Expecting the Unexpected

Nina Talverdian
USA, 2013

I am part of a generation that has tough stereotypes to beat with the many technological distractions it seems we always busy ourselves with. And it is true that at home, we have life's complications to settle along with staying on top of the hot new buzz circling the internet. However, having traveled to Armenia and volunteered with the help of the Armenian Volunteer Corps (AVC) for about 6 months, I learned that the lessons of life lie not behind the computer screen but in the interactions with people face-to-face in a world very different from ours.

Having never traveled to Armenia before, I felt joining a volunteer program was not only a good way to see the country but the best way to learn about its culture and people. I stepped in without any expectations and left with such pride. What lay ahead was a blessing because it was unexpected and enlightening yet emotional and challenging.

I was fortunate to have volunteered in and out of Yerevan in a number of different places. Almost everyone I had the opportunity to work with was pleasant, hard working and respectfully curious. I learned as much from them as they did from me. From the adults who had families to the kids trying to find their way in the world, they offered me an inside look into their lives that I have yet, even after 6 months, to fully grasp. And what made it all the more sweet was I was extending a hand to help which they appreciatively took. Even if I made a fractional difference at placements that stretched from assisting college classes to training former street dogs, the help was graciously accepted. This is not to say this experience came without its trials. Working behind the scenes shed light on their challenges with money and work and everything else in between. I experienced starkly different situations like students comfortably going to university while other families, not too far from the city, lacked the basic necessities to sustain themselves. However, even with all that considered, the positive conditions instilled a sense of hope for the progress in this young country and the negative a sense of how much work lies ahead for her.  

Although 6 months may seem like a lot of time, I left feeling my hand needed to be extended even further for even longer. However, I can safely say I had a very well rounded experience with the guidance of AVC. They offer a chance to immerse into this politically passionate yet calmly warm pool of people who will humble you at almost every turn. Armenia's conditions, societal values and cultural norms prove either to be blessings for some or hurdles for others. In my opinion, AVC gives you the chance to decide for yourself while you are ultimately in control of your own experience.

My Armenian experience...

Vanya Garabedian
(USA, 2012)

When I completed graduate school in May I found myself with a gap in time before I started my new job. I realized, Armenia, now is the time. I knew I wanted to go for an extended period of time and learn as much as I could. I wanted to spend my time with the locals and experience every day life. I started researching online and found Armenian Volunteer Corps. I read the website, filled out the application and the process began. The date was set, the ticket bought, I was going to Armenia for two months! I couldn’t believe it.

The first week was a whirl wind, being taken, literally by hand, from one place to another. My fears of getting lost and not being able to communicate with locals came true. All of it was exciting, exhausting and good. I was placed at Prkutyun, a day treatment facility for developmentally disabled young people. I was asked to train their staff in Art Therapy.

My goal: To teach them the skills of how to find their own solutions, to think outside the box and recognize nothing is concrete, everything is fluid and subjective. How to help the individuals learn about themselves and express themselves to facilitate their own growth. Needless to say my goal constantly changed and evolved to be more in line with the Armenian culture and ideas.

My first training was exciting; I met a group of young women who were excited and open to learn what I had to teach them. My second training, not so much; it was terrifying. I was in a room with older women who were arguing in Armenian for 20 minutes. I did not understand what they were saying, but understood they were not happy that they were in this room with me. When I asked my supervisor what was being said she simply said. “I told you they would be difficult, they are being difficult.” 

My supervisor tells me to share what I know and not worry about what they learn or do not learn, what they believe or do not believe. She believes they will come around. This comes up against my own belief system of wanting to work within their system and beliefs. I am not an expert, I do not know more. They are more knowledgeable about what will work and not work within their own culture. Then I realize how much of this is another opportunity to practice overcoming my own challenges.... Assertiveness and self confidence are constant challenges for me. How to be assertive and not shrink away or force things. How to stand in self confidence and trust what I know. So I kept moving forward, doing my best to find a balance between my desire to help and understand Armenia.

Right when I believed I was not making progress one of the women makes sure that I have bread at lunch. Another woman goes out of her way to say hi and another makes sure I do not miss out on the coffee break. My supervisor shares with me “They do not want you to go back to America, we will find you a husband so you can stay here. We will lie about your age, no one will know you are 40.”

Then it happened, I let go, I relaxed. I got to know the other volunteers and the women and beneficiaries at my work. Language no longer seemed as big of a barrier. I learned how to be quiet and more attentive on a deeper level than ever before. I discovered that the more I relaxed and trusted the more everything worked out. My relationships deepened, I was only getting lost once or twice a week instead of everyday. I began to understand some Armenian and was able to communicate a litte. I began to connect with people and barriers began to dissolve.

Success does not look like what I thought it might, me bringing new knowledge to Armenia.  Instead it looks like me being stretched outside of my own preconceived ideas and being challenged on professional and personal levels that I have never been challenged on before.

I can honestly say I can not imagine coming to Armenia any other way than through AVC. It was the perfect combination of support and independence. It is the most challenging thing I have ever done, both personally and professionally. I had the unlimited support of the staff of AVC and Birthright Armenia. I would recommend, and have recommended, this as the only way to see Armenia to everyone I know and meet.

