De Argentina a Gyumrí

Maria Jose Karamanian
(Argentina)

Se me estalla el corazón de alegría… Viví dos meses en Yerevan y un mes en Gyumrí, y realicé mi trabajo voluntario en YMSU Muratsan Hospital y Akhourian Mother andChild Heath Center, respectivamente.

En esta oportunidad, quiero comentar mi experiencia en Gyumrí a través de Armenian Volunteer Corps.

El trabajo en Akhourian Mother and Child Health Center no solo fue gratificante en el plano profesional, ya que logré aplicar lo que aprendí durante varios años como alumna en la Facultad de Medicina de la UBA, sino también a nivel humano. Y es este aspecto el que más destaco. 

Esta policlínica, reconstruida luego del terremoto de 1988, cuenta con los servicios de ginecología, obstetricia, pediatría, medicina familiar y odontología, así como también sala de partos y quirófano para cesáreas. Se realiza un control integral de la mujer, y se la acompaña desde el inicio del embarazo hasta el momento del parto.

También se atienden a niños y adultos, en los servicios de pediatría y medicina familiar.

Mi actividad principal era estar en el consultorio con la Dra. Samvelyan (creo que no me voy a olvidar nunca de ella ni de sus charlas, café de por medio, todas las tardes) y su enfermera, Hripsimé. Atendíamos un promedio de 30 a 40 pacientes por día y de todas las edades. 

 A su vez, varias veces por semana asistía al Servicio del Dr. Mirzoyan, quien se ocupa del Diagnóstico y Seguimiento Ecográfico.

Pero sin dudas, los días que más disfrutaba eran los que íbamos a los pueblos a atender y vacunar a los pacientes. A la Dra. Samvelyan le correspondían los pueblos de Hovit y Musaelian. Allí cuentan con un puesto sanitario, que consta de una habitación con una camilla y los elementos necesarios para realizar controles médicos, a los que los habitantes asisten una vez por mes para realizar las consultas necesarias.

Como dije al comienzo, este mes no fue gratificante solo desde el punto de vista profesional, sino también desde el punto de vista humano. Y cuando digo esto no hago referencia a la gratificación que siente el médico al atender a los pacientes y ayudarlo. 

Porque el médico, antes de ser médico es persona y lo que el mes en Akhourian Mother and Child Health Center me dio, no me lo voy a olvidar nunca.

Sentir el compañerismo de todo el equipo de trabajo y la calidez de los pacientes. Compartir charlas que tenían que ver con aspectos médicos, pero también tener el tiempo de conversar sobre otros temas, siendo los más recurrentes el terremoto y Artsaj (muchas veces fue imposible contener las lágrimas).

Viajar en la ambulancia a los pueblos cantando canciones armenias y disfrutando del paisaje recién entrado el verano.

Y tantos otros recuerdos…

 

Espero que todos los jóvenes tengan la posibilidad de viajar a Armenia y realizar esta experiencia de ser voluntarios, ya sea en la profesión de uno o en lo que les guste, y en lo que sean útiles y necesarios. Pero viajen. Vivan en Armenia y compartan lo cotidiano con su gente. Aprendan y dejen que ellos también les enseñen. Porque es ese ida y vuelta, y ese contacto con las raíces, lo que hace que uno se sienta orgulloso de ser armenio.

La experiencia en Armenia me llenó el corazón, y se me estalla de alegría.

El Voluntariado Como Camino

Ya en Uruguay, a una semana de mi regreso, me tomo un momento para poner los pies sobre la tierra y evaluar los sucesos que han revolucionado el transcurso de mis días. Ser voluntaria me hizo transitar un camino del que no puedo -ni quiero- regresar.

Mi trabajo durante tres meses en HomelandHandicrafts fue sumamente interesante y enriquecedor.

Puedo separar el análisis en varias líneas.

En primer lugar, el aporte desde mi profesión -Secretaria Ejecutiva- fue altamente gratificante y hoy estoy convencida de que durante el tiempo en que allí trabajé, amplié mis capacidades. Podrá decirse que el trabajo que una secretaria puede hacer en una oficina en Armenia no resulta desafiante.

Pero si nos enfocamos en la básica condición de los registros, archivos, sistemas de administración, grandes pueden ser los aportes. Si a eso le sumamos la gran confianza de un supervisor-compañero (Tim Straight, un “no armenio” más armenio que muchos “ian”)  que está siempre listo y abierto para escuchar los aportes e ideas que podamos tener, la recompensa se duplica, y se motiva la toma de decisiones.

La otra línea de análisis es mucho más amplia y enriquecedora. No hubiera tenido la oportunidad de vincularme con un proyecto de este tipo si no fuera por Armenian Volunteer Corps (AVC). Y esto deriva en conocer cómo es la vida de las mujeres responsables de los maravillosos productos que Homeland Handicrafts ofrece. No sólo ofrece; sino que asiste, asesora, y contribuye.

Mujeres que habitan lugares donde la palabra “esperanza” había pasado de moda. Y sin embargo, haciendo uso de un conocimiento que todas poseen, y tan antiguo casi como desde el tiempo de sus tatarabuelas, desarrollan un trabajo a su medida. Han encontrado una forma de trabajar sin descuidar la crianza y cuidado de sus hijos, y teniendo un ingreso para el futuro de los mismos. La satisfacción se ve en sus rostros, y las ganas de seguir adelante son infinitas.

Nunca olvidaré mi experiencia como voluntaria de AVC en Armenia, porque me ha permitido conocer realmente el país de mis bisabuelos, con sus virtudes y aspectos a mejorar.

Nadie que tenga la posibilidad que tuvimos y tenemos los voluntarios de AVC debería desaprovecharla. Estoy convencida de que hay ciertas decisiones que se toman con una cuota de riesgo, y esas mismas son -en general- las más gratificantes.

Esta experiencia me ha demostrado -con hechos- que una Armenia con un futuro dichoso y llena de oportunidades es posible;y que, somos nosotros en parte responsables de que eso suceda.

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.

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!

Processo de criação!

by Mariana Kehyayan
Brazil

Antes de chegar na Armênia não tinha, praticamente, nenhuma noção do que iria encontrar por lá. Lembro da minha primeira reunião com o Tim, na qual foram-se expostas as atividades que teria que realizar, mas não me falaram o quão gratificante esta experiência seria em minha vida. Sou estilista de formação, mas nunca havia trabalhado neste ramo da moda.

