There’s a life before Birthright Armenia and a life after

I became the 2756th Birthright Armenia volunteer from July 20th until August 21st as I applied to the Lite program.

Back in France where I live, in the city of Lyon, I’m a primary school teacher (kindergarten) in a French-Armenian school where I studied when I was a child.

It was obvious to me that my volunteering experience in Armenia would imply teaching.

I grew up in an Armenian family, in the Armenian community in Lyon. I have always known my story as an Armenian through traditional songs and stories, Armenian dance, Apostolic Church, music.

Unfortunately, at 25 years old, I felt like something was missing. That’s when I heard about Birthright Armenia.

My Birthright Armenia experience

When I arrived in Armenia where I was welcomed by the incredible Birthright Staff, I was anxious and excited. I was about to teach French and English to children and teenagers in the third largest city of the country: Vanadzor. I knew practically nothing about that city and yet, that’s the place I call home now.

Birthright Armenia gave me the opportunity to discover magical places through unforgettable excursions: the village of Kurtan in the Lori region or Garni and Geghard.

Thanks to the program, I met life-long friends from all around the world and shared a home with my amazing host family: a lovely couple (Hratch and Osanna), my new “Papik” and “Tatik”. I met their whole family and shared stories and music sessions with them.

I have discovered the city of Vanadzor with my friends and worked in different places. I think I have learnt more from the children than I have taught. I am so grateful for everything.

My goal was to discover the educational system in Armenia as I am used to the French one. I also wanted to share everything I knew about France and French, as I soon discovered that the locals felt close to this country. I couldn’t be happier. The teenagers I taught French to were interested, interesting and always willing to learn new things. We have worked together through French songs and quotes. We used to talk about what we thought life could be like in France (stereotypes) and what it was really like.

I also taught English to children at “Toon” and at “VTC” (Vanadzor technological center) where the teenagers used to teach me everything they knew about technology.

At the end of the day, I met my friends at the Vanadzor office to prepare my lessons and to hang out after that at our favourite spots: Hrabarag, The Boo Cafe, the lakes, l’Avenue…

Every day with Birthright was different. Every day was an opportunity to speak with the locals and learn more about my ancestors and life in Armenia. I finally felt connected to my roots. I had a purpose, and a month was not enough to fulfil it.

Working there with children and teenagers made me realize that us, Diaporans, have a certain view on Armenia. Before coming, I pictured Armenia as the place we see in lots of postcards: Khor Virap in front of Ararat, because I once visited Yerevan. It is so much more than that.

Life in Vanadzor

Vanadzor was a dream come true! The city is surrounded by mountains and the people there are the nicest people I have ever met.

I have to say that when I first arrived there, I was really surprised. I didn’t know the city would look “like that”. In fact, I didn’t really know what impact the USSR years and the earthquake had on the city. There were walls on the buildings, streets needed to be renovated, and it felt so different from Europe. I was in the real Armenia, the one that can never be destroyed. It made me understand that there is in fact, more to my story as an Armenian than I thought.

Vanadzor is a quiet place, but it is the perfect place to volunteer, especially during summer where the weather is the best: chill in the evening and very sunny during the day.

I was lucky enough to go to CSP (Community Service Project) on Fridays (the best day of the week) where all the Vanadzor volunteers gathered in the city of Spitak to renovate an art school. We used to work, dance, sing all together and the results are amazing.

I really felt like I belonged in a community. I felt alive and happy. I was with my best friends, I was home.

But especially, I knew that I mattered and I contributed to something important in my homeland.

Living with a host family

I spent the whole month in this special house with this special family I call my own today.

When I arrived, Hratch Papik and Osanna Tatik welcomed me like a member of their family. This is Armenia: we all share the same story and culture and even though we’re different, we easily create a bond through common values.

During breakfast, “Tatik” would tell me how she used to live during her teenage years, but she also told me how she witnessed the Earthquake in the 80s. On the other hand, I would tell her everything about my life in France. And even now that I’m in France again, we always share our stories through WhatsApp and enjoy speaking Armenian differently; Eastern for her and Western for me, the language of our hearts.

What happens after the Birthright Armenia experience

There are so many things I could tell about Armenia and my life-changing experience there with Birthright Armenia, but the most important thing to remember in my opinion is that Armenia, and especially through volunteering, is the perfect place to discover our identity as Diasporans.

Armenia is a beautiful country, full of beautiful and real people. There is life everywhere in our homeland. I am proud to be Armenian.

I have always known that I wanted to be a teacher and my volunteering experience in Armenia enhanced the joy I feel when I teach.

I know now that working in an Armenian school in France is even more meaningful to me now, because as I teach French language and culture to my pupils, I am also here to share with them a tiny parcel of what I have experienced during the summer in Armenia.

Going back to France was difficult, I still miss my friends whom I talk to every day, I miss the landscapes, the BR staff and my host family but this whole experience helped me understand where I come from and I hope I can now share the beauty of Armenia but also our heritage with the world.

People still tell me after two months of leaving Armenia, “You never really came back”.

My heart is still there, until next time.