Time to come out – or why this blonde actually came to Hayastan and how it was

Zofia Baldyga

(Poland)

How did I decide to come to Armenia for two months? I probably should try to answer to this question one more time. As I did every single day of my stay.  Firstly I was surprised that everyone asks.  I knew that I was one of the blondest AVC volunteers, probably with the bluest eyes. The first one from Poland in the history of the program. But anyways, this is what international volunteerism is supposed to be about, right? Packing and going somewhere far away, for example to a small landlocked country in Southern Caucasus and testing your skills in a different environment while trying to make a change.  In yourself and in the surroundings.  It took me a couple of days to understand that in Armenia I stand out so much that I shouldn’t try to blend in. No one would believe.  I just needed to stay as I was, open and straightforward, and people will accept me and my dream to come and volunteer in Armenia.

So, getting back to my question (oh, actually it was yours), I didn’t throw a dart into a map to choose a country to volunteer in.  And I really don’t have any Armenian origins. Everyone was asking so I felt a bit like I should dig in my family story, but no. Nothing Armenian in it.  The idea of coming to Armenia came to me in the summer of 2011 in Eastern Netherlands when I was volunteering in the center for asylum seekers. I met there many Armenian immigrants and I found a lot of friends among them.  I loved their hospitality. One of my best and most cherished memories from Markelo is the rainy afternoon I spent with two other volunteers having dinner with an Armenian family we had  that just that day and they opened their house to us. Their house, their memories, their stories, their culture. They made me unbelievably curious. I didn’t know anything about Armenia but I love the stories I brought from Holland. When I was back home, I started digging. I brought books about Armenia from the library, I started to listen to Armenian music, I was spending hours looking at pictures of Armenia. This country seemed to be amazingly beautiful. I felt like packing and going to the Caucasus. But not as a tourist. For some reason I wanted to try to live there. I wanted to be something more than a visitor. Being a volunteer was the best option. I had two free months. Thanks to Google search I found Armenian Volunteer Corps.  And here I came.

My volunteering placement was a perfect match. I was working in an NGO implementing a project on migration management regarding circular migrants from Armenia to the European Union. In Warsaw I work in an NGO supporting third country nationals, and now I was able to experience the other side of the phenomenon, dealing with migration management from the perspective of a sending country. I will share more notes about it with you on the blog in a separate note; stay tuned.  It will come very soon.

My homestay was a perfect match. I enjoyed every single moment with my host sister and host mom. We were so different and so similar at the same time. And I mean something much deeper than the fact that we all had a short haircuit which is kind of original in Armenia. There was much more.  I loved having breakfast with my host sister and joining her and her friends in their free time to see how young people do things in Yerevan.

Armenia was a perfect match. I cannot fully explain why. I’ve just fallen in love with this country and I don’t care how cheesy it sounds.

Not everything was so ideal. I had many ups and downs. Smaller and bigger cultural shocks. Sometimes I was really frustrated at work because it was very different from what I’m used to and from what I expected.  But once I decided to just accept some differences and take everything as it is, dealing with it became easier. Sometimes I was really tired of being the single non-Armenian in the area.  But it was enough to repeat ten times to myself that my experience of Armenia is just mine, it cannot be compared with what anyone else is experiencing and it doesn’t really matter if I have a surname ending with –yan or not. A non-Armenian can discover Armenia for himself/herself.  I did.

My Armenia is about people. I met so many great friends in Hayastan. So different, from different areas, of different ages and backgrounds.  All of us came to Armenia to look for something and we ended up building this “something” together. As the AVC website says, AVC is about making a change.  It is.  But we should mention that the most important change is an internal one.

So, I’ve just fallen in love with this country. I cannot fully explain why. But I can say what the next step is.  If you love someone and you are 3000 kilometers away all you need is to go back. I cannot tell you all the details now but everything is planned. I will spend next summer in Armenia. Using English, we spoke at work, I set up a plan and all I need is a smooth implementation. (Almost) nothing can stop me now.

I  brought back small gifts for my family and friends. From Armenia with love.  A bottle of pomegranate wine, dried fruits, pottery, Armenian music, jewelry. I didn’t buy anything for myself but I do have a souvenir. Something that will be with me always me as a symbol of the change I mentioned in this post. I got a tattoo.  One word in Armenian. Courage, խիզախություն. Something I will need to have to continue what I started in Armenia as an AVC volunteer in the summer of 2012.

An Unexpected Opportunity

by Alexander Azizian

(USA)

Volunteering has always been a long time idea I wanted to look into. But I thought I knew nothing, I had no solid education, and I was just 21. What could I do for someone? Then one day I completely overlooked what I do know; that I did not think was important, sports.

I have been fencing for some time and although I am no grand master or anything, I can still teach the basics. Alas through Armenian Volunteer Corps and Birthright Armenia I was able to get into a Fencing School in Armenia to teach fencing to the small children here. The children are so fun and energetic; they really burrow into your heart when you work with them. The teachers here are great, but the Western ideas and tactics are not taught here and with me here teaching it, it does nothing but benefit everyone. This is truly a dream, not only do I get to work with the small children; I can also train with the National Team! They are also sharing their wisdom and teaching me some new tips and tricks I never heard of before.

Every detail of what I have or know goes a long way here down to the exercises, stretches, and mentality of it all. Although Armenians are sometimes stubborn when it comes to learning things they think they know, I have been creative and found ways to subtlety creep in. The language barrier is not that strong here in sports too, despite my lack of full knowledge for the language. Sports are a mere “monkey see, monkey do” game, it is no different in my situation.

The most rewarding moments happen to take place every day. One of the national team members was heading into competition, and they were missing an important part for their weapon. I just so happen to have an extra piece! One of the students couldn't take classes with the key coaches because of the time schedule; I was able to help this student out due to my time flexibility.