Homeland Handicrafts promove a ajuda o artesanato nacional armênio, para a diáspora e dentro do país. Há vários tipo de objetos, souveniers, com diferentes matérias primas …
Com Homeland Handicrafts fui para Berd, uma cidade no topo da montanha, com um cenário incrível (localiza-se ao norte do país), para acompanhar de perto e conhecer as artesãs que confeccionam o Bear Berd (o urso).

Processo de criação:
Primeiro aprendi quais regiões produziam determinados produtos (por matéria prima) e separamos as amostras no escritório por sessões. A visualização é sempre importante para criação.
O crochê sempre foi um artigo de muita aceitação dentro do Homeland Handicrafts, por isso, o fluxo de criação desta matéria prima era sempre alto, e, somado a isso, eu deveria criar coleções para as regiões que precisassem (varia de acordo com a intensidade de pedido/produção). Para isso, pesquisei sobre os símbolos armênios, cores, formas, algo típico que remetesse à cultura local. Mas, sempre com um toque de modernidade. Tentei criar artigos direcionados para todos: homens, mulheres, meninos e meninas

Uma das linhas que eu criei foi ‘’Os Animais’. A idéia surgiu a partir do ‘’Esh’’ (burro), um animal ‘’símbolo’’ pois eles estão sempre presentes nas estradas do país. Depois, vieram: a ovelha (e os longínquos rebanhos que atravessam as estradas a toda hora), o pastor de ovelhas, as vacas … e, eles se apresentam em diferentes versões: imãs de geladeiras, chaveiros, objetos de decoração, uma vez que são objetos práticos e lindos como souvenir.

Além disso, outra coleção em que trabalhei foi a idéia do urso de crochê (de Berd). Quando cheguei, o conceito já existia, mas inovei e incrementei a linha com o porta moedas de tecido com a cabeça do urso, marcador de página (versão masculina e feminina), bolsinhas de tecido, necessaire. Mesclei os tecidos com estampas atuais com um toque ‘’rústico’’ do crochê do urso.
Somado a isso, criei o dado do ‘ ‘Ayp Pen Kin’’, ou seja, o alfabeto armênio em forma de chaveiro e imã de geladeira. Uma vez que o nosso alfabeto é muito importante para nós e as cores nacionais, também.

Mas, o que me deixa super orgulhosa é saber que o que desenvolvi para Homeland Handicrafts está tendo cada vez mais êxito e vem surgindo novos produtos dentro das linhas que criei!
Obrigada pela oportunidade e um sucesso infinito para Homeland Handicrafts.

Para quem quer acessar o site desta ONG, é só clicar do link a seguir: http://homelandhandicrafts.org/

Armenien intensiv

Sarina Tchobanian

Germany


Lange drückte ich mich davor, doch nun versuche ich auch mal unter die Blogger zu gehen.



Was bisher geschah:
- Wunsch endlich Armenien kennenzulernen
- Erkenntnis, dass Urlaub allein nicht ausreichend ist um ein Land wirklich kennenzulernen
- Recherche
- Bewerbung bei den Armenian Volunteer Corps, AVC (eine NGO, die Freiwilligenplätze in Armenien vermittelt)
- Bewerbung bei Birthright Armenia (eine NGO, die Gastfamilien vermittelt, Flugkosten übernimmt, wöchentlich Ausflüge, Foren, und andere Veranstaltungen organisiert, sowie den Volontären 2x die Woche Armenischunterricht bietet)
- Alles funktionierte: Zielort - und Arbeit: Gyumri (zweitgrößte Stadt Armeniens), YIC (Youth Initiative Centre, eine NGO, die u.a auch einen German Club führt), Dauer: 8 Wochen

Ankunft am 18.7. in Yerevan:
Berlin – Moskau. Moskau-Yerevan. Der Flug ab Moskau war außergewöhnlich bis fürchterlich: Um mich herum duzende weinende Babys, telefonierende Passagiere, die auch während des Abflugs noch fleißig weitertelefonierten und bei der Landung nochmals ihr Telefon zückten um den Anghörigen die Ankunft zu bestätigen. Ob überhaupt irgendwelche Handys außer meinem während des Flugs ausgeschaltet waren, mag ich zu bezweifeln! Also eigentlich ging davon aus, gar nicht erst anzukommen, sondern irgendwo über der Türkei abstürzen. Doch ich lebe noch! Wow!

Im Yerevaner Flughafen war dann langes Warten angesagt: Warten in der Geldwechselschlange, der Visaschlange, der Passkontrollschlange, bis mich dann endlich nach 2 Stunden der Fahrer Vahram empfing und zu meiner Übergangs-Gastfamilie fuhr.

Die Gastmutter war etwas ruppig und unherzlich. Klappte mir schnell die Couch im Wohnzimmer auf, schritt fix zur Bürokratie und schrieb meinen Namen und Dauer meines Aufenthaltes auf und war dann plötzlich in einem anderen Raum während ich allein und verschüchtert mein „Bett“ bezog. Wenige Minuten später kam James aus den USA, ein anderer Volontär, der auch mit meiner Organisation hier ist. Wir waren beide überrascht voneinander, da wir keine weiteren Gäste erwarteten. Hmm…

Am nächsten Abend folgte ebenso unerwartet Jorge aus Argentinien, dann nachts um 3h Alex aus den USA und weitere 24h später Tamar aus den USA. Alle wurden ähnlich unerherzlich aufgenommen, schliefen alle im gleichen kleinen Wohnzimmer auf der kleinen Couch, Klappbetten, etc, und waren ebenso wie ich geschockt: Soll das eine Gastfamilie sein? Wird meine Gastfamilie in Gyumri auch so chaotisch sein und werde ich dort auch ein viel zu kleines Zimmer mit 4 Personen teilen müssen für die nächsten 8 Wochen?

Mit der Zeit stellte sich heraus, dass es sich dabei nur um ein Zwischenlager handelt, und diese Gastfamilie auch alle anderen Freiwilligen für die ersten Tage aufnahm und nicht gerade für ihre Herzlichkeit berühmt ist.

Die ersten Tage arbeiteten wir ein bisschen im Birthright Armenia / AVC Büro und spazierten durch das schöne und relative grüne Yerevan. Da ich aufgrund des sehr intensiven Sommersemesters in Berlin nicht wirklich Zeit hatte, große Erwartungen aufzubauen oder mir Infos über Land und Leute anzulesen, konnten auch keine Erwartungen enttäuscht werden. Yerevan ist meines Erachtens eine sehr lebendige, moderne und auch gemütliche Stadt, mit vielen Cafés, Bars, Backgammon spielenden Herren, kurzen Röcken, extravaganten Highheels und überfüllten und chaotisch fahrenden Mashrutkas (die hiesigen öffentlichen Minibusse).

