Do I have to leave?

After living here about 8 weeks now, I have encountered a tremendous change in attitude about this place. When I think back to how I previously viewed things regarding what Armenia was like, it's obvious that my time spent here has created the evidence that we, (yea us in the states), have got Armenia all wrong. In recent years, there has been extreme change here and this trend will continue as time moves forward. Somehow all the excitement of life here is drastically skewed by the time news of what is going on reaches the states.... the picture that is painted for us is more negative than positive, or in the least inaccurate.

What do you think of when you think of Armenia?

Being that this is Armenia, and we are Armenian, we automatically expect things run here just as they do back home. However, there are Armenians that inhabit almost every country in the world. As Armenians we don't have one distinct culture. We are one of the few ethnicities in this world that are multicultural. This should work to our benefit, but many of us aren't patient with this, and just like with any other foreign culture, dismiss it as not the way. Daily life in Armenia is incredibly different than our Armenian life in the states, and as it should be. It seems what throws us Armenian Americans off the most is the leftover Soviet influence. This is the catalyst for many of the things that we don't understand and therefore don’t like. For over 80 years our homeland was apart of the U.S.S.R, and even though that system basically fell apart overnight doesn't mean its effect will disappear in the same way. This isn't a negative thing, its serious challenge to overcome, and a challenge that currently is being taken head on.

Right now there are tons of Diasporan Armenians that have moved here making a daily difference in the lives of the people that live here. I haven't been here that long, but in these weeks I have encountered so many incredible people doing extraordinary things, I’ve been in permanent amazement mode witnessing this transformation take place. In addition to all of these Diasporan Armenians making a difference, there are tons of local Armenians embracing this change and learning what it takes to help out. It's like this extensive web of teamwork and everyone that's apart of it knows that the changes they work for are right around the corner. Of course there are many challenges to overcome, but when boiled down to the basics are no different than the same problems that we have back in the states. Maybe these issues are more deeply rooted, but they are the same modern issues that the U.S. faces or has faced.

Armenia is going to continue to change as the years roll on. It has already started and will continue to do so. It isn't by any means as great as it was in the height of the Soviet Union (as I was told), but it is on its way for something completly new. All I can say is go to Hayastan and experience it yourself…. I know I’ll be back!

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