In conclusion, I would say that the kids are so well disciplined; they respect you the way they talk and listen to you. The expressions, the words they use, and the gratitude you receive, are all extremely inspiring.

Reflections from Armenia: Twenty Years after Re-Independence

by Rupen Janbazian (Canada)
















My first trip to Armenia was in the year 2000 with my family. Although I was quite young at the time, the trip would leave a lasting impression on me, which would prompt me to visit several times thereafter, for various different reasons - from attending conferences and meetings, to sightseeing and exploration with friends. Although I had visited Armenia many times and contributed voluntarily within the Armenian community of Toronto for many years, I had never been able to volunteer my time and efforts within the country. As I approached my university graduation, I felt as if it was time to visit Armenia for an extended period of time, to give back to my homeland directly - something that I believe everybody of Armenian descent is obliged to do at least once in their lifetime. Luckily, there exists an organization called "Birthright Armenia", which facilitates diasporan youth volunteerism in Armenia.

I decided to volunteer at the Hrayr Maroukhian Foundation (HMF). Founded in 2009, the HMF is a non-profit Armenian think-tank, committed to the development and advancement of public policy issues that promote the core values of social democracy through education, training, research, and regional and international cooperation. Although a relatively new initiative, the HMF has already began laying the foundations for long-term, systematic solutions to Armenia’s social, political and economic problems,  and has contributed to the development of a more transparent, accountable, equitable and prosperous society. Through the HMF, I have been able to take part in several exciting and interesting projects and initiatives. From planning conferences and seminars, to aiding with the day-to-day activities of the foundation, in my short time at the HMF, I quickly realized that Armenia is in great need of such programs, which look to find enduring and practical solutions to the various problems our country faces.

***
On September 21, 1991, Armenia declared itself independent from Soviet rule, with over ninety-nine percent of eligible voters saying “yes” to statehood. After seventy long years under the USSR, Armenia was once again a free and independent country. While most believed that joy and prosperity would come about, the years immediately following independence would prove to be bleak and disappointing. Ongoing war with neighbouring Azerbaijan, devastation following the major earthquake of 1988, severe economic hardship, unchecked ownership and entrepreneurship and an illegal blockade were just a few of the several problems the newly formed republic faced. The people of Armenia, who had been so optimistic at the ballot boxes, were soon losing faith in the system they had so courageously fought for and, for the first time, feeling a sense of disenchantment toward the idea of independence.

Twenty years have since passed, and unfortunately not much has changed in Armenia’s geo-political and socio-economic situations. No permanent peace has been established with Azerbaijan, hyper-privatization has paved the way for the prosperity of only a few, and Armenia continues to be a blockaded, land-locked country. This visit, however, made me realize one fundamental difference in Armenia - a difference in people’s outlook towards independence.

I happened to be in Armenia during the20th Anniversary celebrations of its re-independence, which was truly a once in a lifetime experience. Seeing tens of thousands of people on the streets of Yerevan with smiles on their faces, stretching ear to ear, made me realize that independence is once again becoming viewed and protected as a privilege in this country. Years ago, many diasporans had been subjected to lectures about how life was so much better under Soviet rule, and how independence has only brought poverty and despair to the country. On September 21, 2011, it became clear to me that after two decades of independence, the people of Armenia are once again ready to realize that that joy and prosperity can come about in a country working towards democracy.

The day-long independence celebrations concluded with a beautiful symphony concert at Yerevan’s Republic Square, and a wonderful fireworks display. As the fireworks went off at midnight, we were all caught off guard and quite scared of the blaring blasts. And it got me thinking...The people of Armenia and Artzakh were hearing similar sounds twenty years ago, under very different circumstances. The exploding sounds of war had now become exploding sounds of happiness and joy, and I cannot explain how proud that can make one feel.

In my short time here, I have been certain of one thing. Armenia is our country and it needs us. It is a young country, full of several social, economic and political problems, and we have to feel a sense of belonging to this land and do our best to actively make a difference here. Gone are the days of Armenia being an ideal in our minds and hearts, represented by a picture of Mount Ararat on the walls of our homes. Armenia is a real country with real problems.

I urge you all, in one way or another, to engage with what is happening in this country, and actively try to be a part of its development and progress. The Hrayr Maroukhian Foundation is just one example of how a dedicated group of Armenians can help achieve and implement real and necessary change in our country. There are several other organizations, groups and initiatives within the country, which strive to make a positive difference in Armenia.  It is the duty of all Armenians, regardless of where they live, to keep faith in the idea of independence and to actively try to make Armenia a true and rightful democracy.

Reflections: Four months and counting….

by Nieri Avanessian 
(USA)

For nearly four months, I’ve been working at two different civil society organizations - PINK Armenia and Institute for Democracy and Human Rights (IDHR). While the two NGOs have quite different issue areas and approaches, the thing they have in common, which has made my experience in Armenia so far full of surprisingly wonderful moments, is that the local Armenians who run and work for these two organizations are hopeful. It’s incredibly easy in this country to find people who just don’t believe that anything will ever change for the better. In the diaspora we mostly hear that Armenia’s government is corrupt and the money is all going into the pockets of people who are already rich and not to the people who need it. We don’t hear very often about the organizations run by  ‘real’ people, or about  ground-up civic initiatives whose participants are ordinary Armenian citizens who know that they are in fact capable of making a difference, however small, in the reality of their state.