Die Tage in Yerevan waren sehr toll. Überhaupt ist bisher alles einfach nur toll. Die anderen Volontäre sind super nett und sehr aufgeschlossen gegenüber den Neuen. Ebenfalls ist auch das Team der NGOs sehr herzlich und zeigt großes Interesse an uns. Bisher gab es keinen Moment, indem ich mich irgendwie allein, verloren oder fehl am Platz fühlte!

Gyumri
Als wir in der zweiten Woche in Gyumri ankamen, ging es ebenso großartig weiter:

Die Gastfamilie war so, wie man sich eine Gastfamilie wünscht und das Gegenteil der Yerevaner „Zwischenlagerleitung“: Sie umarmtem mich, stellten sich vor, zeigten mir die Wohnung, unterhielten sich mit mir, boten mir Nahrung an, zeigten mir mein EIGENES Zimmer mit einem richtigen Bett…

Seit einer Woche arbeite ich nun in YIC. Das ist eine NGO, die diverse internationale Clubs hat, und verschieden Veranstaltung für die Gyumrier Jugend organisiert. Auch hier ist das Team so unglaublich nett! Meine Arbeit besteht derzeit hauptsächlich aus Unterrichtsvorbereitung und Unterrichten. Zweimal die Woche gebe ich mit einem anderen Volontär – der zufällig auch aus Berlin ist – Deutsch-Unterricht in der deutschen Schule. Vielmehr handelt es sich um eine Deutsch Ferien-AG. Unsere Klientel sind ca. 5-7 14-jährige Mädchen. In den nächsten Monaten steht ein Theaterprojekt an, das Stück werden die Mädels selbst schreiben und umsetzen.

Im August steht im YIC der „German Month“ an, in dem wir beiden Berliner ein paar kleine Veranstaltungen zu deutscher Küche, Filme, Feste etc. machen werden.

Ah noch ein großartiger Fakt: meine Arbeitszeiten sind 11-17h! Himmlisch!, wie eigentlich alles derzeit positiv ist. Der einzige nervige Negativpunkt sind meine deutschen Hausarbeiten, die ich sicher noch lange vor mir herschieben werde, weil sich dazu hier partout keine ruhige Minute bietet. Doch wat solls, das Streberdasein kann auch mal pausieren!!!

Mit diesen Worten widme ich mich nun meinem leckeren Eis am Stil, dass bei ca 35°C ein wahrer Genuss ist.

Finding Myself Through Volunteering

Ani Ishkhanian

USA

Working in Armenia for AVC was a very personal transition for me. I had the pleasure of volunteering in Yerevan for three months and I don’t regret a single moment (as cliché as that sounds, one cannot escape from using it because it is the ultimate truth). I was placed at Ghoghanj Children’s Center and was looking forward to my time there, even though I kept reminding myself to not have any expectations. I went in on my first day with a blank mental canvas. I was sitting in the office and was waiting for my supervisor, until a little girl tip toed inside the room and began to speak Russian, thinking I will reciprocate. That’s when this little girl, Olya, entered my Yerevan life and I got my rough introduction to this little wonder of a place called Ghoghanj.

Volunteering at this center was the most interesting month-to-month transition I have ever encountered. My first month was the most challenging and stressful. I had all the common worries anybody might have. You hope to make a difference in people’s lives, you hope to be good at what you’re doing, you hope to not bore the children, you hope the kids like you, and then some. It was like being thrown into the wolves with no preparation whatsoever, and I cannot think of a better way to learn. An experience like this makes one incredibly resilient.

Next thing I knew it was my second month living in Yerevan and working at Ghoghanj. A new challenge proposed itself everyday along with old challenges, which was great because it gave me a chance to retry methods and learn from my mistakes. Again, that resilience. At this point I also started working at another site, a contemporary art NGO called Utopiana. Both of these jobsites were completely different worlds. Everyday I would go from a calm, work at your own pace environment (Utopiana) to absolute chaos (Ghoghanj), I loved the polar opposite worlds. It gave me a chance to experience firsthand different businesses and how locals would deal with specific issues.

As my third and final month trickled in I began to get much more comfortable with my abilities. I realized that I would not see the people I became close with at work everyday, all the mixed emotions naturally led me to self reflect. The amount I learned working at these places could not be summed up with an article. The entire experience has been awakening, inspirational, emotional, stressful, and incredible. AVC gave me an opportunity to figure myself out while being completely selfless. That in and of itself is an incredible gift. I’m so grateful for this opportunity and I’m so happy and proud that I was able to do it.

Todo lo que siembras, cosechas (Harvest what you sow)

Betty Arslanian
Cordoba, Argentina

Soy de Córdoba, Argentina y vine a Armenia como voluntaria de AVC, aproximadamente durante dos meses. Uno de mis sitios de trabajo fue el Colegio Argentino de Erevan. Mi trabajo allí consistía en la enseñanza de idioma español a niños de 8 a 15 años.

El Colegio República Argentina hace más de una década era una escuela soviética, pero a partir de 1993 mediante una donación de la Fundación Boghos Arzoumanian de Buenos Aires, cambio sus perspectivas. Hoy los padres de innumerables niños y adolescentes escogieron a esta escuela como la indicada para la educación de sus hijos.

Trabajando aquí pude observar de cerca uno de los elementos más importantes que forman la trama de una sociedad: la educación. Cada día estuve en contacto con docentes, alumnos y trabajadores de la escuela, y de ese modo pude construir en mi cabeza una imagen de la educación armenia en la actualidad.

Como todos sabemos, la Unión Soviética ha marcado en gran medida el destino del pueblo armenio. Más allá de que durante el período de la Armenia soviética la alfabetización llegó al 100%, algunos de sus vicios, hoy, pueden verse en la sociedad y eso no es tan bueno. Por ejemplo, el idioma ruso es la segunda lengua del país; prácticamente toda la población sabe hablar, leer y escribir en ruso. En todas las escuelas, su enseñanza es obligatoria.

