve been rammed by grocery carts in supermarkets more times than I’d like to remember, but I’ve perfected my death-glare, so thanks. I don’t think the concept of waiting in line has become a hit here – yet. The cancerous smoke cloud that seems to follow me wherever I am is starting to fade. Though, a bit of advice; if you plan on entering a place to enjoy an adult beverage or two, don’t wear something that’s fresh out of the wash. You’ll come out smelling like an ash tray anyways.

I conclude with one of my favorite Yerevanci slang phrases. Lav, eli!

Sirov,

Ani Kohar Tramblian
Birthright Armenia Participant from Virginia, USA

No más un cuento de hadas… Una realidad……

— Kevork Micael Nalbandyan,
Uruguay, 2012–13

Para los armenios que nacen en la diáspora dentro de una comunidad armenia la pregunta “¿Qué es Armenia?” es muy fácil de responder. Armenia es el Ararat, es el General Antranik, Kevork Chavush, Serop Ajpiur y todos sus fedaís. Es Gars, Sasún, Sepastia, Mush, Van,  Alashgerd  y Ardahan, son el millón y medio de mártires de 1915. Es el Lehmeyun, kefte, humus, Dhol, zurna, duduk y bailar kochari.

Pero, ¿Qué es la Armenia actual?.  Ah, la Armenia actual es el Lago Sevan, el Dzidzernakapert, Hor Virap, Mer taghe, la ópera y la plaza de la república, un lugar para pasarla bien.

Ir a Armenia fue algo que siempre tuve en mente. Sabía que algún día iba a ir, aunque sea a participar del campamento Hama-homenetmenagan de scouts que se hace una vez cada cuatro años. Pero por febrero de 2012, un amigo me hizo recordar la posibilidad de ir a través de Depi Hayk (Birthright Armenia) y estar en Armenia un par de meses como voluntario. Luego de unos meses y de varias charlas con amigos que ya habían participado del programa, tome la decisión. Es así que un día sin pensarlo demasiado, me senté en la computadora y llené los formularios de la página de Depi Hayk. Casi sin darme cuenta el 24 de Mayo de 2012 estaba sentado en un avión rumbo a Yerevan.

De esta forma desembarqué en una gran aventura que en un principio iba a ser de 3 meses y terminó siendo de casi 8. Es que cuando uno está ahí no puede dejar de absorber cosas y nunca es suficiente.

Mi experiencia cuenta de al menos dos grandes etapas: la primera en Gyumrí y la segunda en Yerevan.

Al llegar a Armenia me sucedió algo muy raro, sentí como que no hubiera llegado a ningún lugar especial. Esa sensación de extranjero o de turista no la sentí en ningún momento de los 8 meses. Desde un primer momento sentí como si toda mi vida hubiera vivido ahí, fue algo muy extraño pero muy lindo a la vez.

Gyumrí…

A los pocos días de llegar me llevaron a Gyumrí. Ésta es la segunda ciudad en importancia de Armenia, queda al noroeste cerca de la frontera con Turquía.

La experiencia en esta ciudad fue increíble por la sencillez de su gente, su amabilidad y su hospitalidad. Los voluntarios que conocí allí nunca los voy a olvidar, varios de ellos son grandes amigos míos ahora. Nunca olvidaré los momentos compartidos en los viajes en mashutka o tren a Yerevan, los atardeceres que veíamos al final de la calle Paruyr Sevak, las tardes de guitarreada compartiendo historias y unos oghi. Tener la oportunidad de charlar con la familia que te alberga, escuchar sus anécdotas, sus experiencias y la forma en la que ellos ven a Armenia. Es difícil mencionar una anécdota en particular el conjunto de todo lo que hacíamos ahí lo hizo especial.

Yerevan…

A partir del cuarto mes me radiqué en Yerevan, y puedo decir que es una experiencia totalmente diferente a Gyumrí. 

Está muy bueno estar en la capital.

Two Birthright Armenia alums Planning to Stay for a While

Reblogged from Human Rights Work in Yerevan:

Considering my great experience with Birthright Armenia last year, I am forced to bring attention to these two recent news pieces. Two BRA alumni have write ups for their recent contributions to Armenia, Paul Vartan Sookiasian and Oksana Mirzoyan. Both of them have contributed to Armenia, established a life here and are planning on staying for a while, Paul working in an office funded through USAID and Oksana through artistic endeavors and working with…

Read more… 28 more words

Written by another 2012 alum, Gabriel Armas-Cardona, who is now back to Yerevan and is working at the Caucasus Research Resource Center.

Cela ne sera jamais suffisant

Anahit Bagramyan
(Canada, AVC ’12)

Si, après 3 mois, vous avez l’impression qu’il ne vous manque que 2-3 petits jours pour que tout soit parfait, détrompez-vous : cela ne sera jamais suffisant. Comme un enfant qui supplie : « 5 minutes de plus », ne réalisant pas son état de fatigue, de faim ou de propreté, une partie de vous ne veut pas partir. Il y a tant de choses que je n’ai pas eu le temps de faire en Arménie me promener à Manument, monter au sommet d’Ararat, retourner à Tsiternakabert, revoir une fois de plus les gens qui ont rempli mon été de beaux moments, tendres, drôles, touchants.

Les souvenirs de ce que j’ai eu le temps de faire sont encore frais, même après 6 mois : l’incroyable nature de Kharabar, les forêts d’Ijevan, les églises, les repas partagés avec les aînés qui ont vécu la guerre, les étoiles de Noemberian, vartavar à Tavouch et évidemment toutes les anecdotes qu’y suivent. Je m’égare avec plaisir….