At both PINK and at IDHR, I’ve met amazing people who believe in Armenia. Working with them, I’ve helped and taken part in environmentalist movements, passed out informative leaflets on AIDS, published articles on international movements to stop gender violence and on breakthrough research on an HIV vaccine, participated in a youth seminar camp on gender, activism, tolerance and equality, and most of all I’ve learned a little bit about what Armenia is really like.

I came here with no expectations, and tried not to have any prior beliefs about what it would be like. I think I did a pretty good job. I absorbed the culture with as much of an open mind as I could; I ignored the staring men and women to whom it was obvious that I am diasporan and focused on the ones who wanted to teach me and who wanted to learn from me. I’ve met women who don’t wear high heels or makeup every day. Men who wear pink shirts. Men with long hair and women with short hair. People who are proud to serve in the army to protect their homeland. I’ll be fair, I’ve met many people who DO fit every bad stereotype you’ve ever heard of, but they aren’t the ones whose actions will be driving positive change for the future of Armenia. I want Armenians in the diaspora to stop holding onto stereotypes about Armenia which they believe are absolute. Extremism is almost always wrong. While I’m here, after I leave, perhaps forever, that’s what I’ll teach, preach and believe.

It took less than a month for me to want to stay longer than the 9 months I initially planned. I’ve been here for 4 months, and I’m still not sure what it now means to me to be Armenian or what the country actually represents. Maybe it won’t ever be clear, but for better or worse it’s gotten under my skin, it’s gotten personal.

Мой опыт волонтера в Армении.

Арсен Петросян (2011) Arsen Petrosyan
Россия - Russia

Этой осенью я начал участвовать в волонтерской стажировке в Армении. Для этого было несколько причин: во-первых, я хотел пожить в Армении и узнать ее поближе, но не в качестве туриста как я приезжал до этого, а принимая активное участие в жизни страны - это работая бок о бок с жителями страны. Во-вторых, у меня выдалось летом свободное время, и я решил, что стажировка - это уникальная возможность получить новый опыт и попробовать себя в новой сфере. 

Считаю, что мне повезло с местом стажировки, где довелось поучаствовать в организации конференции по интернет технологиям и конкурсе стартапов. Эта работа занимала у меня много времени, но дала мне возможность близко познакомиться с этой отраслью в Армении. Так же параллельно мне удалось заняться переводами документации с английского на русский и поучаствовать в организации интересных мероприятий от художественных выставок до социальной работы. 

До стажировки у меня было ощущение, что волонтер - это человек, работающий бесплатно, и занимающийся, в основном, социальной работой. Во время стажировки, в области близкой к моей профессиональной, мне пришлось решать интересные задачи, познакомиться с интересными профессионалами со всего мира. Я пришел к убеждению, что работая волонтером, ты намного больше получаешь, чем отдаешь. Приезжайте в Армению и наслаждайтесь!

A Volunteer's First Impressions

Haig Balian
Canada

I’m lying on my single bed in my new room in Gyumri, and my host family is down on the main floor, watching an Armenian soap opera. It’s been two nights since I arrived in Armenia, and I think I may have already beaten my jet lag. Yesterday, I wasn’t very hopeful that I would.

I had the day mostly to myself, and spent the morning wandering the getron – the downtown area – running errands and buying a few necessities. Before I arrived, I’d thought that being in Armenia would be like being dropped into a totally foreign country, but magically having the ability to communicate with the people there.

That’s sort of exactly what it was like.

At the phone shop, I figured out the rates for data plans. At the electronics store, I bought a converter for North American plugs. At a tiny bakers, I ordered two lahmajoon – commonly described as Armenian pizzas – and they were made to order. I’ve had fresh lahmajoon before, but never straight from the oven. They were pretty incredible. I know I could have figured all this out without knowledge of the language. I’ve gotten used to gesturing with my arms, as well as approximating pronunciations in my guide books. But it’s never been this easy.

Not that I’m even close to fluent. I stayed with a family my first two nights in Yerevan. They were, I think, pleasantly surprised by the amount of Armenian I was able to speak, but soon my limitations came to the surface.They asked what I did in Canada; I couldn’t really answer (of course, I have the same problem when speaking with English speakers). They tried talking about politics. Food. Culture. The best I could do was try to understand concepts. The fact is, I stopped going to Armenian school in the fifth grade, so I read and speak at less than a fifth grade level now. That being said, I’m getting by.

In the early afternoon, I made my way back to my host family, but my head down on my pillow, and slept for three hours. I knew it was a terrible idea, and I did pay for it that night when I woke up at four and went back to sleep at 5:30. I’d made plans to meet with another new volunteer later that evening. Meghrig is a recent history graduate from a university in Haleb (Aleppo?), Syria, a city with a large Armenian population. We made plans on the phone. It was the first time I’d spoken Armenian to anyone other than a member of my family on the phone for as long as I can remember.

Yerevan’s main square – which is actually more of an oval – is like nothing I’ve seen. It’s surrounded by five low-rise stone buildings, and at the centre is a large fountain. On summer evenings, the buildings are illuminated and there’s a choreographed water show on the fountain, set to the music of Aznavour, Khatchatourian, U2, Piaf, and Williams, as well as others.

Much more to write, but it’ll have to wait until at least tomorrow. And I’ll have more pictures, too.

A few random observations:

* Armenians – Yerevanites, anyway – are incredibly put together. The women especially seem to spend an incredible amount of time getting ready for the day. The men, too, make an effort to look nice. Yesterday, I wore shorts and a t-shirt, and was awarded with stares; today I wore pants.
* When someone invites you to sit down to eat hatz – bread – you’ll be in your chair for at least half an hour. You’re in for a lot more than just bread.
* Mt. Ararat is completely visible from Yerevan. I went running the morning after I first arrived, turned a corner, and was completely surprised by this.