Los libros de español de los niños también eran rusos. Sin embargo, esto es entendible ya que difícilmente se puede conseguir material educativo en español producido en Armenia. Lo cómico de esto es que nunca en mi vida pensé que aprendería las letras rusas para leer con los alumnos…

A lo largo de estos meses he reafirmado una creencia que desde pequeña me han dicho: la raza armenia es una de las más inteligentes. Las diferencias del sistema educativo armenio y el argentino son abismales. Trabajar en el colegio me ayudó a marcar las características de ambas, plantear un paralelismo, y pensar en un equilibrio compuesto por elementos de los dos. Digo que nuestra raza es inteligente porque creo que, a diferencia de otros países, los contenidos son más densos y a los alumnos se les exige mayores conocimientos. Específicamente en la Escuela Argentina, un niño de 8 años, además de tener las materias normales (matemática, ciencias naturales, sociales, etc.), aprende el idioma armenio, ruso, inglés y español. Lo curioso es que el armenio tiene sus propias letras, el ruso también y el inglés junto al español comparten otras letras distintas. No entiendo cómo un niño tan pequeño puede guardar en su cabeza tres alfabetos diferentes y aprender gramática, ortografía y pronunciación de cuatro lenguas distintas. En Argentina una escuela normal enseña el español y el inglés, ¡Dos idiomas similares y con las mismas letras!

¡Los niños son maravillosos! Enseñarles el español, un nuevo y extraño idioma para ellos, ha sido mi motivación. Cada uno de ellos me enseñó algo diferente; yo siempre pienso que de los niños también se aprende y a veces muchísimo. Ellos han sido cariñosos conmigo siempre y creo que nunca olvidaré sus sonrisas, tampoco las veces que he tenido que levantar la voz para que hagan silencio, ni las veces que me preguntaban “Señorita Beatriz ¿qué significa tal palabra?”.

Hay cosas que creo que a pesar que el tiempo pase quedan guardadas en lo más profundo del corazón. Es maravilloso cuando un niño te pregunta “¿Cuándo regresarás con nosotros? ¿Vendrás para el verano?, en verano el Ararat se ve muy lindo desde la ventana de nuestra aula” Creo que esos son los momentos en los que a uno que le llenan de lagrimas los ojos y piensa “¿Por qué el destino hizo que estemos separados? ¡Al fin y al cabo ellos y yo tenemos la misma sangre!

Para un voluntario el mejor premio es cuando ve que su trabajo da sus frutos. Yo no soy maestra profesional, no he estudiado docencia, ni pedagogía; sólo estuve dispuesta a dar mi tiempo, mis ganas, mi voluntad para ser útil en lo que fuera necesario para mi Madre Patria. “Todo lo que siembras, cosechas”, hoy siento satisfacción por haber aportado algo de mí en los niños, estoy feliz por haber provocado en ellos sonrisas al aprender una canción, una poesía, o haber jugado a un juego en español, y estoy más feliz aun por recibir un “¡Gracias, nos encanto la clase!”. Creo que estas son las cosas que, al fin y al cabo, le quedan a un voluntario de su experiencia.

Philanthropy, not Charity

Rubina Shaldjian
USA

I have been in Armenia for nearly three months. During my time here, I have been volunteering at the Civilitas Foundation. Many people think that Civilitas is a political organization. After all, it was founded by Vartan Oskanian, who was the Armenian Foreign Minister for 10 years. But this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Though Civilitas does try to impact policy in Armenia, it has no official political affiliation. The Civilitas Foundation supports a variety of projects ranging from strengthening civil society in Armenia to providing micro loans to fighting human rights violations. However, the question that always comes up is: what’s next?

To explain Civilitas, I would say that their goal is philanthropy and not charity. It’s something I observed over the past few weeks. Unfortunately, Armenia receives a lot of outside aid. Often, people here don’t think about the money well running dry. The great thing about Civilitas’ projects is that they are sustainable. They are not offering any handouts. Rather, they provide the tools for success.

As an example, Civilitas recently completed a project that renovated a number of libraries in rural Armenia. The goal was to take these cold, bare shell buildings and transform them to community centers. By changing the windows, adding insulation, adding heat, new bookshelves and books, these libraries are transformed to a place where people can gather, learn and share ideas. By adding a computer and an Internet connection, you open up an entire world to these folks. You remove their isolation!

The thing I like the most about these library-related projects is that it’s really up to the locals to use the books and educational tools we give them to better themselves. And this is exactly what has happened. In the short time since they were renovated, the libraries themselves have already organized a number of events, including cultural nights dedicated to Armenian writers, educational events for both adults and children, and book drives to help the libraries grow. It has been really amazing for me to watch the videos of the events held in these community libraries. They are packed full of people! I think with modern technology, many people living in developed countries have forgotten how important a community library can be.

Civilitas has also been soliciting other sponsors to help purchase books and materials. They have gotten corporate sponsors and also have a project called Angel Tree. Angel Tree is a book collection effort to keep filling the libraries. They are also collecting puzzles and educational games for the children’s sections of rural libraries throughout the country.

Overall, my experience at Civilitas has been incredible. The staff is made up of both Diasporans and locals, and many have studied at least a year abroad, so the perspectives are different and interesting. The people are bright and friendly. There’s a lot of laughter in the office, and we eat lunch together 3 days a week. I am also impressed by the amount of passion and creativity. It’s incredibly fast-paced, and in one day, the topics can range from A to Z. So it’s rarely boring, and the days just fly by. Best of all, at the end of the day, you feel like you’ve contributed something.

Returning to Armenia and Finding Organic Farming

Diana Muratova
USA

Born and raised in Yerevan for the first half of my life, I have always associated my homeland with its beautiful capital - busy streets, stone buildings, and marshrutkas. So when I was assigned to volunteer at an agricultural NGO specializing in organic farming, the images in my mind were instantly shattered and replaced with a big question mark. Curious about my role within the organization, I accepted the assignment and arrived at Green Lane Agricultural NGO my third day back in Yerevan.

The following month at Green Lane was spent soaking in an incredible amount of information about farming and the state of Armenian farmers, meeting professionals from Armenia and abroad, and enjoying one of the friendliest environments I have ever worked in.

Let me begin by clarifying what Green Lane Agricultural NGO is all about. It is an organization led by a group of extremely knowledgeable agricultural professionals whose aim is to encourage and facilitate organic farming in Armenia and help farmers improve the quality of their products, thus enabling them to compete in local markets and secure a higher standard of living. These objectives are achieved by creating farmer groups and cooperatives, introducing new technologies, and organizing seminars and research projects.

Considering I knew almost nothing about organic farming or farming at all, for that matter, I wondered how I would be able to assist Green Lane. It turned out, my knowledge of English and enthusiasm for helping underrepresented communities was enough to make a change in this organization within a short period of time.

