Walking the Same Streets as My Father: The Feeling of Coming Home

My name is Margo, and I came to Birthright Armenia from Tel Aviv, Israel. I had just returned from a year in the United States while the war in Israel was still ongoing, and I came across the program by chance. I took advantage of the fact that I was not committed to anything at the time and applied right away.

It is strange to think that just a little over a month ago, I barely had any Armenian friends, definitely not ones who spoke Armenian or felt connected to their roots in any way. And now suddenly, everyone around me is Armenian, and we are dancing Armenian folk dances together.

I arrived in Armenia hoping to learn more about my roots, while also developing professionally in additional fields and trying directions I know I am good at but never had the chance to explore professionally. I discovered a whole world of possibilities in Armenia.

I arrived in Yerevan during my first days and was immediately welcomed by many smiling people. After the orientation, a driver took me to Gyumri. I was recommended to start in Gyumri, and while it is much colder in the Shirak region, the people here in Gyumri completely warmed my heart. In the first days, I had concerns and did not think I would survive even the first week. I considered going back to Yerevan, where I had already connected with people and begun exploring. In the end, I gave this small city a chance, and it quickly captured me.

Professionally, I am doing many things. I do legal work, social media, photography, and painting. I am also learning Armenian and participating in Armenian themed activities around Gyumri. I truly did not expect my schedule to fill up like this. I expected a quieter pace in a smaller city, but our days quickly filled up with work and activities. What makes it special is that we experience it together, like a small family.

Every week, I go on excursions and discover rich and beautiful nature that I do not think I ever would have seen without the program. I send photos to my family each time, and my dad said that I have already been to more places than he has. It is amazing that I arrived during the off season and everything is still so beautiful, and I am already looking forward to seeing the landscapes when it gets warmer. It is incredible to discover how much history there is in this country, and even more incredible to realize that this history is also my family’s history.

Suddenly, there are explanations for my father’s mannerisms and those of his family, and I can see where they come from. Thinking that I am walking the same streets my father walked before moving to Israel fills my body with a sense of wholesomeness.

It is amazing to see how much people genuinely look out for one another. In Israel, people help strangers quite a lot, but here it’s a completely different level. I can be standing in a marshrutka with my bags (for some reason, backpacks are not really a thing here, so I often end up being the only one carrying my entire life with me), and someone sitting nearby will simply take my bags and hold them to help me. When people see me trying to understand why Google Maps is not working and realize I am lost in the streets, they immediately approach me to ask if I need help. The hospitality here is truly on another level, and you will never see me hungry here.

Unfortunately, my grandparents passed away during the COVID pandemic. I think about how unfortunate it is that I did not know about this program while they were still alive and living here. I could have practiced my Armenian with them, and I am sure they would have been happy to hear me speak their language. I am picking it up “gamats gamats”, and it is amazing to suddenly recognize words in people’s conversations and notice that the word jan is added to almost every second word. I am curious to discover what else this country has to offer, and I hope that I will be able to contribute to it just as much as it is contributing to me.