Contrairement à la majorité des participants de Birthright Armenia, je n’en étais pas à ma première visite au pays : je parlais la langue et j’avais de la famille à Yerevan. Étant restée connectée avec le pays, j’ai atterri en Arménie avec des idées, des attentes mais surtout des déceptions préconçues. Finalement, cette expérience s’est révélée très différente de toutes celles que j’avais faites auparavant.

Je ne sais pas comment vous décrire en quelques lignes ce j’ai vécu. J’ai vu une éthique de travail dysfonctionnelle, beaucoup de potentiel gaspillé pour différentes raisons, de l’injustice, mais également des changements phénoménaux, du travail acharné et une jeunesse pleine de promesse. J’ai probablement ressenti toute la gamme d’émotions possibles, tant les bons que les moins bons. Mes pensées vont à l’école des enfants déficients, au groupe d’adolescents sourds que j’ai eu la chance de côtoyer, à l’équipe de psychologues de la clinique privé, aux gens que j’ai rencontrés grâce à Birthright Armenia et AVC…

Si j’ai touché la vie de certaines personnes, des amis, collègues, supérieurs, enfants et chacun d’eux a contribué à façonner un nouveau moi, plus mature, plus conscient, plus ouvert, plus présent. Un grand merci à la famille de Birthright Armenia et d’AVC qui vous adopte dès votre arrivée, un style de parrainage démocratique ceci étant dit!

J’ai enfin compris certaines choses sur lesquelles je m’interrogeais, et comprendre aide à ne plus juger, mais amène à s’ouvrir aux solutions, car tout n’est pas noir, ni même gris. L’Arménie est un pays de toutes les couleurs. Et si certains choses me fâches ce n’est pas pacque je vie ou pense comme une canadienne. C’est parce que j’aime ce pays du fond du cœur et je ne lui souhaite rien de moins que le meilleur. Je compte faire mon possible pour contribuer dans les changements à venir.

Le conseil de Sevan résonne encore entre mes deux oreilles. « Birthright est une belle opportunité. Maintenant, ce que tu fais avec est une tout autre question. Tu peux prendre ce qui t’est donné de base, ce qui est sans exagération, excellent, mais tu peux faire encore mieux, utiliser tes forces et tes faiblesses pour que ça devienne un tremplin. »

Toutes les décisions que vous allez prendre, une fois atterris ici, sont les vôtres, c’est effrayant, c’est différent, mais je vous assure : c’est excellent pour la santé.

Մինչ նոր հանդիպում
Anahit

TIA – This is Armenia ~

Araz Boghossian
(Canada, AVC ‘12)

The reason I took months to start writing my first blog was because I simply didn’t know where to begin; I’m completely lost for words and at the same time I feel like I’m going to burst because I have so much to say, so many stories to share; it’s a strange feeling. My experiences were brilliant, unique and unforgettable (These words are such understatements). I’ll simply say that those 18 weeks in Armenia were the best times of my life. I took some 22,000 photos and over 500 videos, which I go through partially everyday, so I could re-live my time in Armenia and be able to bare the distance until I can return again soon.

Having said that…I still don’t know where to begin.

11 April , 2012…

I was very excited to be coming back to my fatherland for the second time; I remember sitting in the plane thinking about Gayane and Avetis (Avo), my homestay mother and brother to be. I was thinking about how it would be to live with total strangers for months. What if we don’t get along? May be I should have gotten my own place? Then I started thinking about my work placement. I got so excited; I couldn’t wait to see what they had in store for me. I was assigned by Jenya at the AVC office to work with Professor Artak Hambarian, the dean of the Engineering Department at the  American University of Armenia (AUA). I started thinking about the different type of projects that they might have for me and what kind of work I would be doing during the four and half months. My mind started to wonder away; I started day dreaming about all the adventures that I’m going to have with my friends, Saro and Tigran whom I had missed so much. I thought of visiting Artsakh for the first time and my heart immediately started to pound; little did I know, I would be visiting Artsakh twice during my 18 week stay in Armenia. I thought of how it would be and painted a picture in my mind, when suddenly I felt my chest being pushed back into my seat and short moments later the plane was off the ground. Half way through the trip I was overwhelmed with strange feelings. At first I was excited about landing in hayrenik, but my excitement slowly dissipated.  It felt like I wasn’t going away to Armenia, it felt like I was returning home from a faraway place. I was puzzled. That wasn’t how I felt the first time I travelled to Armenia. What had happened? Where has all the excitement gone? I didn’t find the answer to that question until I actually arrived in Armenia. Still no excitement, I was “just happy to be home” is what I responded to the question “how do you feel?” from my childhood friend of 19 years,  Saro, who was picking me up from the airport. I didn’t know at the time why, but I never have a higher sense of belonging than when I am in Armenia. I don’t feel that way about any other place, not even for the country in which I was born and raised, nor the place I currently live in, which I’ve been residing in more than half my life.

Ten hours after I landed, I had to wake up by no choice of my own. It was 5:00AM and I was heading to a military base with my friend Saro. I promised him that I would take photographs and videos of him parachuting out of a helicopter. We got to the base at 7:00AM. It was a bit chilly and rainy, so I had my winter jacket on. We stepped out of the car and the first thing I saw was mount Ara staring back at me. It was rather wide and had several peaks, I closed my eyes and I took a deep breath. The fresh smell of thyme (uorts) filled my lungs; that was my first nostalgic moment in Armenia since 2008.

Later that afternoon,