Aside from everyday assignments, my main project involved composing, editing and translating material for inclusion in an annual report in English, which was two years behind schedule due to lack of English-speaking staff. What is a 20-page report in English good for, you ask? Aside from documenting the organization's growth and progress, it helps establish credibility and an international idenity. Considering Green Lane works with a number of international organizations and is mainly funded by foreign sponsors, an interactive report in English would help communicate with current and potential stakeholders and spark interest in the organization. Granted full creative freedom in composing the report and making it visually pleasing, I enjoyed the process more than you may think. But I still wanted to get in the field and see farming communities for myself.



So I did! Well, kind of. On a sunny Wednesday, Mr. Vardkes, the head of a farmers cooperative in Lukashin, stopped by the office to drive me to his village and introduce me to the cooperative's operations. I spent the next 24 hours trying to make sense of contradictions and gradually letting go of expectations about this visit. To my initial surprise, Mr. Vardkes was not driving a soviet zhiguli, but a Mercedes. Yes, a farmer came to drive me to his community in a Mercedes! His daughter Lilit, a second year student at the Yerevan State Institute of Economy, was in the car as well. During the hour-long drive to the Armavir Marz, where Lukashin is located, Mr. Vardkes debriefed me on the village's unique history. It turns out Lukashin was founded in 1925 when an American orphanage in Dilijan sent over a hundred orphans following the genocide to settle there. Today, the village population is comprised of the descendants of these settlers, whose main source of income is local agriculture.

Judging from the car I was in, I was beginning to picture a mansion in an idyllic location with marble statues and fountains. Thankfully, we arrived in front of a modest Armenian home surrounded by nothing but dirt roads and the smell of cow dung. The location was beautiful and the scenery breathtaking. The remainder of the day was spent preparing lunch and dinner with the women of the family, chatting with the village girls over coffee, and watching a comedy show with grandpa.

I almost forgot, we managed to interrupt the unconditional local hospitality with a few hours of work. Mr. Vardkes walked me over to the cooperative offices where we brainstormed ideas for a project he wanted to launch with the help of the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan. More specifically, the embassy's Democracy Commission Small Grants program provides up to $24,000 to help fund democratic initiatives in different regions in Armenia. After a thorough discussion with member farmers, we settled on a program to promote and protect human and minority rights, more specifically, those of the prominent Yezdi population in Lukashin. While I would not be able to write the proposal and complete the application during my short month in Armenia, I enthusiastically offered to help from the States. I will be working on this assignment during the next couple of months.

I spent the night at the grandparents' house, buried under layers of comfy blankets and listening to birds chirping on the roof. The following morning, Lilit and I hopped on a marshrutka back to Yerevan and promised to stay in touch after I return back to the States. We have.

My impressions of Lukashin were reflective of my overall experience in Armenia - a combination of surprises and glaring contradictions, feelings of happiness and moments of sadness. I was as elated to be home, at the same time feeling constant nostalgia for the Armenia of my childhood that no longer existed. My initial surprise at the omnipresent Western luxuries casually juxtaposed with equal amounts of poverty and dispair was quickly countered by the realization that Armenia does not evolve in a vacuum. Instead, it is a product of long-standing traditions pulling it one way and foreign influences pulling it the other.

As evident from my short count of Lukashin, regions outside of Yerevan are not immune to globalization either. They continue to adapt foreign customs to their daily lives while maintaining the authenticity that has prevailed in the country for centuries.

Now if only there was a healthy balance between tradition and modernization, an opportunity for one to complement the other. In my opinion, Green Lane is helping achieve just that. It makes use of advances in agricultural science and technology to help Armenian farmers grow crops unique to their land, while establishing a platform for self-governance and sustainability.

The organization not only promotes democracy in remote regions of Armenia, but also within its office walls. Team members are valued for their presence and contributions to the organization and, therefore, work with great enthusiasm and drive. Green Lane and similar organizations are at the forefront of progress in Armenia, serving not only as leaders of change but also as prime examples of innovative thinking and democracy in the workplace. For this and other reasons, I am excited for the prospect of returning to Yerevan and continuing to work with Green Lane Agricultural NGO.

Armenia’s Environmental Issues Through the Eyes of an AVC Volunteer Sponsored by Birthright Armenia

Rebecca Kandilian
USA (Alumnus, 2010)

To celebrate and shed light on the state of the world’s biodiversity, the United Nations has declared 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity. Furthermore, Conservation International has named Armenia and the Caucuses at large as one of the top 25 biodiversity hotspots in the world. Not a title to be proud of as it means that although it harbors a significant amount of biodiversity, 70 % of it has been destroyed. What is more, prior to this summer, I did not have a slight idea of this rather concerning reality about Armenia’s natural world. But, I went, I saw, I felt and feel compelled to enlighten.

As a biology student engrossed in my studies at the University of Southern California, I worked for many of its educational outreach programs. Fully devoted to bringing the local youngsters in touch with the beauty of nature while stressing the importance of its protection. A mere act of reciprocity for the sheer beauty, tranquility and the resources that mother nature provides. It is fair to say that I may have never thought about volunteering in Armenia if it were not for two organizations: Birthright Armenia and Armenian Volunteer Corps (AVC). Birthright Armenia is a non-profit organization with the mission to bring the Diasporan Youth to volunteer in Armenia. AVC, on the other hand, upon careful consideration of the volunteer’s educational and extracurricular experiences, places him/her at an appropriate site. While Birthright Armenia sparked the thought to volunteer, AVC acted as the catalyst to solidify and finalize my decision. (For more information on Birthright Armenia and AVC please visit www.BirthrightArmenia.org and www.ArmenianVolunteer.org respectively)

Thus, only a few days after my graduation, I accompanied the AVC director to my volunteer site in Yerevan: The Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) also known as SunChild. FPWC is a non-governmental organization which, through many educational projects such including its eco-clubs in all regions of Armenia, aims to bring about a new generation of Armenians who will protect and serve as the stewards of Armenia’s natural world and biodiversity. Although I worked on many different projects, my primary focus became the green bus tour which entailed going to and spending a week in three different regions of Armenia (Tavush, Lori and Syunik). There, with the cooperation of the local municipality, we implemented many educational activities which included showing and discussing environmentally relevant films at local schools and kindergartens, organizing forums, and measuring the water quality of the local rivers with high school students.

As I write my impressions of each region, primarily in the light of their unique environmental issues, I will inevitably relive the sixteen-hour workdays on the bus, the sleepless nights, the heart wrenching realities, and the unforgettable touching moments as we go through Tavush, Lori and Syunik. Be prepared to learn about the good, the bad and the beautiful.


