What is Artsakh?

On Friday morning, when we left Yerevan, I wasn't sure exactly what Artsakh was. Of course, I have kept current with the news out of Stepanakert, and have read articles and books trying to grasp what happened, and what is happening, but just like with anything, headlines never paint an accurate picture, or provide what is necessary to understand the meaning of anything.... especially a place like Artsakh. Friday was a long day, and Stepanakert was the last stop on incredible road trip.

Our first stop was in Noravank, then Tatev, and finally Goris. These places were all wonderful and I have amazing stories from our time there. However, Artsakh was a little different, and I really want to share that part of the trip. We arrived in the evening, and from the second we got there, it was easy to see that this place was really different that Yerevan. There was just a completely different vibe to it. There were people walking around the streets, people at cafes, and kids playing soccer in a near by school yard. The air was much cleaner in Stepankert than in Yerevan, and for that matter, everything seemed to be cleaner, the streets, the sidewalks.... it felt like a whole new place.

The next day we set out early as we had a full day of places to visit. Our first stop was at the local museum. This was interesting because the museum in Stepanakert isn't filled with too many ancient artifacts depicting what live was like hundreds of years ago. Its filled with the pictures, stories and events that recently took place and are fresh on everyone's mind. While touring around different parts of the country we drove down a road that had been de-mined, but the surrounding area had not. It's quite an amazing feeling to drive around places that haven't been de-mined. Currently there are organizations that come to de-mine this fields, but they haven't finished yet. In one of the more remote places we found a helmet from a soldier that was still lying in the same place that it was left.

On Sunday, we visited the town of Shushi and attended church there. Shushi was just as amazing as Stepanakert, but what was even more incredible was to learn about how detrimental it was for the Armenians to retake the town from the enemy, and hear stories about how they accomplished that. Also, knowing as little as 12 years ago, the church there was used an enemy missile storage house really changes your experience witnessing the celebration of Holy Badarak. After church, we went around and visited some important sites, and visited with some people that were hanging out on the streets. It was incredible to meet with these people, and get to know them a little bit. After leaving Shushi, we made the long trip back to Yerevan....and it was then, that I first started to understand exactly what Artsakh was....

Traveling to far away places to gain perspective on past wars, ancient struggles, or wonders of the world, is something that everyone should experience. However, what makes Artsakh even more real and more unique is the fact that their quest for self-determination didn't happen centuries ago, and when you arrive there you are able to experience their struggle from this perspective. At a young age we are taught about The United States fight for independence, and how important and revolutionary that was. After traveling to Artsakh, not just for Armenians, or Americans, but anyone.... anyone in the world, experiencing Artsakh really redefines and makes you appreciate the often misused concept of freedom. To stand on the streets of Stepanakert and witness the infancy of a democracy was the most staggering thing I have ever felt. You are witness a group of people that recently lived and died for their freedom, and experience their struggle first hand. Although you can't fully be apart of it, just being there opens the door for a whole new appreciation for what took place, and gives perspective not just for their fight for self-determination, but really any struggle or loss of live that ever took place.

The trip to Artsakh has been the most incredible part of this trip thus far, and hopefully I'll find a way to hitch a ride to go back there! See ya next week....

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