This post first appeared on Haig's own blog, www.haigbalian.com

Volunteering and Animation

Jirair Garabedian
Canada

So I've been an AVC volunteer for a little over a month now, and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight.

Actually, I've been in Armenia since May. Working at KassArt Studio. We've been scrambling to get ready for ReAnimania 2010 International Animation Film Festival of Yerevan. It's the second annual animation festival being held here.

You wouldn't believe the amount of work that goes into getting a festival going! It seriously couldn't be done without the 60+ staff and volunteers putting their sweat and blood into it every day.


I'm having a good time though, I mean I haven't been on any of the excursions..and I think I only went to 1 forum. But that's just because I'm so busy with work. I can't remember the last time I've pulled this many all-nighters in a row. Hopefully after the festival there'll be time to go on some of the excursions, get out of the city you know? There's only so much dust and smoke I can stand.

But on the upside, I've had pretty much complete immersion into the society, I'm over the whole culture shock thing and Ive picked up enough of the slang to sound local! So there's something to be glad about.

Anyways, there's 3 days to the festival so I should get back to work!

Six weeks in Armenia...Volunteering

Kareen Boyadjian
USA

Six weeks ago, countless thoughts were circulating in my head as I was driving to LAX to finally embark on my trip to Yerevan, Armenia. The preparations were made, including living arrangements, work appointments, orientation dates, and a collection of relatively generic, yet comforting thoughts of what I expected to participate in throughout the trip. However, in hindsight, all the planning and imaginary expectations couldn’t possibly have prepared me for such an inconceivable experience.

When I first reached Yerevan, I was not aware of how prominent the language barrier was. Back in Los Angeles, I attended an Armenian school for 15 years and so I believed my language experience was more than necessary to get by in Yerevan. My assumption could not have been more incorrect. It was when I first heard the lightning speed at which the locals spoke, and the effortless insertions of Russian slang that led to me believe the language may take some getting used to. Furthermore, it took close to a week to easily understand the great majority of daily conversation that took place in my work environment and otherwise.

Daily wardrobe, on the other hand was a little more difficult getting used to. Coming from Southern California, I’m used to the daily uniform consisting of jeans, a t-shirt with converse all-stars of every color. Once again, I could not have been more wrong. In Yerevan, the daily wardrobe consists of tight jeans, skirts, frilly tops and high heels. In rain or shine, through potholes and up multiple flights of stairs, high heels must be worn at all times, and any other type of footwear, signals “tourist.” At that point, one might as well be wearing a gigantic camera around their neck with a map in their hands and a LA Dodgers baseball cap.

Things to note when first arriving to Armenia:

Do not have expectations

Try to have an Eastern Armenian friend with you at all times… they really come in handy!

If you’re a Western Armenian speaker, remember, “gor = oom em,” “yao = eli,” “hajees = khntrem” “T = D” “K = G” “P = B” “S = Z” “ooghigh = straight”

In the work place, it is okay to work at a slower pace… everyone does. (don’t slack off though)

Getting the Armenian menu – the biggest compliment
Getting the English menu – slight insult (you’re probably wearing sneakers)

Work environment is very much similar to a family environment… don’t be so serious

SAS Supermarket delivers!

You will always different because you look different, speak different and act different… instead of imitating them, observe them, and embrace the differences.

Everyone stares… it’s okay, it’s not because there is something in your teeth

Always carry manr’s (change)… everyone hates making change

Kareen Boyadjian is volunteering with ReAnimania Film Festival.

Last Recap with SunChild Rebecca

Rebecca Kandilian
USA

As usual, lots of highs and lows but overall a great week in the Syunik region.

Also, this time around I was able to squeeze in a trip with the fellow volunteers to Gharapagh. Unlike most other volunteers, I have not really been in one place enough to make or maintain any sort of a contact with the other volunteers. It had also been a while since I had socialized with folks my age but I quickly found likeminded people and made some long lasting friendships. But, socializing with coworkers and natives is quite an experience itself. For the past two months, I have been away from any and all comfort zones, with locals, no prejudgment, no familial relations, nothing just them and Rebecca. And, to be able to keep your ground, stay true to yourself, do what you’re supposed to and for them to understand and appreciate it all builds character. So, as my professor used to always say ‘try it (volunteering outside of Yerevan and Gyumri) you might like it’.

After spending the weekend with the other volunteers, I rejoined the green bus folks and two days later we drove back to Yerevan. I return to Los Angeles in two days. Million dollar question: How do you feel? Very grateful. Yes, there were as much lows as there were highs but that is part of the process and it is quite unrealistic to expect otherwise. In a weird way, looking back, I am thankful for those lows too because without them some things may have not accomplished.

I must now thank AVC and BR staff for their support and also YOU for reading. Should you have any questions, comments about my volunteer experience or otherwise please feel free to contact me directly at rkandilian@gmail.com.

Sunday Recap With SunChild Rebecca

Rebecca Kandilian
USA

It has already been a couple of days since I’ve been back in Yerevan and I’m just starting to acclimatize to the life off the green bus. Life in some ways has become a bit uninteresting and slow as I’ve been accustomed to going to at least 2 villages a day, meeting a wide array of people and laughing a ton. At one point, my coworker Satenik and I laughed for three minutes non-stop—a result of identical sense of humor and tiredness. Heck, life is too short so why not laugh through it right? Easy thing to say now but there were plenty of days and instances on the bus where even the silliest and funniest occurrence would not have made any of us crack a smile. Having lived in Yerevan for a bit one might start to forget the absolute horrible conditions that almost the entire Armenia is in. I went, I saw and I have since not been able to sleep well.

