Anoushik

Well, isn't that what the diaspora has been focusing on all along, with the donations and contacts with Armenia? It takes a lot out of the individual to focus on having a prosperous and free Armenia. And without individuals we have no collective diaspora, of course. So the question becomes, can a person lead a successful American life and yet also focus on having a free and just Armenia? In my experience it's either one or the other, simply because of the demands and the stress the American lifestyle bestows on the person.

Yes, Yervant jan, that's all we can do. But that means we realize that each successive generation will be less Armenian. I still ask... what does it mean to be Armenian? Especially in this global world? It's interesting that I lost that feeling of being Armenian.

I don't know if this post belongs in "Culture" or "Diaspora". I have been thinking about this subject a lot recently. What does is mean to be an Armenian? And furthermore, what does it mean to be an Armenian in the United States or anywhere else outside of Armenia? I know that I speak Armenian (unfortunately not as well as I'd like) and I'll teach my future children how to speak Armenian as well but then what? As my husband and I talk about children in our near future I ponder what my children's experience will be as Armenian-Americans. My duty is to teach them their mother language, yet of course I want them to succeed in the U.S. as well, which means of course them mastering the English language. Eventually they will be fully integrated in the American society (which I'll fully support if I want them to be successful), and for them being Armenians will just be an abstract concept, much like for their American friends who'll list that they are of English/German/Spanish (etc.) descend. But at least my future children will speak Armenian. But what about my future grand-children? They won't be able to speak the language anymore. Maybe they'll understand a few simple words and sentences but that will be all. I told my husband that if we wanted to continue our Armenian lineage then we had to pack up and move back to Armenia and stay there. And our children and their children would have to stay there. But realistically, we can't do that. Eight years ago when I joined this forum I was young and idealistic and I imagined that one day I'd be back in Armenia. The truth is, I have become too integrated in the American culture. I have certain expectations about how I should be treated and how I should treat others, and I really doubt that I could keep those expectations in Armenia. I would not be able to survive there with my American education and my American experience in life. So what does that say about me as well? Am I Armenian or am I Armenian-American? I already feel like I'm Armenian-American because even though I speak Armenian at home (most of the time at least) and eat lavash and tanov apur I also mainly interact with the American culture through work. And being a teacher I teach the American ideals of equality and respect to all my students. So if I no longer feel like I'm solely Armenian and have to call myself an Armenian-American then who am I to insist that my future children "remain" Armenian? And again, what does it mean to be an Armenian in the first place? What are your experiences with those questions?

I just watch this (I guess I'm a year late!) but I have to say I didn't find anything of value in that presentation. First of all, he didn't inform his audience of anything new. The 13 minutes of presentation ended exactly where it began. Second, the polling of general populations' views with generic questions is flawed in this case.

Qeznic? Te qezanic?

Does anyone know of HR.am website and how I can get to its "unsubscribe" page? About a week ago I received an email to my Gmail account stating that I'd successfully registered to the HR.am website. Including in the email was a password consisting of numbers. I ignored it. Ever since then I get at least five emails daily about job openings in Armenia. In each email there is the unsubscribe option link, but whenever I go to the link it says that I have to log in to unsubscribe. Finally, today I logged in with the given password but nowhere in the site can I find the unsubscribe option. To make things worse, I can't change the email in the profile, but I can change everything else. It's so frustrating. Can someone please tell me what I should do?

How did time fly by so quickly? I remember how active we used to be on this forum, discussing day-to-day trivia and philosophical questions... ahh... brings back memories..... hugs to all of you

I missed all of you too! And I'm good too

That's great news. But why was I under the impression that women's shelter was already present in Yerevan? Wasn't this issue much discussed a few years ago?

Nuyn ankap dzevom avartetsin inchpes KG1?

Boloroving hamazayn em bolor keteri het. U asem vor mi qani nshats sxalner@ Los Angeleli hay tghanernel en tuyl tvel.

Thank you dear Ed and Nane!

Thank you Aratta jan

Shnorhakal em Yervand jan u Movses jan

Since when did Armenians become such criminals against each other? What a shame. Mosjan, the story is from 2002? Do you have an update?

Happy Birthday to all our great guys in this forum, Movses, Azat, Edward, and Sip!!! My best wishes to all of you!

Thank you for the pictures! Inchqan zhamanak tevets gagatin hasnel@?

Anders Behring Breivik is a monster. And he's a coward.

Mosjan, where are the articles from?

Ayo, Hayastanum mard@ arjeq chuni. Mard@ mardun chi hargum.

Edward jan, im morkuris tghan hayastanum bjshkakanni bachelorn e stanum ays amis. Inq@ batsariq e sovorum, shat kartatsas u zarqatsats. Ays djvar tarinerin, yerb bolor@ tsanotov en dprots @dnunvum inq@ ir batsariq giteliqnerov karoghatsav mnal bjshkakani anvjar usman bajin@ hing tari. Shat djvar er ir hamar, vorovhetev amen rope iren karogh ein hanel ayd bajnits u inchvor mi harusti yerexayi dnel. Bayts apri im morkuri tghan, na sharunakets ir gerazantsik sovorelov mnal anvjar bajhin@. Hima irents avartakan kurs@ unen shat mets problem. Inchvor krtutyan orenqnern u daser@ poxum en Hayastanum vor aveli matcheli lini international mashtapnerin. Shat lav. Shat goh enq. Bayts kurs@ mnatsel e anorosh vijakum. Nranq chgitem inch diplom en stanalu. Chgiten inch diplomov en sharunakelu. Vor bjishk darnan irents petq e "magistratura" u iharke, heto practica. Bayts hima im cousin@ kanogh e noyemberin banak gna. Da el enq haskanum. Partadir e. Bayts iren stipum en vor ir bjshkakan tegh@ pahelu hamar inq@ arden vjari septemberi u hoktemberi hamar vor yerb banak gna noyemberin u yerku tari heto het ga, ir tegh@ mna. Da arden shat anardar e u vor asum enq angleren "doesn't make sense". Hima es mer xeghj jahelner@ inchpes nayem apakayin? Inch apaka?

I know, Arpa, I share your sentiments. But what can we do?

LOL, you guys crack me up

A couple of years ago I'd write enthusiastically about Armenia's future and how the lifestyle of the average citizen in Armenia keeps progressing. But no more. Before I used to say that Armenia was a new independent economy and it takes time. But year after year? Decade after decade? When is it enough to stop and blame outside forces and look within for our problems?

Bingo. I wonder when/if things will get better in Armenia. It's so sad.