oorenk

i can completely understand their connection to the city, from everything that i've read and heard about istanbul, it sounds magical. do a lot of armenians still feel fear or do they think that the situation is completely different now? i started thinking about their situation alot while we were writing the chapter/article on the armenians who used to live in baku. of course there are many differences, but still... at least some precautions should/can be taken based on pevious experiences of our people in all the other corners of the world... that's one of the reasons why we made sure that the book be available for free for whoever can't/don't want to spend $6 on it. ... but, unfortunately, the part that we didn't address (much), is what armenians in other countries can do when/if things get particularly bad for any of our people in any other country. hopefully the internet things and sites like these can keep us better connected.

i have only met one armenian from istanbul. she described the armenians there as pretty much scared but trapped by their wealth - if/when they move they loose much of their wealth, which is the only reason they are still there. i'm sure outside of istanbul this is not the case, but i was wondering if any of you, who have more direct experience with this, know more about this. is it true that a large number of them hate where they are but it is because they do not want to loose their wealth that they stick around? i hope to visit there some day myself, but for now i rely on you to enlighten me on this. thank you --- OOrenk.com “we aim to expand worlds without being full of ourselves. Come, experience drifting off without uprooting”

thank you so much for all the warm welcomes – clearly, hospitality IS still one of our greatest suits. Are these topics common in the threads here? it's eerie , but the "Unity" issue is another one that we addressed - explicitly... our take is a bit different than the ones i've heard so far... so i guess, considering the way that most people read things (to find ways to confirm their own beliefs), we will end up pleasing no one... maybe just a few.

Wow, Shahan, my brother, there seems to be a lot of anger in your message. i hope it’s not coming from personal experience of having been victimized in any way. if that’s the case, please let it out – talk to a friend, an elder, post it here, something – i think it will make you feel better once you get it off your chest. I mean, when i read, "that very enormous wave of immigrants" and "suffer from this contamination" - I was afraid you were about to follow it up with "vermin" and exclaim your plans for another "Final Solution" – i am not joking, i am worried about you. i think reading our book will benefit you greatly, because this is one of the issues that we address in many of the pages – in places explicitly, in places implicitly (and as usual, to catch the implicit, one has to read with the intention of understanding another’s viewpoint, rather than focusing on finding ways to reinforce what one already believes). after you are done reading, i will gladly discus this topic with you. If, by any chance, you have $ problems and can't purchase the book, please, please email us "My name is Shahan, give me a free download please," and we will gladly give you a free download of the whole book. (which applies to everyone, by the way) much love astghik

thank you for your positive review. if you can, check it out in print - it's beautiful. we use the traditional definition for "working class" - pretty much meaning "order takers," people who do what they are told in return for a wage: taxi drivers, clerks, mechanics (ones who don't own the shop), etc. it can be skilled or unskilled. usually, this refers to people in the lower socio-economic bracket. lawyers, and educators are usually considered middle class since they have some leeway in determining how to do their job... although nowadays most of them pretty much do as they are told by the higher ups also, so i see your point. some of my lawyer friends seem to be just about as miserable and powerless as some of my working class friends... i'll try to bring this up (re-defining “class”) when we start working on the 2nd issue.

voghchuyner! The 1st issue of OOrenk bilingual (armenian and english) book series, which explores various armenian communities around the world, is finally LIVE! It took us a while to complete, but now it's something that we can proud of. it really is beautiful, informative and fun: meaning we're not full of ourselves nor do we waste your time by writing about celebrities and other such fluff. We really worked hard on this one and covered a lot of important topics that are neglected in media (especially armenian press). Please check out OOrenk.com for more details. Oh, and make sure to check "Amelia's Journal" in "extras" for an interesting/controversial essay on the 1915 Armenian Genocide. Thank you! :::we aim to expand worlds without being full of ourselves:::