I would now like to write a bit about a place that, in retrospect, left a mark on us--not in a good way I must say. Debetavan--The last village hugging the Georgian border. 20 kids and 3 teachers. No visitors for the past three years. Kids with just as much depth and understanding as any other kid but far from having the tools to receive the best possible education. After spending some time with the kids, we sat down with the teacher and had a little chat. I started to look away as I did not want to distort my ‘tough’ image. The kids had 40 year old bowling pins that they played with. The teacher had told them that those things are a part of a game and she would do an exercise where the kids close their eyes and imagine playing. Right then and there, my mind wanders off to a lot of kids back home that so often have so much yet complain about insignificant things like not having the right brand of shoes. Life is truly not fair. Then, I feel blessed and lucky to have lived in conditions better than those of the Debetavan kids. But, I still cant get over the fact that these kids are just as worthy of a decent education as any other.

To end on a good note, I hope to put a proposal together that will make the kindergarten more than a just a house with a bunch of kids. But, a place where children learn the first lessons about life, reading, writing and decision making. FPWC cannot do this without the help of other organizations or donors. I must now invite anyone and everyone interested in helping out in anyway to email me at Rebecca@sunchild.org.

I just started doing my laundry today and tonight I will stuff my backpack and hop on the green bus to go to the Lori region tomorrow morning. I leave without much expectation to safeguard myself from disappointments...

Non-Sunday Recap with SunChild Rebecca

Rebecca Kandilian
USA

I’ve been getting a lot of inquiries this week about what my days are usually like. So, I must enlighten. Now, it is perfectly normal and totally understandable to not want to know about my daily routine. But in the rare chance that you do, I ask that you read on. Here it goes…

7:30 A.M. – my phone (i.e. my alarm) goes off. I stumble as I get up, wash up and start thinking about what to wear (not that there is a whole lot to choose from). Meanwhile, hearing that I’m up, my host mom gets up and as I finish getting dressed she yells out “your chai (tea) is ready Rebecca”. We sit and eat cheese/bread/strawberry jam and I drink my chai as she drinks her coffee.

8:00- I’m already out and walking to work. I walk and walk some more on the quiet streets of Yerevan for about an hour to get to our office (i.e. the SunChild Office) around 9. Let me briefly describe our office as it is more like a house than an office. As you walk through the metal door, you are met with a bed of stairs which lead to the main office where all of the computers and such are. There is also a ground floor where the kitchen and the bathroom are located with a little backyard behind them which is actually quite precious to me as you will later find out.

So, as I walk in, I run upstairs (I’m not sure why I run but I do), turn on my computer, and first check the news (LA Times, CNN, NY Times etc.)—I do have to keep myself a bit informed on the affairs of the world. Then, I check to see what I need to get done for the day—usually editing writings written in English. At times, it’s more like rewriting than editing but regardless I do both gladly and with lots of joy. You may find this a bit quirky but I do take a lot of pride in editing writings—taking something that is ‘all over the place’, understanding what the writer wants to say and presenting it all in a clean-cut-trimmed-terse manner.

Around 1 or 2 in the afternoon, the whole office heads down to have lunch. I find this a very bonding and stress relieving period as we all gather around a big table and eat/laugh/talk away. And, coming from a particularly CHOOSY eater I must say there has yet to be a day that I have not liked the food prepped. I guess this is a good time to thank Digin Anahid for making me feel a bit at home with her wonderful cooking.

After lunch, we usually head back up and continue our work and the schedule for the rest of the workday will usually depend on that day’s work load. If it’s a particularly ‘heavy’ day, I will keep working until 5-6 with occasional brief visitations downstairs. On the ‘lighter’ days, I head down to the backyard around 3 and enjoy the tranquility while I take a brief nap on the orange colored hammock—we or I call these my ‘creative’ naps as they recharge my writing.

What do I do after work? As you can imagine, by the time I leave work I am a bit tired and brain-fried but NO I can’t call it a day. So, I usually call a friend or a friend will call to meet up, have dinner and explore the city. Some days, I must gather with the other volunteers for a forum or some sort of a get together. Then, there are those rare days that I am just totally and utterly exhausted in which case I walk home, cook myself a bite to eat and sleep not waking up until I hear my phone go off—back to square 1.

Overall, I try to make the most of my day because as they say life is just too short!
Now, should you have any questions or topics that you want me write about (perfectly fine if you don’t) I will gladly do so. You ask, I write—very simple!

A Technology Leap

Nigel Sharp
United Kingdom

Sitting here staring out at another hazy, slow and sunny Armenian day it’s easy to forget that my previous life was in the heart of London with all the towering glass buildings and historical bridges. The change of pace is still taking its toll on my body clock, I have a bigger project to work on here than any I’ve done before but I have to work at a much more entangled pace because of the inherent hardships present in everyday actions…

Sending an email waits for the phone line wrapped around a tree to momentarily provide us with broadband internet, The office day starts when people feel like coming to work and the commute to work is at the mercy of the minibus driver’s mood.

Nevertheless, the added challenge is part of the reward of being here, every achievement although maybe never acknowledged brings a sense of personal pride because you’ve done something out of the comfortable western style work environment.

