I've waited 13 years for this!
Before I get to the 13 years thing, a couple notes. I'm glad we have another addition to the repat community. There are many close friends leaving soon who have been here from 5 months to 15 months, so we're happy to welcome more people. Welcome Tamar. I should also mention that there are also more people who unexpectedly spent a lot of time here last year/this year who went to the US and are scheduled to return to Armenia this summer. Keep 'em coming... I have another blog for this later.
Okay, crazy week. I'm trying to wrap up a gazillion projects right now to safely and comfortably take two weeks off. What could be the occasion for such a thing, you ask? Drum roll please............ my PARENTS ARE COMING!!!
What's the big deal? Well, anyone and everyone who knows my Dad knows that the true Armenia exists predominantly a 30 kilometer radius around my father. He has one of the biggest Armenian libraries East of the Mississippi, probably one of the biggest Armenian Stamp collections (including other countries' stamps with an Armenian theme), a ridiculously massive art collection, and refuses to throw ANYTHING out that has a single Armenian letter on it. Many don't know this, but he might also have the largest blog in the world. No one would know it because he's sadly not interested in publishing it online, so it sits on his computer in word document format. By the way, he's reading every word of this because he reads every Armenian related website for at least 4-5 hours every night.
Here's the kicker... he's never been to Armenia. The Armenian Ambassador to the US himself has been pushing him to come... my father tried using the excuse of "they wont give me a visa" on him. The Ambassador laughed. Well, he has his 10-year visa, his plane ticket, fellow doctors to cover him while he's gone, a place to stay, a wife to guide him (otherwise he'd get lost... the man can't travel alone) and a daughter to visit.
My Mom on the other hand, she's been here... in 1989 on behalf of the ARS to do relief work after the Earthquake. She came here for 2 weeks. I think she's in for a surprising change of scenery.
I have been waiting for this moment since the first time I stepped foot in Armenia in 1994. All I can remember feeling throughout that trip was, 'I wish my parents could see this.' Every stone I saw, every corner I turned was most interesting through imagining it in their eyes. To this day, I've allowed them to live vicariously through me. They bought an apartment without ever seeing the land. They have friends who visit and come to tell stories and current events. In two days, Armenia and Armenia will come together.
Of course, my parents never do anything without having a good excuse to give everyone... they are also here for Kojian's mentioned Conference. God forbid they come just to be here. I hope he has a talk with those doctors that misdiagnosed me.
Oh yeah, and new camera equipment comes with them. YAY!
Okay, crazy week. I'm trying to wrap up a gazillion projects right now to safely and comfortably take two weeks off. What could be the occasion for such a thing, you ask? Drum roll please............ my PARENTS ARE COMING!!!
What's the big deal? Well, anyone and everyone who knows my Dad knows that the true Armenia exists predominantly a 30 kilometer radius around my father. He has one of the biggest Armenian libraries East of the Mississippi, probably one of the biggest Armenian Stamp collections (including other countries' stamps with an Armenian theme), a ridiculously massive art collection, and refuses to throw ANYTHING out that has a single Armenian letter on it. Many don't know this, but he might also have the largest blog in the world. No one would know it because he's sadly not interested in publishing it online, so it sits on his computer in word document format. By the way, he's reading every word of this because he reads every Armenian related website for at least 4-5 hours every night.
Here's the kicker... he's never been to Armenia. The Armenian Ambassador to the US himself has been pushing him to come... my father tried using the excuse of "they wont give me a visa" on him. The Ambassador laughed. Well, he has his 10-year visa, his plane ticket, fellow doctors to cover him while he's gone, a place to stay, a wife to guide him (otherwise he'd get lost... the man can't travel alone) and a daughter to visit.
My Mom on the other hand, she's been here... in 1989 on behalf of the ARS to do relief work after the Earthquake. She came here for 2 weeks. I think she's in for a surprising change of scenery.
I have been waiting for this moment since the first time I stepped foot in Armenia in 1994. All I can remember feeling throughout that trip was, 'I wish my parents could see this.' Every stone I saw, every corner I turned was most interesting through imagining it in their eyes. To this day, I've allowed them to live vicariously through me. They bought an apartment without ever seeing the land. They have friends who visit and come to tell stories and current events. In two days, Armenia and Armenia will come together.
Of course, my parents never do anything without having a good excuse to give everyone... they are also here for Kojian's mentioned Conference. God forbid they come just to be here. I hope he has a talk with those doctors that misdiagnosed me.
Oh yeah, and new camera equipment comes with them. YAY!
posted by Arsineh at 2:01 PM
5 Comments:
And by the way, I can't believe this is just the Second International Medical Congress of Armenia. I was at the first one in Paris with my parents.... 14 YEARS AGO!!! (I think)
Actually, the First International Medical Congress of Armenia was held four years ago in Yerevan.
Armenian Medical Congresses, coordinated by the Armenian Medical International Committee www.amic.ca , have been held in the Diaspora since the first one in Beirut in 1974. The one you attended in Paris in 1992 was the fifth one. The 9th was held in San Francisco in 2005. The 10th will be held in New York in 2009. The 11th will likely be held in Berlin in 2013.
The idea is to alternate between Yerevan and the Diaspora every 2 years.
Finally, its not just for doctors but for health professionals including dentists, nurses, pharmacists.
Also, on June 26 & 27, the Armenian Eye Care Project will hold its 10th International Eye Conference in Yerevan. http://9amwc.org/aecp/index.html
It will precede the Medical Congress which starts the next day.
That makes so much more sense. Thank you for clearing that up.
Bless your Dad - best wishes for his visit home :)
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