My Favorite Part of my Birthright Armenia Experience

If you were to ask me what the best part of my Birthright Armenia experience has been, it would be an easy answer: my host family. That is not to say that I haven't had an incredible time with my volunteer work, going on excursions, language classes, forums, havaks, and meeting and making lasting friends. Still, my time with my host family has been the most fulfilling and insightful part of my time here.

Warmth and Welcoming Despite the Language Barrier

Although I was incredibly nervous about coming to Armenia without speaking Armenian, my host family made me feel welcome from day one. My host family, Manya and Lusine (a mother and daughter) are kind, genuine, and hospitable to a degree I've never experienced in the United States. Manya, my host mom, has a great sense of humor and wit, balancing a sense of warmth with her strength and independence. My host sister, Lusine, is similarly kind, hilarious, and insightful. Even though Manya doesn't speak English and my Armenian is still a work in progress, conversations and meals with the two of them guarantee lots of laughter, joy, and cross-cultural learning. It's not uncommon for me to laugh so hard with them that I'm in tears.

Before I'd even started at my job site in my first week here, Manya took me everywhere, to church, to markets, and to meet her neighbors and family. Again, though we couldn't communicate much verbally, she gestured while she talked to help me understand. It made me feel welcomed and like a real part of her family. It was great, too, to see more of everyday life in Armenia.

Another one of my favorite parts of my time with my host family is having tea every night with Manya, Lusine, and Manya's friends from the neighborhood. They are similarly wonderful, funny, and kind, and I like to learn more about their lives and backgrounds. In addition, I really appreciate their patience and non-judgment of my Armenian as I learn and practice and inevitably make mistakes. Feeling like they won't laugh or be upset if I make mistakes encourages me to keep going.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the food! Both Manya and Lusine are great cooks, and because I don't eat meat, they make lots of delicious salads, many of which include vegetables I've never eaten before, like դանդուռ (dandur), which Lusine makes as a raw salad and is now one of my favorite foods in Armenia. And, of course, anything that either of them makes is always offered, again, part of their above-and-beyond hospitality.

A Difficult Goodbye, but a Lifelong Bond

Saying goodbye to them will be incredibly difficult, but I know that I will return to Armenia, and when I do, their house will be one of my first stops. Knowing this, I'm more motivated to continue learning Armenian when I go back to the United States so that I can have deeper conversations with them and continue building our relationship when I return. With Manya and Lusine, I've found lifelong family, even on the other side of the world.