My job is now the Technical Project Manager for the Tumo project, it’s a fantastic project on a fantastic scale, the impact this project may have on future generations of Armenians cannot be understated. We struggle with the basics like an office email system, yet we are designing a cutting edge technology centre which will put similar endeavors in Europe and America to shame, we are building something at least 10 years ahead of its time, and in Armenia the leap could almost be considered as the same jump from smoke signals to 3G communication.

AVC placed me in what I can only describe as a dream project, doing a dream job, I feel very fortunate to actually be able to use skills and my work ethos to have a beneficial impact on a project (especially of this scale).

The initial interaction with workmates was easier than I imagined because English is spoken in the office, and when the occasional switch to Armenian occurs, it’s still quite easy to follow the conversation.

Okay time to stop staring out of the window, the exciting stuff to see is the work on the computer screen in front of me.

Sunday Recap with SunChild Rebecca - June 6, 2010

Rebecca Kandilian
USA

Don’t itch. Self-control Reb!!. Put some alcohol on it. Your blood is just way too sweet. And, the best line I’ve hear this past 24 hours, compliments of my host-mom, “you look like you have some sort of a skin disease.” Thanks host-mom--very kind. No, I don’t have a skin disease but yes it does look like I do as my entire body is covered with golf ball-sized red spots thanks to a slew of mosquitoes. I guess that’s what I get for feeling way too comfortable out in the wild and laying down on the grass with just my little short-igs.

In terms of work, after last week’s hustle and bustle of filming and all, this week has been the calm AFTER the storm. The office has been terribly quiet and calm. But, we can’t relax too much as this week is also the calm BEFORE another storm (i.e. another project). So, let me tell you all about it. It is called the “green bus” project where an environmentally friendly bus equipped with educational tools (e.g. books, films, SunChild staff etc) will travel all over Armenia and make stops at different regions to educate the children of the region about various environmental issues. I, along with a colleague, will do a brief overview of marine biology and water pollution. After spending 7 days in a region we will come back to Yerevan to reload the bus and head out to another region or that’s the plan anyway. Now, the bus was supposed to leave about a week ago but as I have come to learn—nothing is for certain here in Armenia. So, I hurry up and wait for the bus to be ready so that we can start on the project. Believe me when I say that I’m not at all fond of uncertainty. I find it a bit unsettling but especially here in Armenia it is an inevitable part of life. So, I must learn to live with it.

Despite being a more of a ‘relaxed’ week, I still have had quite a bit of work to do mostly editing some texts. Or, as the director says I am quite good at ‘Americanizing’ any and all sorts of texts. At the same time, I wanted to have a day off this week to explore so I worked long and hard this week and took Friday off to explore. Where to? Well, last week, I had made a promise to a couple of the kids from the neighboring regions to visit them and Friday seemed like a good day to visit Symbad-ig—a sweet little guy. So, off I went to ‘Yeghegna-dzor’ to spend the day with Symbad and his family. There, we went swimming in the nearby river. Then, to the lake to catch some fish, cleaned the fish, cooked it and ate while I was being eaten by those lovely mosquitoes. Above all however, I was surrounded with beauty of our nature, churches and lovely people—a good way to spend my Friday.

Thanks for reading…I hope to be in the Tavoush region and not nearly as itchy by the time I write my next blog next Sunday.

Oh and don’t forget to recycle!

Sunday Recap with SunChild Rebecca

Rebecca Kandilian (USA): A Freak of Nature

Green is ‘in’. Or, so I thought. Well, it is certainly ‘in’ at the office I used to work at. Forth floor of Alan Hancock Foundation Building, at University of Southern California (Go Trojans!) located in the heart of Los Angeles. A place where the use of plastic bags is an absolute taboo and leaving a light on after leaving a room is a crime (not sure if it’s a felony or a misdemeanor). And, really, who uses plastic bottles? As a student worker, I gained the respect of my much older colleagues by replacing my plastic water bottle with a stainless steel canteen one. But, based on four days of observing life in Yerevan, green does not seem to be THAT ‘in’. It is however making its way -- slowly but surely. One of the biggest proofs of just that is the establishment of the organization by the name of SunChild; hence the terribly creative title of my blog. SunChild is a project established by the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets. Now, for the next nine weeks I will be working for SunChild. Frankly, I do not know a whole lot about their projects and I am not yet sure what I will be doing exactly. But, I will make sure to inform and provide a recap of what I do during the week on Sundays. Do I expect everyone to develop hatred towards plastic bags and their cars at the end of my nine weeks? Absolutely not! I hope to do something that will someday somehow in someway make something better or NOT. I can only do my best and hope for best; a good philosophy to live by if you ask me.

Now, since I have not yet started to work and arrived here on Wednesday (May 19th), I have had a couple of days to explore. Soon after my arrival, my host family (i.e. the family I’m staying with for the moment) handed me a map so I can familiarize myself with the city. I couldn’t help but gaze my eyes towards the green and blue areas—representing parks and lakes respectively. What a disgrace right? But, we have these beautiful Hrabaraks people would tell me. But, we also have these beautiful parks has been my answer. I mean how can you turn down the beauty nature offers? I can’t. Anyway, my host cousin asked me where I wanted to explore. I told him “Bnutiun shat em sirum”. Basically, I’m a freak of nature. He responded with something along the lines of “the feeling is mutual”. Off we went to the Children’s Railway. Now, allow me to explain as you may say what would a 22 year old do in a Children’s Railway? It is actually a partial misnomer as it is not just a park with a chu-chu train. It has this beautiful greenery with a river running right through it where Garen and I sat for a while discussing a wide array of topics with the sound of the water fall keeping us company. I wish the cousin did not smoke but that’s a whole another story…

Well, that’s all for this week’s blog.

