Nursing in Gyumri

Natalie Hecht
USA

In May 2009, I graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in nursing and a strong desire to do something other than work full time or enter graduate school. I was interested only in some sort of adventure. I remembered hearing about Birthright Armenia years before and knew this time was the perfect opportunity for me to head to Armenia and use my new knowledge to volunteer in hospitals.

After speaking with the Armenian Volunteer Corps director, I decided to live in Gyumri, Armenia—not Yerevan as I had anticipated. I was hesitant at first because I thought the culture shock would be tremendous and the language barrier would lend to difficulties. I was correct on both counts, but only in the best possible ways.

In Gyumri, away from the hustle and bustle of a big city, I was fully immersed in the daily life of my host family and new Armenian friends. I quickly gained a true sense of Armenia and the overflowing hospitality that comes with it.

One day, a nurse from work invited me to her home just outside of the city. I arrived in her village to find stone houses, chickens running about, vast fields of sunflowers, and the occasional animal “mooo”. The nurse and her grandmother showed me around their home, giving me samples of homemade lavash, butter, apricot jam, and matsun. Then, the nurse took me door to door and introduced me to everyone as Natalie—the Armenian volunteer from America. All reactions were the same: lots of hugs, bachiks, and generous offerings of food and homemade goods. I was touched. I could hardly communicate, but it did not matter. There was so much love and gratitude between us all. Sometimes, I think, it’s better not to have any words.

My internship took place at the Austrian Children’s Hospital in the intensive care unit. During my initial tour, I noted their lack of equipment, sterile procedure, and glove usage. I identified two personal obstacles right away: First, I was very unfamiliar with their outdated equipment and did not know how I’d be able to practice medicine in such a foreign environment. Second, I only spoke 20 words of Armenian, none of which were relevant in a medical setting.

But, as we say in Armenia, “Vochinch.” It’s nothing. The nurses welcomed me with open arms and worked with me and my Armenian-English dictionaries until we understood each other. As for the equipment, I watched the nurses until I could mimic their procedures. I learned quickly.

Still, I felt sadness most days as I walked around the hospital. Children’s illnesses were prolonged due to inadequate supplies of medication. Lack of sterile equipment led to infection. Outdated x-ray machines made for inefficient and unclear diagnostics. I was frustrated with the discrepancy between what they did not have and what they United States did.

The summer before this, I held an internship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, a state of the art facility with the slogan: Hope Lives Here. During the first part of my internship in Gyumri, I couldn’t help but think: Hope does not live here. How could it in a place with so little?

One morning, I spoke with a doctor about an incredibly jaundiced infant. She told me in English, “Liver problems are very hard for us. But we gave her a blood transfusion last night. When her urine turns from brown to light yellow, we will know she’s okay, so we will wait.”

We will wait…

And so, I was wrong. Hope does live here—in this country with little money but with indescribable zest, personality, history, and tradition. Hope lives here. Maybe not in the same there-is-always-something-more-that-can-be-done attitude that Western medicine has, but in their own special Armenian way, physicians and nurses return to work day after day to do what they can with what they have. And they do it well. This realization was an important one, as it was the moment I stopped comparing Armenia’s medical system to America’s and, like the nurses, maximized the equipment available.

There are some things that words cannot express, and I’ve come across many of them while living in Gyumri. My unforgettable experiences would not have been possible, however, without my goals of complete immersion, eliminating preconceptions and taking advantage of all opportunities. I am so glad I chose Birthright Armenia and AVC as a way to spend my first few post-graduate months. Nothing else would have compared.

Just the Right Fit

Amy Hunter, Musician-Pianist
Age 28, USA
July 15-September 3, 2009

My decision to come to Armenian this summer was a no brainer. I have always wanted to do volunteer work, but the timing was always off, and my interest in my family history only deepens and intensifies as I get older. I didn’t grow up immersed in the Armenian culture as many of the volunteers did. Although I am half Armenian I grew up in rural Maine. My link to Armenia was when I went to Boston to visit my grandparents. I would listen to them speak Armenian, eat lots of dolma, baklava and home made rose-pedal jelly, watch my grandfather play tavli with my cousin, and watch my grandmother sweep through the kitchen all day in her slippers cooking and making coffee.

This summer was the perfect time for me to be away for two months. I completed a bachelor and master’s degree in classical piano performance from the Esther Boyer School of Music in Philadelphia, where I currently live and can easily get time off during the summer months from work. When I filled out my AVC application my first choice for job placement was to teach or play music, but thinking that this may be a more difficult field than most to find work, I wrote that I would also help build homes. Much to my surprise I got placed teaching piano and re-designing the music program at a private school in Yerevan. I played it pretty cool leading into my travels. I didn’t obsess or imagine what it would be like. I didn’t want false expectations or to find myself saddened with unfulfilled dreams. Word of advice- this is the best way to travel!

I first walked though the doors of Macsedan School about 8 weeks ago. It’s a private school that specializes in languages. All students learn English, Armenian, Russian and then either German or French. I speak English and... English, these kids put me to shame! Language classes provided though Birthright Armenia are great. I actually have a tutor all to myself, so, I am definitely progressing, but was also relieved to find out that the students I would be giving piano lessons to can speak English. The school is technically closed for the summer so the unbelievable staff and I began to formulate a teaching schedule immediately for those students not on holiday who are able to come in. In Philadelphia my students come in once a week for 30-45 minutes and with at least half of them I am keeping my fingers crossed that they have practiced. Not the case in Armenia. Every student wanted to come in either three days a week, or every day for a lesson and they were all excited to be playing! I was already loving Armenia, making minor cultural adjustments, finding my way around the city, attending numerous fantastic diverse concerts at the Opera House and Open Air Fest, forming special life-long relationships with the staff at AVC, Birthright, and all the volunteers, but now the best part of being here was about to begin. All of my students at Macsedan are just a plethora of wonderful things. They are well rehearsed for every lesson, they are respectful, interested, intelligent, motivated and helped me immensely with my Armenian! I loved speaking Armenian with them, I was able to let my guard down and also help them with their English. Lessons flow easily and quickly in Armenia.

On September 1st there was a performance put on by the current students for the newly enrolled students. I was able to perform, students put on a play, sang the Macsedan anthem, etc. At the end of the performance one of my students came up to me and gave me a huge hug. She pulled away and asked me “Am I going to see you tomorrow?” Tomorrow was the first day of classes, and also the day before I reluctantly return to the States. I had a mile long list of things to do, not to mention pack, so I replied “I’m not sure.” She reached over and gave me another long genuine hug and walked away. I turned around and another one of my students was standing next to me. The same question! All of my students came up to me that day and greeted me once more before I had to leave. Leading into that day I already knew that I loved Armenia, that this experience had influenced my being, memories and relationships with volunteers and the Macsedan staff were imbedded and that my volunteer placement was the right fit and that I wasn’t ready to leave. These students made a very deep impression on me and when I thought I didn’t need any more convincing there it was right in front of me.