Tavush Region

The first stop on the FPWC’s green bus tour was the region of Tavush and specifically the small town of Ijevan. Ijevan’s breathtaking natural beauty had floored me and so had its people, specially the youngsters. Despite the fact that I was quite far from home, and traveling with a group of locals I had just met at my volunteer site, the children made me feel rather at home. Magnetized towards us and the bus, they quickly made themselves comfortable in my arms and hands. Eager to learn and listen to what we had to say and the films we were to show. Nevertheless, I soon had my first encounter with Armenia’s education system which pushed me deep into my thoughts. Part of our green bus program entailed showing environmentally relevant short cartoons to youngsters and discussing them. But, we soon learned the difficulty of doing so as the children were surprised and startled when asked to share their thoughts and opinions about the issues being raised in the films shown. Most tried to find a way to agree with whoever was leading the discussion. In parentheses, I do not in anyway blame these children for such behavior as I am certain they would not object to progressive education that emphasizes critical and independent thinking. I could see the potential in their eyes but at the same time how much it has been repressed. With our time up in Ijevan we headed out to Noyemberyan.

On our way there, it was evident that we had come to the right place. Trash everywhere. The one children’s park that we saw had more trash and plastic bags than kids and swings combined. As we went to the surrounding villages, and spoke with the local municipality, the littering problem was the main topic of conversation and concern. Some said a small fee gets the residents’ trash picked up and thrown away while others said the service is provided by the municipality with absolutely no fee. Yet, in both cases, most people insisted on taking their bucket of trash and dumping it into the local river. Some were saddened by this occurrence but most, perhaps having given up, consoled themselves by saying, with a rather wide grin, that the water ends up in a neighboring country anyway so let it be.

But, this is far from being a laughing matter as although it may end up in a neighboring country, it would inevitably have to go through Armenia first. On our last day, on the way to Debetavan, the last Armenian village hugging the Georgian border, I poked out my head out of the bus to see a fitly, brown and sand filled Debet River. What is more, as we sat down with the municipality and the locals of Debetavan, we learned that people cannot use the river water for irrigation because the crops would simply dry. Consequently, most have left the village leaving a few hundred folks behind most of whom work outside of the village to make a living. The disheartening conditions of the school and the kindergarten made me lose sleep for sometime to say the least. Just as difficult was to see a group of elderly gathered with buckets to get water from one source that the entire village shares.

Of course, I know life is not fair, I also know not everyone has the same opportunities in life and that such conditions and even worse exist in other parts of the world. I would be naïve to think otherwise. But, my heart still ached and still does to this day. Would having a clean, crisp water running through Debetavan, partly prevented by not dumping waste into the river, solve all of the problems of the region or the village itself? No, I am not dull enough to suppose that. But, it would at least allow them the opportunity to raise their own crops, perhaps ship and sell. On days such as this, the mission of FPWC and its green bus became even more vital as we, among other things, went to almost every village and town in the region and measured the water quality of the local river with a group of high schoolers stressing the importance of keeping them clean. Most were ashamed when they found the water quality in the worst condition possible. Perhaps shame is a good source of motivation to change.

Lori Region

The town of Allaverdi was our first stop in the Lori region and no sooner than my first night there did I learn a hard lesson about its main environmental issue; the open-pit copper and molybdenum mines. As I tossed and turned trying to sleep in the scorching heat and humidity, I realized that my nose was bleeding. Strange. Never have I had a spontaneous nose bleed in my short 22 years. I quickly ran to the bathroom while unintentionally waking up the landlady who took advantage of the opportunity to tell me a story. “For a high school field trip” she began, “they took us to one of the local copper mines and five minutes into our trip, our noses started to bleed.” She then grabbed my hand with exquisite gentleness and took me out to the balcony. “That” she said “is what we breathe,” pointing to the gases flowing out of the chimney of the copper mine across our apartment. “That copper mine, among other ones, is what makes this region’s air thirty times more toxic than it ought to be. That, is what made your nose bleed.” If it was difficult to sleep a while ago due to the heat, it just became impossible after hearing all of that.

Regardless, thanks to the utter cooperativeness of the municipality and the youngsters, after a couple of successful days in Allaverdi, we were on our way to the nearby town of Akhtala. Despite the nauseating smell of the chemicals produced by its copper mine, I was mesmerized by its Monastery. To think that people had the persistence and talent to build such intricate, and detailed moldings with their bare hands just amazed me. It is truly a perfect specimen of a cultural asset which reflects the character of our ancestors. I do not think words can ever do justice to all that it is. But, what I saw and learned next was sickening.

As we introduced ourself as representatives of the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC), the eyes of the municipality staff and the residents of Akhtala lit up and they began to tell. Lori region is rich in copper-molybdenum deposits which has opened the doors for people to use it to produce copper. Certainly, it would only make sense to make use of natural resources to make something useful for people to use. But, the problem lies in the fact that the waste is not disposed of properly. Specifically, in between the monastery and the copper mine, runs the Akhtala River where part of the waste is dumped into while the rest is left out in the open, instead of being fenced by cement, diffusing all through the town and making its way into the lungs of the locals. I was truly heartbroken when I learned that Akhtala’s Monastery did not qualify as one of UNESCO’s world heritage sites due to the radioactive waste produced by the open-pit copper mine across from it. What a shame.

Unfortunately, the effects of polluting the Akhtala River goes far beyond the monastery sitting a few miles across from it. Specifically, the point where the Debed River and the Akhtala River merge together is a revelatory one. This junction clearly shows clear crisp Debed merging with yellow Akhtala river contaminated by the copper mine, and two together flowing towards the Tavush region. Seeing this, right away, reminded me of our visit to Debedavan—a village hugging the Debed River in the region of Tavush. The residents there had complained that their trees were drying and had pointed to the Lori region as the primary source of the problem in addition to the trash dumped by their own residents. They were right. Those folks, all 700 inhabitants of the village, now share the one source of clean water available for the entire village thanks to the carelessness of another region’s copper mines. When mother nature give us a gift, do we not have the moral responsibility to not use that gift to harm our natural world? It all became even more real when we went to the local kindergarten to do our presentation. Besides the suffocating smell of chemicals present in the classroom, the dark under eye circles on the pale faces of the children explained it all. All 30 of them had them. “It is from the polluted water, and air,” explained the staff.

After a melancholic day in Akhtala, we headed out to Teghut and along the way were confronted with massive amount of logs. Deforestation at its best. Teghut is also now a candidate for a copper mine and its residents were split in their opinion. Some supported it saying that it will open jobs as 3,000 jobs had been promised. Others realized that the adverse health consequences far outweighed the job opportunities. I am quite certain that all of the money in the world would not convince me to see any kid in the conditions of the kids of Akhtala.