I thank you for reading. If interested, be sure to check back next Sunday night for another ‘Sunday Recap with SunChild Rebecca’. By then, I wish to have visited more of those green areas on my map and have learned more about what I will be doing during the coming weeks at SunChild.

Thanks again for reading and don’t forget to recycle!

Tune in next week because Sunday Recap with SunChild Rebecca will be appearing on Sundays for the next several weeks!

Wednesdays with Tatevik - March 3, 2010

Tatevik Revazian
Denmark

So today I received a wonderful email. I can stay longer in Armenia. I don’t know the exact date I will be going home, but the fact is that I will be here in April to enjoy the great weather, go on excursions and see parts of Armenia I’ve never seen. I do not want to leave ”im hayrenika” (my homeland). Because of my good mood I had the need to just enjoy it. The result was that I found the Sacre Coeur of Yerevan! Right now I am sitting on the top of the Cascade with the most beautiful view of the opera, and the mountains are slightly visible in the background. On my way up couples were enjoying each other’s company and some were drawing – the only thing that is missing is a bit more sunshine (although I am not complaining about the weather here) and some music.

It should not be a surprise anymore- I’ve had a great week again. A couple of days ago I went to a concert with the other volunteers. The band, Reincarnation, is the only raggae-band in Armenia and the music and performance was awsome. We had a wonderfull time dancing like crazy and laughing.

Another great thing is that I bought a great piano (pianos are very inexpensive here), which means I have no limits to practicing anymore. This was one of my goals coming to Armenia. I’ve heard so much that the musical education is great here –and there is no doubt about that.

Friday we (all of the AVC and other Birthright Armenia volunteers) went to Sevan’s (Kabakian, Birthright Armenia) beautiful house and had a great time eating together, hearing the new volunteer from Argentina sing, seeing Sevan’s children dancing, and playing games.

I finally finished learning the alphabet, so now I can be proud to say that I can read and write Armenian. Now I just need to practice hard to be more fluent. It seems like a small achievement, but the feeling is great. Being able to speak Armenian has enhanced me a lot, but being able to read and write makes me feel even more connected to Armenia.

I went skating this week with my cousin and some friends. The Hamalir (Sports Complex) is a great place. We had a blast. Afterwards my cousin invited me to the house of his friend because the family had heard a lot about me and they wanted to meet me. We had very interesting discussions and one of the subjects was very close to my heart. The little sister in the family, 16 years old, reminded me very much of myself. I could see a special drive in her, but as is the case in so many families they saw this has a weakness, because a girl has to be modest. But I felt that the parents actually wanted to listen to me. My opinion was important to them. Because I am a girl with my own opnion, but at the same time I share their values of being respectful. It seems that they understand that being independent as a girl does not necessarily mean not respecting the surrounding environment. I think this is one of the subjects we are going to discuss tonight at the Birthright Armenia forum, which is just perfect!

Back in New York

Tracy Serdjenian
New York, USA

I’ve actually been back in the United States for over a month and now I am finally writing! I am still thinking of the last few months in Armenia, and the people I met there, all the time…

I was in Armenia, for my first (but not last) time this fall. I split my time in Yerevan as an AVC volunteer between two organizations: Counterpart International Armenia and Women’s Resource Center Armenia. They happen to be right near each other, on the same street, which made my life easy. These volunteer placements were a great fit for me because both organizations related to my educational, professional, and personal interests – my background is in sociology, social work, and community organizing. Working at two organizations allowed me to do different kinds of work and meet a lot of wonderful people.

As part of Counterpart Armenia’s Civic Advocacy Support Program (CASP), which works to improve democratic governance, support the development of local NGOs, and expand civic participation, I worked primarily on the organization’s community development manual, editing portions of it, assessing what additional content might enhance it, and then developing an action plan and creating a list of resources to guide future work on the manual. I also reviewed reports on climate change to explore how community development and advocacy could be integrated into climate change mitigation and adaptation work. Additionally, I ate a serious amount of cake. At Counterpart, it seemed that almost every day was someone’s birthday, or they just got married, or had a child or something – which was fabulous, because whatever the occasion, it meant CAKE!

At the Women’s Resource Center, I worked with another volunteer to organize and facilitate a discussion group (in English) around issues impacting women. It was really interesting to be a part of the exchange of perspectives and experiences between women who had lived in different countries (Armenia, United States, Georgia, and France) while supporting people who wanted to practice speaking English. I also helped organize and prepare for, and participated in, a variety of events around the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. I put up stickers with information about violence against women throughout the city, took part in a peaceful protest/march and candlelight vigil/open mic event, and gathered anti-violence posters from around the world for an art exhibit and film screening event.

People sometimes say that through volunteer work you get back more than you give. My experience working as an AVC volunteer was really special in that way, because while I contributed to the work of each of these organizations, I received so much more in terms of my own learning and also, most importantly, relationships. Being an AVC volunteer really allowed me to be a part of something in Yerevan. It was very meaningful to me that volunteer work wasn’t completely separate from the rest of my life in Armenia. I spent time with co-workers outside of work, and Counterpart co-workers, fellow Birthright/AVC volunteers, and other friends took part in Women’s Resource Center events and activities, which was so exciting. Even though I am back in New York, through these experiences and relationships, I feel more connected to Armenia now, and it doesn’t feel quite so far away anymore.

PS I kissed Sokho.