What lies over the horizon…

Three months ago, sitting in the terminal at LAX, I wrote a blog entitled “Janabar” marking the beginning of the 2011 AYF Youth Corps program. Now, looking back on our group, the 25 different individuals, the 25 different backgrounds and personalities, the 4 different camp sessions, the 6 weeks of volunteer work, the over 600 kids whose lives were touched, I can only think about what’s next.

And the Homesickness Kicks in!

My last blogs were all written in different cities of Armenia with a nameless street. This one in particular has a street, it’s Glenoaks Blvd. At the end of the street you will find a small campus by the name of Woodbury University in the heart of California. As I wait for my turn to introduce myself and tell the class about my summer plans, I wonder where I should begin, which story I should tell my classmates and professor, which memorable kid I should talk about, which city should I describe, which funny story I should narrate, which participant should I talk about..

15 things I love about you, Youth Corps!

There is so much more about why I love the AYF Youth Corps Program, but maybe you can add them next year when you are a participant. I don’t want to miss my flight!

Only a Beginning

As our final days of Youth Corps come to an end, I realize that in the past six weeks on this trip, there were times when I had never felt more exhausted, uncomfortable, excited, happy, intrigued, or even sad. I experienced a number of “extremes” and discovered things about myself I didn’t know beforehand.

Ղարաբաղցի

Հայրենասիրական երգերը կամուրջ կը ստեղծէն ներկայի ու անցեալի հետ: Մեզ կը կապի մեր նախահայրերուն հետ, մեր պատմութեամ , ու մեր մշակոյթին հետ: Ուր ու ալ ըլլանք աշխարհի մէզ , երքը կ՛ունենայ նոյն արժէքը եւ կ՛ունենայ նոյն իմաստը:

Վաղ Թէ Ուշ

Հայաստանէն մեկնիլը ոչ մէկուս համար հաճելի չէր: Ամէն անձ կ՛ուզէր պատճառ մը գտնել կամ անձնագիրը «սխալմամբ» կորսնցնել որպէսզի Ամերիկա չի վերադարնար: Բաժնուիլը հայրենիքէն աւելի դժուար է երբ գիտէս որ ամբողջ 7 շաբաթը այցելած ես տուն-թանգարաններ , եկեղեցիներ, Ճավախք, Արագած լեռ, ու շան ուրիշ վայրեր, բայց երբեք չի կրցար մօտենալ Արարատ լերան ու քեզ կարծես յաջողութիւն կը մաղթէ երբ հասնիս օդակայան:

Unconditional Love

6 weeks ago I guess you could say I had no idea what I was in for. I remember arriving at LAX and meeting Adrienne who automatically said to me “by the end of these six weeks we’re all going to be BFFs!!!” she was partly wrong though, because after this experience I truly believe we’ve become family.

Home is Where the Heart is

Many think of their home as the house they live in or even the city where they grew up. When I hear the word home, I think of a place that makes me the happiest, a place where I feel as though I belong, a place that I have made countless memories, a place where I take the good with the bad and still smile. For me, home is even a place you don’t want to leave, a place that holds a purpose for your existence, and a place that holds a special spot in your heart.

Thoughts of an Armenian Atheist

And then I am soon reminded by the many crosses that our country bears that we are apparently a very dedicated Christian people. The sadness I feel then slowly turns into anger. Personally, it baffles me at how submissive people seem to act when it comes to religion. Despite pain, suffering, death, war, famine, disease, and genocide; people still have an undying love for God and their religion. How can people suffer through so much hardship and still bear to turn the other cheek.

Our Home away from Home

Vrej Haroutunian came to pick me up from the Zvartnots airport a day too soon. Vache Tomassian waited at the airport for four hours until he saw my face. My poor leaders. It was a troublesome journey getting to Armenia and it seemed like all these obstacles in the way didnt want me seeing Armenia for the very first time. But I got my way and had the most amazing summer ever.

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