Adjusting...
So, I've been here a week today, and for some reason, this trip has required quite a bit more adjustment to Armenia than I'm used to. When I saw the brand new airport, I could hardly believe it. It's so modern, with the duty-free store and non-smoking rules. Well, now that I've picked up so many of my AGBU interns at the airport, I really never want to go there again. No, not really. Actually, I've witnessed some pretty happy and overwhelming moments during my last 6 or so trips to our otanavagayan. Families reuniting after many years, parents greeting kids who live outside the country, long lost friends, and of course excited interns.
Speaking of the AGBU intern program, things are going quite well so far. It's a great groups of young adults from the US, Canada, Egypt and Romania. We also have a girl who was born in Armenia and has not been back since age 3, and is experiencing a pretty amazing journey through the city in which her parents met and she was born. The group is really diverse also, so that's always good. They start their 5-week internships around the city tomorrow, and I am anxious to hear what specific projects their various organizations, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the American University of Armenia, the World Health Organization, the Cafesjian Family Foundation, Sharm Creative Advertising Agency, a pharmaceutical company, a dentist clinic, and many many more. Living with the interns and spending so much time with them has been fun and tiring, and different from being in Yerevan in any other capacity. Even though I have always done work here (not come as a tourist), this position is very different, maybe because it does not end at 6pm -- it's a 24-hour gig. So while I have not had as much time to reacquaint myself with the city yet, there is plenty of time for that later, and plus I'm enjoying the perks of being the intern coordinator. For example, today one of the intern's uncles came to visit her at our dorms, and he turned out to be Dr. Ara Tekian, who climbed Mount Ararat with a group of 5 other Armenians. He spoke really informally about the trek up the mountain, and how it felt to place the Armenian flag at the top. Apparently the photos of the flag incident circulated around Turkey, perhaps through Agos where it was published by Hrant Dink, and now the government is pretty upset (to put it nicely). But anyway, it was so cool to hear Mr. Tekian speak about that experience. One of the interns said afterwards that it was her father's dream to climb Mount Ararat and place and Armenian flag at the top... then he could die happy. Interesting. Anyway, more updates to come...
Speaking of the AGBU intern program, things are going quite well so far. It's a great groups of young adults from the US, Canada, Egypt and Romania. We also have a girl who was born in Armenia and has not been back since age 3, and is experiencing a pretty amazing journey through the city in which her parents met and she was born. The group is really diverse also, so that's always good. They start their 5-week internships around the city tomorrow, and I am anxious to hear what specific projects their various organizations, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the American University of Armenia, the World Health Organization, the Cafesjian Family Foundation, Sharm Creative Advertising Agency, a pharmaceutical company, a dentist clinic, and many many more. Living with the interns and spending so much time with them has been fun and tiring, and different from being in Yerevan in any other capacity. Even though I have always done work here (not come as a tourist), this position is very different, maybe because it does not end at 6pm -- it's a 24-hour gig. So while I have not had as much time to reacquaint myself with the city yet, there is plenty of time for that later, and plus I'm enjoying the perks of being the intern coordinator. For example, today one of the intern's uncles came to visit her at our dorms, and he turned out to be Dr. Ara Tekian, who climbed Mount Ararat with a group of 5 other Armenians. He spoke really informally about the trek up the mountain, and how it felt to place the Armenian flag at the top. Apparently the photos of the flag incident circulated around Turkey, perhaps through Agos where it was published by Hrant Dink, and now the government is pretty upset (to put it nicely). But anyway, it was so cool to hear Mr. Tekian speak about that experience. One of the interns said afterwards that it was her father's dream to climb Mount Ararat and place and Armenian flag at the top... then he could die happy. Interesting. Anyway, more updates to come...
posted by Tamar at 12:47 AM
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