Very Good (Շատ լավ)

What is Armenia? Looking for a more playful definition, it is difficult to find just one meaning. Country, people, territory, customs, cuisine, music. But I think the best story I have heard so far was about why the տատիկներ (grandmothers) ask if a young person is married or not. It is definitely not to gossip, nor maybe to introduce that young person to their single grandchild, but rather a defense mechanism.

“How old are you?”, “At your age, I already had three children.”

For many years, Armenia did not have a territory, its people did not have a place to call their own, and it was the community that made the country survive. Whether under the rule of the Persian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the Soviet Union, or with parts of the territory under the possession of Turkey or Azerbaijan, regardless of the circumstance, the customs were passed down from generation to generation, always with the shadow of imminent annihilation. After the victims of one of the greatest horrors in human history secured our right to have a land to call our own, I believe it is now our duty to keep that flame alive.

Moving away from the playful and going to the concrete, I would like to share the experience of my first day in the country, which manages, in an unexpected accuracy, to describe more about my time in Armenia, highlighting the most important part of the program: the people.

Arrival in Yerevan

February 3, 2025

Very good (շատ լավ) — that’s how I would describe my first day in Armenia. Maybe it deserved something more expressive, but my Armenian wasn’t that good yet.

Landing here, that butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling. All the anxieties of someone who is moving to a foreign country, who doesn’t speak their native language, going to live with people who only speak Armenian, but who would like to discover a little more about where he came from and about the country he was raised admiring.

After getting the most valuable stamp in my passport, there would be a driver waiting for me in the arrivals area, and there was Vahram. Burly, big, he helped me carry my bags to the car and was extremely nice to me. Despite some frustrated attempts to speak English with him, we understood each other. He showed me the main points of the city, from beer and brandy makers, the football stadium, and Republic Square.

Did he like brandy? “Driving all day, not drink.”

Anyways, he helped me climb 5 flights of stairs with an 18 kg suitcase. At the moment we said goodbye, I promised that I would have my Armenian sharpened for the next time we spoke.

The long-awaited moment arrived, I see a lady, Lusik, waiting for me at the door of the house. Soon, she greets me with a kiss and tells me to come in, pointing to the entrance of the room where I would stay. At the door, I see a man, Harutyun, who pulls me into a hug as soon as I extend my hand. In the dark living room, I see a lady, Seda, with the appearance of the stereotypical grandmother, ready to sleep, who seemed to be awake only to evaluate her new roommate.

I left my bags and went to the kitchen, where Lusik was waiting for me, asked if I spoke Armenian, and my answer, although negative, did not discourage her. She showed me the bathroom, I asked for the Wi-Fi password, and she told me to go to sleep, gesturing and placing both hands on the side of her face, mimicking a pillow. “Morning”, telling me when our next conversation would take place.

Settling into Armenian Life

After two consecutive flights, tired, I went to sleep around 7 am, waking up at 1:30 pm. I was welcomed by the other host grandmother. The language barrier was big, but the hunger was bigger. With the greatest affection I have ever seen from a stranger, she tried to communicate with me, asking if I was hungry and saying phrases that, although made up of somewhat familiar words, were unintelligible to me. We understood each other with “coffee”, a sweet, and finally a “շնորհակալություն” (thank you). Before I could reach my room, I see Seda waiting for me with a little sweet in her hand.

Following the Armenian coffee session, I went out to explore the city with a camera in my hand and that anxiety pulsating throughout my body. Everything that at home I had only heard about, all the photos, stories were real. The tuff, pink-hued buildings that would leave even Barbie jealous; the endless cascade of stairs that seem to stretch into infinity; and an alphabet that is proudly, widely displayed in only one place in the entire world.

After wandering around, I went to the Birthright Armenia office, where I was welcomed with a warm hug from the program manager, Sevan. I was surprised by the structure of the program and by meeting the people who were around. Everyone there with a smile on their face and willing and happy to help me. I had the pleasure of meeting volunteers from various places in the world (USA, Syria, France, Australia, Chile), who also had the same patience and warmth to talk and get to know me.

After this initial reception, I returned home, as I had agreed to have dinner at 7 pm. I arrived very excited to tell someone about how my day had been and, after translating a sentence on Google, the excitement was reciprocated. A first day so pure, which, strangely enough, anticipated what my stay in Armenia had in store.