Break # 23049203949 from studying for finals: First of all.... I need a tutorial on how to use this function of "putting in the link"...cause look how easy Raffi did it....i must've missed something! :) Well, i'll catch on sooner or later..... (let's hope!)
Ok, I noticed something today. Everyone talks about the weather in their logs.....so here is the weather forecast for LA today... It's nice! haha :) No j/k.... Last night we had this storm....wow....thunder and lightening and everything! And of courseeee it never fails...it starts POURING when i need to get to my car to come home. I bet everyone is thinking... "yaaaaaaaaaaaa that happens to me too!" . :)
Well let's see, today I discovered something new.... (here goes nothing!) ... www.demkradio.com. It's an online radio station...but so much more! They tell you what song is playing, and from what album - you even have the option of buying it right there! Now people are going to think i'm putting in a plug...but honestly, I think it's so important what these people are doing. The more "accessible" we make our culture (in this case music) to the youth, the chances are higher that they will pass that torch on. This weekend I had the opportunity to hear an Armenian writer speak about Armenian Culture. It was very interesting to hear him say how important the Armenian language is, as part of the components of our culture. One thing he said that made me think was the following: He said that it was OKAY for youth to prefer to speak a different language other than Armenian, because it's what comes naturally to them. BUT, he said that language is one of the bricks in our "wall of culture". If you take ONE brick out from a foundation....the building is not guaranteed to stand for very long. Language is the same. Removing language from our culture makes it less sturdy, and that's when total assimilation kicks in. He also talked about "AZK" - "Nation". He compared the nation of Armenians to America. He said that America is not an "azk"....it's just a collection of people. He defined an "azk" as a group who has the same language, religion, history, literature, etc....and if you live in America, all you have to do is take a look around you and you'll see that America thrives on the very opposite---diversity. So, losing language from our culture, the Armenian culture would mean a lot more than "someone now speaking Armenian".
Wow....now that I think of it...that is a lot to think about. I always believed that for someone to be "Armenian" it wasn't necessary for them to know the language. Sure, it's a plus, but we have to be realistic right? Well, now that he has put it THAT way.....i'm thinking again. Reflecting on my own views...one of the main reasons I wanted to become an Armenian teacher is probably what that author was talking about. I want to pass on the passion I have for Armenian, whether it's history or literature or art...to AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE! I look at the Armenian books that students today use, and I say to myself..."how could THISSSS compare to the books this kid reads in english?" ....truth is....it can't.
On the flip side, I know MANY MANY Armenians who know how to read, write, speak Armenian perfectly well....yet does that make them Armenian? What about those who don't know much more than "parev"....but are enthusiastic and contributing members to their Armenian communities? Are they LESS Armenian for not knowing the language? Definitely not!!!
I don't have the answers.....nor do I think I ever will. I only wish those who were telling me last summer in Armenia, ("Why would you EVER come live here when you could live in America!?) .... I wish they could read these logs and possibly, for one second, imagine what it's like to be Spyoorkahye.
(back to the books....) :) TSUH!
Ok, I noticed something today. Everyone talks about the weather in their logs.....so here is the weather forecast for LA today... It's nice! haha :) No j/k.... Last night we had this storm....wow....thunder and lightening and everything! And of courseeee it never fails...it starts POURING when i need to get to my car to come home. I bet everyone is thinking... "yaaaaaaaaaaaa that happens to me too!" . :)
Well let's see, today I discovered something new.... (here goes nothing!) ... www.demkradio.com. It's an online radio station...but so much more! They tell you what song is playing, and from what album - you even have the option of buying it right there! Now people are going to think i'm putting in a plug...but honestly, I think it's so important what these people are doing. The more "accessible" we make our culture (in this case music) to the youth, the chances are higher that they will pass that torch on. This weekend I had the opportunity to hear an Armenian writer speak about Armenian Culture. It was very interesting to hear him say how important the Armenian language is, as part of the components of our culture. One thing he said that made me think was the following: He said that it was OKAY for youth to prefer to speak a different language other than Armenian, because it's what comes naturally to them. BUT, he said that language is one of the bricks in our "wall of culture". If you take ONE brick out from a foundation....the building is not guaranteed to stand for very long. Language is the same. Removing language from our culture makes it less sturdy, and that's when total assimilation kicks in. He also talked about "AZK" - "Nation". He compared the nation of Armenians to America. He said that America is not an "azk"....it's just a collection of people. He defined an "azk" as a group who has the same language, religion, history, literature, etc....and if you live in America, all you have to do is take a look around you and you'll see that America thrives on the very opposite---diversity. So, losing language from our culture, the Armenian culture would mean a lot more than "someone now speaking Armenian".
Wow....now that I think of it...that is a lot to think about. I always believed that for someone to be "Armenian" it wasn't necessary for them to know the language. Sure, it's a plus, but we have to be realistic right? Well, now that he has put it THAT way.....i'm thinking again. Reflecting on my own views...one of the main reasons I wanted to become an Armenian teacher is probably what that author was talking about. I want to pass on the passion I have for Armenian, whether it's history or literature or art...to AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE! I look at the Armenian books that students today use, and I say to myself..."how could THISSSS compare to the books this kid reads in english?" ....truth is....it can't.
On the flip side, I know MANY MANY Armenians who know how to read, write, speak Armenian perfectly well....yet does that make them Armenian? What about those who don't know much more than "parev"....but are enthusiastic and contributing members to their Armenian communities? Are they LESS Armenian for not knowing the language? Definitely not!!!
I don't have the answers.....nor do I think I ever will. I only wish those who were telling me last summer in Armenia, ("Why would you EVER come live here when you could live in America!?) .... I wish they could read these logs and possibly, for one second, imagine what it's like to be Spyoorkahye.
(back to the books....) :) TSUH!
posted by shooosh at 2:38 AM
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