BRAVO ARA!
I feel that you have put a bugging device on me. Your comments about retiring in Armenia sound just like what I was discussing with some friends a few days ago. When you said that 600$ US (that’s about 360$ CAN by the way) goes so much farther in Armenia then in the States, I felt like you were quoting parts of our conversation. For those who want to know what I am talking about read Ara Manookian’s log entry at : http://www.cilicia.com/armo_life-log.html
As for my life as a Canadian-Armenia… well it works for now. Lara (the one carrying my baby and my wife) and I have already decided on the time and place of our baby’s baptism. Of course it’ll be in Armenia… what kind of question is that? It’ll take place at the Saghmosavank monastery ( which we helped rebuild with LCO http://www.lcousa.org) in August 2003. We figure that since our kids were not born in Armenia, we can at least create a bond for them by baptizing them there. As a child, I only knew Armenia as a virtual paradise that belonged to all Armenians. I want the experience to be different for my kids. I want them to feel that Armenia is there homeland. I want them to visit and stay there as much as they want. I want them to have friends and close relatives there to visit. I want them to decide to continue their education in Armenia. I want them to become citizens and participate in the daily decision making process and not just be outsiders criticizing the government and the people. I want Armenia to become truly theirs.
I know this will take time and a lot of our energy. We have committed to go to Armenia at least every odd year. We were there in 1999, 2001 and will be there in 2003. Eventually we would like to make it our permanent home. I envy you all (Raffi, Madeleine, Zabel, Ara, and the rest) that are there living the most challenging and changing times of a society.
nkarts@hotmail.com
I feel that you have put a bugging device on me. Your comments about retiring in Armenia sound just like what I was discussing with some friends a few days ago. When you said that 600$ US (that’s about 360$ CAN by the way) goes so much farther in Armenia then in the States, I felt like you were quoting parts of our conversation. For those who want to know what I am talking about read Ara Manookian’s log entry at : http://www.cilicia.com/armo_life-log.html
As for my life as a Canadian-Armenia… well it works for now. Lara (the one carrying my baby and my wife) and I have already decided on the time and place of our baby’s baptism. Of course it’ll be in Armenia… what kind of question is that? It’ll take place at the Saghmosavank monastery ( which we helped rebuild with LCO http://www.lcousa.org) in August 2003. We figure that since our kids were not born in Armenia, we can at least create a bond for them by baptizing them there. As a child, I only knew Armenia as a virtual paradise that belonged to all Armenians. I want the experience to be different for my kids. I want them to feel that Armenia is there homeland. I want them to visit and stay there as much as they want. I want them to have friends and close relatives there to visit. I want them to decide to continue their education in Armenia. I want them to become citizens and participate in the daily decision making process and not just be outsiders criticizing the government and the people. I want Armenia to become truly theirs.
I know this will take time and a lot of our energy. We have committed to go to Armenia at least every odd year. We were there in 1999, 2001 and will be there in 2003. Eventually we would like to make it our permanent home. I envy you all (Raffi, Madeleine, Zabel, Ara, and the rest) that are there living the most challenging and changing times of a society.
nkarts@hotmail.com
posted by Raffi N at 4:08 AM
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