Armenia Through My Eyes

Moving to Armenia

Before joining Birthright Armenia, I already had the desire to move to Armenia, then I heard about Birthright Armenia online and decided to apply since it suited my interests. I decided to move to Armenia because I don’t want to get assimilated abroad, I want the future grandkids of my grandkids to remain Armenian. In Armenia, I know that my descendants will remain Armenian; but, abroad no matter how hard I try, my descendants will mix with other ethnicities and assimilate.

The volunteers at Birthright Armenia

I really like the people I have met through Birthright Armenia. Since this program attracts people who want to volunteer and help their country, you get to meet a lot of like-minded, patriotic Armenians. There are a lot of Armenians in this world who only complain and do nothing to help their homeland. Birthright Armenia provides us with the opportunity to help our nation.

Language Classes and Excursions

The Armenian language classes help us learn and perfect our speaking and writing skills, as one of the main aspects of being Armenian is speaking Armenian. I also love the excursions we have every Saturday. We get to explore the whole country and understand our culture better. I especially enjoyed the hike towards the Kobayr monastery complex near the village of Odzun. We hiked two hours up the mountain to get to the church on top of it, it was in such a secluded place without any roads. I also enjoyed it when we biked from Yerevan to Vagharshapat. All of the excursions are unique and interesting. The havaks we have during the week is also an interesting way to spend time while learning more about life in Armenia. Birthright Armenia provides a lot of networking opportunities; we can volunteer at various companies, and then later start working for them full-time, which helps with moving back to our homeland. It is a great experience when you get to live in Armenia while being surrounded by like-minded people who also love their homeland.