Discovering Ourselves, Discovering Armenia
For young Armenians today, our homeland can be seen in many different ways. It is seen by some, as a destination visited on a family vacation, or with a graduating class. Comparable to a coming-of-age Euro trip, these visits despite being limited in scope and depth, can spark an initial connection to a far-away land.To others, Armenia evokes romantic sentiments of a hallowed land, almost too pristine to be real. Captivated by flawless mental imagery, they may be too apprehensive to see it, lest they leave disappointed by reality.
Շուշին Մեր Հաղթանակի Լուսապսակն է
1988-ի Արցախյան շարժումը ժողովրդիս միասնական կամքի դրսեւորումն էր, երբ 70 երկար տարիներ ադրբեջանական կապաքնքներում հեծող Արցախը ազատություն էր տենչում: Շուշի բերդաքաղաքի ազատագրումն Արցախյան պայքարում բեկումնային էր. Մի իրադարձություն, որի մասին բազմիցս խոսվել ու դեռ շատ երկար կխոսվի՝ որպես հայոց պատմության փառավոր մի էջ՝ կտակված սերունդներին, հավերժությանը: Շուշիի ազատագրումը գերնպատակ էր, հանուն որի միավորվել էր զինված հայությունը:
Yerevan. The Carousel City.
Every city is mirror for and reflection of society. The city creates a backdrop to a theatrical performance, which is the life of the people interacting in it. We build the city to reflect what we would like to have as the backdrop to the story of our lives, and after the city ages she reminds us of our thoughts at the time and what scenes from our life’s play we were performing then. Even if we might forget the details, the city—in all that it is and isn’t in that moment—will forever remind us.
Jerusalem: A Souvenir from the Armenian Quarter
Last summer I woke up on the rooftop of a hostel in the Jewish quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City. Before the sun had a chance to let me know I had been sleeping outside, the Islamic ‘call to prayer’ sounding from the mosque speakers reminded me that even at 5 a.m., God is Great (“Allahu Akbar” in Arabic). Three hours later, the church bells commanded my attention. I was wide-awake, living a dream.
Welcome To Javakhk
Most Armenians in Javakhk live in villages, farm to survive and celebrate traditions to preserve their culture. They are a nationalistic people, passionate about their Armenian history and language. They are also fearless in protecting their rights, as any human across the globe should be. But within the last decade, the Georgian government has suffocated these Armenians with discrimination and economic fear.
More To See Outside of Yerevan
Dilijan and Parz Lich: Located in Northern Armenia, Dilijan is like the Armenian Alps. Check out the beautiful old wooden homes in Old Dilijan or take a hike around the crystalline Parz Lich.
Can Armenia’s Economy Thrive on Services
There is no shortage of recent success stories about national economies skipping the development of a large manufacturing sector and instead building a prosperous economy on a robust services industry alone. Countries like Ireland, Norway, and India have largely forgone manufacturing and instead focused their economies on services, the sector of the economy that includes things like finance, software development, design, IT, media, customer support, and other services that are increasingly becoming easier to trade in thanks to technology.
Artsakh: The Cradle of Liberation
The story is that in May of ’92, over three nights (sleeping in caves during the day) something like 30 Armenian soldiers scaled the cliff to liberate Shushi. In the meantime, other forces came in from multiple directions. The result was that the Azeri forces thought they were surrounded by much larger forces than they actually were, and they retreated. The view from the cliff is extraordinary, and there’s a waterfall. Everyone loves waterfalls.
I Was Told There’d Be It π
The way I remember it, the first time I went to Karahunj there wasn’t even a road. It was my very first time in Armenia, everything was brand new, and the constant overload of sensory experience for three months renders my memory suspect when it tells me that we veered off the main highway into a field and all we had to guide us was our driver’s infallible sense of direction (and really, when it’s your first time in Armenia and you’re the only kid who doesn’t speak the language, you want to find the guy with the infallible sense of direction).
Կուկըլ: Top 10 Stops in Yerevan, Armenia
These are the top ten sites every one traveling to Armenia must visit.