Syunik Region

After a rather scenic, breezy, and an overcast 10-hour ride through the hills of Syunik, the very southern tip of Armenia, we entered Kapan. Hardly had our bus rounded the corner of the road leading to the municipality building than we saw a group of youngsters gathered and taking part in what looked like a summer day camp. With a chalk in hand, they were diligently writing the name of the local gold mining company all over the streets: the sponsors of the day camp. Mining companies reaching out to the community, a reoccurring theme in the region of Syunik as we learned when we ventured out to Kajaran. Not even for a second did any of the community outreach programs make me overlook their company’s adverse effects on the environment.

Never one to take much notice of car brands, I was startled by the abundance of new cars and SUVs I saw in Kajaran. It also had the most upgraded municipality building I had seen thus far. Not to mention the newly built science laboratories of the local high school that were in the process of implementing environmental studies courses. All compliments of the copper-molybdenum mine that I quickly eyed while we sat with the mayor and talked about our green bus tour. I soon learned that the majority of the town’s residents worked for the mine and were paid quite well by any and all standards hence the very modern cars. But, despite the rather positive picture painted by the mayor, I could not help but ask “where is the waste going?” Perhaps knowing what I would hear next. The Voghji River. Not surprisingly, this river which runs through Kajaran now leads Armenia as the most polluted river along with Debet.

The general consensus of the citizens and the municipality was the following: they’re there, have always been there, and are at least providing us the financial support to counteract their pollution. Not even slightly convinced. Most certainly not content.

Also not content are the residents of the village of Lernadzor. Located in-between Kajaran and Kapan, Lernadzor has a rather concerning environmental issue. Syunik, specifically the hills around Lernadzor, have for a long time been suspected to be a rich source of radioactive ore such as uranium. Recently in 2008, The Uranium Project was launched by the Armenian-Russian Mining Company whose shares are divided equally between the Armenian Government represented by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and a Russian state-owned nuclear energy company. The Uranium Project entails surveying the hills of Lernadzor and upon finding sufficient amount of uranium, mining it sometime in 2010. Although no actual drilling has been done to this point, there was a tangible fear and horror within the residents of Lernadzor who had the very reasonable concern that exploration work, which will involve some sort of drilling into the hills, will contaminate their water subjecting their health and the health of their children to a tremendous risk. Though the project officials have been reassuring that such catastrophe will not happen, the residents have voiced their decision to block the much important road linking Iran to Armenia should the project proceed and drilling take place.

Before I end, I would like to take a moment and talk about our last day in Kajaran where a group of high schoolers and I did a water quality survey. Based on biotic (I.e. type of living organisms), abiotic factors (e.g. temperature, flow rate, pH, turbidity) and other simple calculations, together, we classified a local river’s level of cleanliness. Unlike the past surveys I had done, we were taken to the very source of a river where no opportunity exists for people to contaminate it. It was the first time that I saw what our rivers ought to look like. Flowing with much energy, cold, and clear in contrast to the dirty, sandy, yellow and lifeless warm river waters that I had seen and been in. The substantial contrast between the two pushed me into a moment of introspection. How many people would purposely make their home dirty or allow others to do so? I do not know of too many. Armenia is the only home we have ever known.

This blogpost first appeared as an article in the Friday, October 15, 2010 issue of the Asbarez.

I Love Armenia

Alis Nini
Greece

‘I love Armenia and I love America and I belong to both, but I am only this: an inhabitant of the earth, and so are you, whoever you are. I tried to forget Armenia but I couldn't do it.’ – William Saroyan-

Being a young diasporan who visits Armenia for the very first time can be an overwhelming experience. When I first wandered in the streets of Yerevan I was looking for something familiar to find myself in.

My first thought, when I landed in Yerevan, was the fear of not finding what I have been looking for all these years. Thankfully, national consciousness revealed itself to me soon. It wasn’t revealed in something specific but it was rather a series of moments like during a conversation with a local Armenian or another diasporan Armenian, the sight of a church or a mountain proudly surrounding the Armenian land. It must have been a moment when an unexpected emotion conquered me and forced me to discover Armenia.

Discovering the glorious simplicity of the churches,
The rugged sceneries, yet breathtaking nature,
The valuable remains of a lost kingdom,
The determined people, yet always welcoming,
The presence of art in every corner of Yerevan,
The longing of taking a glimpse of Mount Ararat in a clear sky, were all signs which showed me I started connecting with homeland. My stay was for six weeks and I went through three phases. In the beginning everything was like a puzzle which turned into an ongoing search for the pieces to be put together. I am now holding the perfect picture and I am sure each volunteer hold their own.

After six weeks of working, living, dealing with pleasant and unpleasant situations, adapting, travelling in Armenia, searching and discovering I realised that there was a mighty generation which established a kingdom,
A generation of intellectuals gifted with wisdom which gave us and the world outstanding inheritance,
There was a generation consisted by heroes and survivors,
There was a brave and courageous generation which preserved our identity and traditions through immigration,
And we are the generation which is called to acknowledge our past, embrace our developing nation, reconnect with the homeland and make sure it will continue to grow.

Above all I realised that being a diasporan Armenian comes with a price. It comes with a doubtful feeling of not entirely belonging somewhere and an anguished effort of searching for homeland.

On the other hand, being a diasporan Armenian gives me an advantage. This doubtful feeling of ‘not entirely belonging somewhere’ makes me an ‘inhabitant of the earth’. It gives me the freedom to make an endless journey that will keep me developing, having at the same time my Armenian roots as an integral part of my identity.

Picture a Day: Baby Steps

Zach Dyer
(USA)

For most of the day at the Healthy Centre I sit and write grants or research organizations or put together classes. After several days of compiling glum statistics about the region's health problems, I begin to wonder how much good an organization can do with only two paid employees that operates out of a renovated garage. Up against such staggering numbers and a long history of poor general health across the population, what will heat in the winter, or funding for a sexual health training (the two grants being worked on by the volunteers here) really be able to do for the people of Gyumri and the Shirak region?

And then there are moments like the one captured in this pictured. Today's picture means a lot to the people I work with at the Healthy Centre. The boy pictured is four and a half and is taking his first unassisted steps in his life. He is one of the many rehabilitation patients of the Healthy Centre, and one of the many success stories. What isn't shown in this picture is his mother, off to the side, crying to see her little boy walking on his own. After several surgeries and now in the second stage of rehabilitation, Garnik has learned how to use the muscles in his legs to walk on his own. After moments like this, I think to myself, "yesterday there were a million problems to be fixed here, today there are a million minus one." And I sit down at the computer, and I do my best to help an organization that does it's best to help the world around it.

