My Repatriation Adventure: Finding Purpose and Community in Armenia

I met so many nice, funny, kind-hearted people — you can’t even imagine. Every time we went out, it was just a blast. In Gyumri, the number of volunteers is smaller, but that’s what makes it special. All of our havaks and forums were cozy and memorable. And our coordinators — Marine and Khachik — are just something else! So hilarious and witty, I love it.

As for Yerevan, it’s currently my 7th day of volunteering, but I can already say how lucky I am with my job site here. I’m helping with organizing the Yerevan Music Festival, which will be held from the 17th to the 23rd of September. I’m really excited to see how it turns out because all the sweat and effort the team put into this project is undeniable.

Just to sum up: choose Gyumri for people, Yerevan for opportunities, and Vanadzor… for greenery (idk, I never volunteered there).

At the end, I want to point out something really important. I don’t want to romanticize this, ‘cause moving to another country is really not that easy.

In my case, before making my decision about Armenia, a couple of months ago I quit my full-time job, then went on a month-long solo trip (which also helped me in my decision-making), and was basically left with a small amount of savings.

Yes, repatriating is hard. But it’s also exciting, unpredictable, and full of little adventures. And always remember: Armenia is a real country with real people!