Hi all
As you know that I�m a new member and I was busy coz I had exams, now I finished my exams and left Yerevan and came to Beirut for vacation, and the second night that I was in Beirut (Nov 16), I was invited to a Beer Night where they had open beer and bingo game.
Actually (Raffi K), I guess I should write this in the Diaspora log, but let me do it here for now before it�s too late, coz it directly has to do with Armenians in Diaspora and somehow it was different for me after being absent for almost 9 months (I left Beirut end of February, went to Yerevan to do my Masters, and now I�m back to Beirut for my vacation).
It all started when I went to see my friend on Friday night (I landed on Friday early morning, Nov 15), we were talking and laughing when he gave me a card, and told me that they have beer night in there region and he wants me to go there coz it will be fun. By the way this is the way people sell you ticket in here, you go to see them or say hi, they give you a ticket to see a concert or an event, or sell you a lottery. Anyway, the place was called �Jovovourtayin Doun� (public house, don�t get the wrong idea), it�s for their community, and if they want to do any kind of a party (marriage, engagement, birthday) they go there coz it�s cheaper and more Armenian, it holds almost 150 people where you have fun and dance. The place is called �Setrag Ajemian� hall.
Ok, it was written starting from 8:30pm, I was there at 8:40, but as usual the hall was empty, the event started at 9:30, the first 2 hours was good, I mean, there was a rock band, consists of 4 young guys and one young girl (singer), their average age is 19 and they sang for 2 hours, songs like Hotel California, Soldier of Fortune, songs from Alanis and many more, I was amazed by their performance (and I had this idea to video them and send them to Raffi Meneshian), but for the moment I was expecting Armenian songs. Meanwhile I was watching the audience, and this was the part that seemed different to me. I felt like a stranger, and those things were new to me, although I knew that community for a while and I worked with them, with their children, I thought that children (4 years ago), and now I saw that kids, one of them was the chief of the band, others sitting on my table, their heights reach mine, they are big and they were full of energy, I felt that I got old, and those things are not for me anymore (this is what I felt that time, now I feel young, hahaha). Another thing that was strange to me is that the organizers were asking the kids if they drink beer, I mean they were moms and they were offering beer to the teenagers and kids. Maybe it doesn�t mean anything to you guys, but my time 12-13 years ago, drinking beer was not accepted for kids, specially being served by your mom. Here comes the best part, after the band stopped singing, one of the organizers of the event, a lady, took the microphone and greeted us, welcomed us and she said that, these kinds of events will help us to secure our Armenianism in Beirut (or Diaspora). First I laughed, this wasn�t the way we did or still do to keep ourselves as Armenians, I mean, it�s a great idea to gather that much people in one place (it�s hard), but starting with 2 hours of English/rock songs was not �hayabashbanoum� for me (protecting our roots, let�s say). That seemed funny to me and at the same time painful too, I noticed how we were changing, I noticed that Lebanon (the heart of the Armenian Diaspora, as they say) was changing, I mean, if this event was in US or Europe Diaspora, I will understand, and this also means that even Lebanon has difficulties in protecting, not as before.
After that the bingo started, there were 3 winners that got presents, after that, the music was Armenian dance music, and there was a surprised, a singer was in the audience so he sang 3 Armenian songs and at the time I was going out he started singing Arabic, although I felt that I was enjoying them coz I missed them, but I had to meet with my sports partner.
As you know that I�m a new member and I was busy coz I had exams, now I finished my exams and left Yerevan and came to Beirut for vacation, and the second night that I was in Beirut (Nov 16), I was invited to a Beer Night where they had open beer and bingo game.
Actually (Raffi K), I guess I should write this in the Diaspora log, but let me do it here for now before it�s too late, coz it directly has to do with Armenians in Diaspora and somehow it was different for me after being absent for almost 9 months (I left Beirut end of February, went to Yerevan to do my Masters, and now I�m back to Beirut for my vacation).
It all started when I went to see my friend on Friday night (I landed on Friday early morning, Nov 15), we were talking and laughing when he gave me a card, and told me that they have beer night in there region and he wants me to go there coz it will be fun. By the way this is the way people sell you ticket in here, you go to see them or say hi, they give you a ticket to see a concert or an event, or sell you a lottery. Anyway, the place was called �Jovovourtayin Doun� (public house, don�t get the wrong idea), it�s for their community, and if they want to do any kind of a party (marriage, engagement, birthday) they go there coz it�s cheaper and more Armenian, it holds almost 150 people where you have fun and dance. The place is called �Setrag Ajemian� hall.
Ok, it was written starting from 8:30pm, I was there at 8:40, but as usual the hall was empty, the event started at 9:30, the first 2 hours was good, I mean, there was a rock band, consists of 4 young guys and one young girl (singer), their average age is 19 and they sang for 2 hours, songs like Hotel California, Soldier of Fortune, songs from Alanis and many more, I was amazed by their performance (and I had this idea to video them and send them to Raffi Meneshian), but for the moment I was expecting Armenian songs. Meanwhile I was watching the audience, and this was the part that seemed different to me. I felt like a stranger, and those things were new to me, although I knew that community for a while and I worked with them, with their children, I thought that children (4 years ago), and now I saw that kids, one of them was the chief of the band, others sitting on my table, their heights reach mine, they are big and they were full of energy, I felt that I got old, and those things are not for me anymore (this is what I felt that time, now I feel young, hahaha). Another thing that was strange to me is that the organizers were asking the kids if they drink beer, I mean they were moms and they were offering beer to the teenagers and kids. Maybe it doesn�t mean anything to you guys, but my time 12-13 years ago, drinking beer was not accepted for kids, specially being served by your mom. Here comes the best part, after the band stopped singing, one of the organizers of the event, a lady, took the microphone and greeted us, welcomed us and she said that, these kinds of events will help us to secure our Armenianism in Beirut (or Diaspora). First I laughed, this wasn�t the way we did or still do to keep ourselves as Armenians, I mean, it�s a great idea to gather that much people in one place (it�s hard), but starting with 2 hours of English/rock songs was not �hayabashbanoum� for me (protecting our roots, let�s say). That seemed funny to me and at the same time painful too, I noticed how we were changing, I noticed that Lebanon (the heart of the Armenian Diaspora, as they say) was changing, I mean, if this event was in US or Europe Diaspora, I will understand, and this also means that even Lebanon has difficulties in protecting, not as before.
After that the bingo started, there were 3 winners that got presents, after that, the music was Armenian dance music, and there was a surprised, a singer was in the audience so he sang 3 Armenian songs and at the time I was going out he started singing Arabic, although I felt that I was enjoying them coz I missed them, but I had to meet with my sports partner.
posted by Sebouh at 12:28 AM
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