Picture a Day: Family

Zach Dyer
USA

My first day at Gyumri Healthy Centre, like many 'firsts' I've experienced in this country took me by surprise. After cramming five people into a taxi, we drove away from the city center and rather unexpectedly took a turn down a road that at first glance looks almost nothing like a road. In the time it took for the taxi to navigate the ditches, potholes, trenches, and puddles that lead to the Healthy Centre, my expectations of what lie at the end fell significantly.

Once in the building, they explained to me that the center was a renovated garage that had once served as temporary housing after the earthquake. With only the front office and a modest "fitness center" in the back, the center was what was to be expected at the end of such a road. But what was not expected was the immediateness with which the three ladies of the Healthy Centre accepted me as if I grew up in the neighborhood, was a member of the family.

From my second week working with them, the two younger women referred to me as their brother and the older woman would introduce me as her son. After long weekends when I walked into work, Noune, the oldest of them would exclaim, "Zach-jan! Your second mother has missed you!" But the sense of family did not end there in the Healthy Centre. From the patients' families to the neighbors, after two months here they all greet me like we've known each other our whole lives. Not a day goes by where I don't feel completely comfortable sitting down for lunch with my coworkers and discussing anything from politics and religion to what "Starbucks" is and why I keep saying that I miss it.

When I went to other sites to volunteer, I found the same thing. At the day-camp where I teach English, my boss's son invites me out after. At the YMCA where I teach first aid with another volunteer, they suggest taking sightseeing trips with us. Even after an hour at the ambulatory center they offered me a bed in the office.

And while I cant necessarily say that every volunteer's experience has been exactly the same, for the most part, when the people here see someone opening up and trying their best to help, they try to offer the same in reverse.

When Nothing Else Could Possibly Go Wrong

Kristene Ghazarian
USA

Deciding to come to Armenia was a decision I didn’t have to think much about. Having had a sister who had come to volunteer here the previous year and hearing her stories I knew it was only a matter of time before I jumped on a plane to come here myself. I flew into this country with no expectations other then that of making great friends and learning as much about Armenia as I could. With only high hopes for a great time its safe to say that my first week in Gyumri made the only thing I was expecting, impossible. Having had traveled before and experienced other cultures I thought nothing could possibly go wrong and cause me to not have the time of my life. Well my first week here really made me question my ability to overcome obstacles. Just about 3 hours after meeting my homestay family I returned to my new room to see that I had ten missed calls from back home. It only took one phone call back to learn that my grandma, the woman who brought me into this world, had just passed away. This news tore me apart, not only was I trying to feel comfortable in a new home with a new family in new city in a completely different country, I felt guilty for not being back home with her for her last few days. I didn’t know who to turn to for comfort and all I could do was cry.

After my grandma’s death I truly believed nothing else could go wrong to make my experience here more difficult, that is until my first day at my job site when I got attacked by a dog. Not being scared of dogs and not thinking much of it, I had to be persuaded to go to the hospital where I was told that the bite was actually a lot worse then I expected and I could possibly have rabies. To add to my already difficult week, this news was not taken easily. At this point I believed it was a complete mistake coming here and had no idea what I was suppose to do now. Feeling defeated and confused with diminishing hope of ever being able to have a good time, I received multiple phone calls from other volunteers calling to see how I was. With their help it didn’t take me long to realize that I needed to change my attitude and think positively. I wasn’t going to let a few puncture wounds get in my way of achieving why I had come to Armenia in the first place, especially knowing that would not be what my grandma would want. After a few changes I finally was able to start experiencing the real Gyumri.

Everyone faces challenges when entering a new environment, some bigger then others, but the importance of staying positive truly saved me from potentially having the most difficult two months of my life. Its been four weeks since all this has happened and not only will I return home with scars that will forever remind me of this unique experience but also friends that will leave a lasting impact in my life, and for that I wouldn’t change a single thing.

Tatjana on Nathan’s Archeological Dig Site

Tatjana Crossley
USA (Florida)

I was given the opportunity to visit Nathan’s work’s dig site. My first visit to an archeological dig! It is a site that is 5000 years old and has remains from a temple and houses. Apparently the archeologists had found 7 sacrificial wolves at the site that are now at a museum.

The dig wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, but then again I imagined we’d be dusting off ancient artifacts and going down into enclosed chambers- I guess I pictured a dig more similar to what one might see in Indiana Jones or the Mummy- very unrealistic, I know.

So we spent our time digging up dirt, moving dirt in buckets and moving rocks to a rock pile… when I started moving the rocks, I was told by a few of the men that I shouldn’t move rocks, I should move the buckets of dirt… so I did. But when I started carrying the bucket in front of me as apposed to holding the handle I was told to not do that- I must carry the bucket by the handle because it is not good for my health… and by my health I think they meant the health of my ovaries since as the man was telling me it was bad he kept motioning to his belly, or maybe they meant for the health of my back, I’m not really sure- which I found amusing but slightly annoying since they wouldn’t let me carry rocks and now they were telling me how to hold a bucket.

But it was interesting, and the scenery was lovely. We found lots of ceramic pieces and animal bones and the head archeologist found a little piece of what used to be a bracelet someone wore centuries ago!

This entry originally appeared on Tatjana's blogsite: http://tatjanacrossley.wordpress.com/

10 Things I Hate/Love About You

Zach Dyer
USA

10 things that regularly annoy me about Armenia:

1. dairy
2. not knowing what hunger feels like anymore, but always being thirsty
3. the supposed difference between the letters գ, վ, and ք
4. that no women sit in the front of a marshrutka even if 20 of them are cramped standing in the back and no one's sitting up front
5. entitled diasporans
6. that if you ask a young person about their dreams, they usually include leaving Armenia
7. superstitions, especially those that are health-related
8. that the english word 'bribe' is more commonly known than the word 'please'
9. trash. everywhere.
10. they make their ice cream with butter

10 things I strangely love about Armenia

1. the fact that no matter who I talk to, after "where are you from, are you armenian, how long are you staying," the next question is "are you married" from a woman and "do you like our women?" from a man.
2. marshrutka drivers
3. the fact that saying someone is fat is not insulting, just a description
4. freshly made cherry juice
5. the phrase "problem chgah"
6. how good the tap water tastes
7. the sheep at my bus stop in the middle of the city
8. pomegranate wine
9. that strangers are typically trusted because they typically can be
10. THEY MAKE THEIR ICE CREAM WITH BUTTER!!

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!