Would You Return To Armenia?

[Ashot]

Ani jan, yes inqs xosumei andzamp im masin, te yes inch kanei, anumem, yev kanem - yes chem uratsnum ayn past@ vor shater@ chen karoghana shat shut hamakerpvel hayastani apreladzevin... shat qcher@ k@karoghanan mianqamits hamakerpvel... yerp vor indz mek@ asuma vor petqa gna Hayastan yev bnakvi entegh, yes da shat dzhvarem tesnum bolori hamar... yes inqsel menak chem vor asem tqats mi ban klini, etqan tsanot unem, ts@noghneris yes menak chem toghni, nshanakuma vor petqa apahovem apreladzev@ nor gnanq... quyr unem, qroch yerexa ka, yes chem kara verkanam yev hents esor gnam, urish ban yete menak linei... isk irants masin hoqalov naxoren gitem vor petqe shat baner naxapatrastem vor nor karoghanam teghapoxvem... isk mshtakan het veradarnal@ chi nshanakum vor chenq karogh gal AMN aytsi... daele partadir, dael ir vayelq@ uni!!!

[gamavor]

Would you return to Armenia?

 

Which Armenia? I would gladly return to Sebastia where my ancestors originated from only if Armenians have sovergnity over these lands and where Turks(Europeans) and Kurds have the same equal status just like Armenians have had for centuries in Europe.

Edited February 15, 2008 by gamavor

[garmag]

Which Armenia? ...I

 

 

Here is the ultimate question?

I would venture to say... Armenia is in need of Armenians NOW!

It's a cop out waiting and dreaming about greater Armenia being in our possession in the next decade, so as to return!

I also wish Giligia was available to go back and live there... I have been there many times! IT IS GORGEOUS BUT UNAVAILABLE.

 

I have gone back to Armenia and will settle there permenently whilst, I will maintain my visits to the country of my adoption to keep my benefits, earned over a life time as TAX PAYER. Not to say "getan gov".

 

 

[Azat]

I have commented on this in other threads a few times. Came to the US when I was eleven and have been here for 27 years... At the time not many Armenians were here in the states and there was not much family support. My parents slept on a mattress that we found on the street for over a year. We had no TV or car for a year plus. The times were very hard and I never long for those days except in the youth and health of my parents.

 

I feel very comfortable in US. Have lived on both costs and even a short stint in the south(Jackson Mississippi) but at the same time I also feel very comfortable in Armenia. Been back 3 times in the last 6 years and yes I know its not the same but still had no odd feelings at all. In fact I felt at home.

 

Would I go back? Maybe. Not sure. I still dont really know what I want to do in my life. I know I can sell my home and take all my assets and put it in a safe fund and earn 6-7K a month which would allow me to live very comfortable in Armenia, but for some reason I keep driving my self to do better and work harder and all that while my life is going by me everyday without me noticing anything or enjoying it much.

[garmag]

..... and all that while my life is going by me everyday without me noticing anything or enjoying it much.

 

I feel for you. If you are not noticing or enjoying life... WHEN WILL YOU?

 

Take it from an old hand who lived long years of unnoticed and unenjoyable times.

The day I commited to plan and end up in Hayasdan as my main goal, that day I started enjoying myself !

 

 

[Em]

First, I will create the mood...nostalgia with karot thrown in ....

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUp54TNbDpE (No dissing the group Shiker....karaq duq yerqeq.... .. chek karum togh irenq lavic vatic pogh vastaken)

 

 

( karcumem Tatayi hasceyin darr@ barr asogh chi lini. )

 

( ^^^^)

 

in summation... even Andy has the right idea.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B2I5EbVWsE

Edited February 19, 2008 by Em124

[Em]

In all seriousness, I do believe that I will reside and maybe even be laid to rest in Hayastan.

 

Someone mentioned that we should consider taking part in the building and strenghtening of Armenia... but I think in our own way, we did help out from the Diaspora. It is pretty evident that the Armenian Diaspora played a crucial role financially during the early 90s.

 

But I do think we have to take an active role in the present...we cannot just wait for a prosperous Armenia to return and then spoil in the fruit of others' labors.

 

So I do believe that we should be invloved in even the slightes way in the goings on of everyday life in Hayastan...

 

 

I don't believe that it will be hard for me to reside there. Thus far, there is no argument to persuade me otherwise. The only thing I can think of would be that I would need to be financially able to support myself and whoever should come with me. but i see that that is of primary concern to all who participated in the thread as well. And I am sure that will be taken care of before commiting to such a serious move....

Edited February 19, 2008 by Em124

[Em]

I completely understand what both Sulamita and Ashot mean by not raising spurqahay kids. It scares me to see that some kids born to first generation "Amerika Hayer" do not speak basic Armenian.

 

I would love to be able to afford my daughter the oppertunity to live in out homeland and spend her innocent childhood days there. Someone commented to me today that they could tell that "du Hayastani oti jri erexa es... " .

 

I cannot wait to take my daughter to visit... huysovem shutov tsankutyunns k@irakanana...

Edited February 19, 2008 by Em124

[Nané]

I completely understand what both Sulamita and Ashot mean by not raising spurqahay kids. It scares me to see that some kids born to first generation "Amerika Hayer" do not speak basic Armenian.

 

As I stated before, I am not worried about my children not speaking Armenian - they will speak, read, write, think and dream Armenian (regardless of how much effort it will take from me and my husband) ... What is worse for me is the longing - KAROT for Hayastan (which they will inherit from their parents without a doubt).

 

Yes eli em uzum em vor im yerexaner@ karoten irents Hayreniq@ (yete ka ser, anpatjar ka karot ... nuynisk yete heravorutyan vra che sirats andz@)... bayts togh karoten ayntegh aprelov handerts ... voch te hervits, otar hoghum.

[MosJan]

As I stated before, I am not worried about my children not speaking Armenian - they will speak, read, write, think and dream Armenian (regardless of how much effort it will take from me and my husband) ... What is worse for me is the longing - KAROT for Hayastan (which they will inherit from their parents without a doubt).

 

Yes eli em uzum em vor im yerexaner@ karoten irents Hayreniq@ (yete ka ser, anpatjar ka karot ... nuynisk yete heravorutyan vra che sirats andz@)... bayts togh karoten ayntegh aprelov handerts ... voch te hervits, otar hoghum.

 

 

KArot@ k@jarangen, ser@ - k@sovoren sirel irents Harazati pes, mek mek el k@shpoten te v'or mekn e irents Hayrenik@ iyntegh ur tsnvel en te iyntegh ir yev ir tsnoghneri sirtn e...

mi qani shabat araj d@protsi ashxatogh@ k@noj@s kanchel er office te giteq tikin duq sxalmunq eq tuyl tvel iystegh, dzeryerexan grel eq or tsnvel e USa isk na asum e Hayastan - de hima yes chem du es asa te yerexan vonst yev inchpes / inchu e kartsum te inq@ Hayastan e tsnvel ??

 

Hayastan Iytseleluts heto shat eyi vaxenum vor en Negativ momentner@ k@hishi - baystte yerevum e vor voch aveli shat lavn e hishum - meqenayov mez het tegh cher galsi, sirt@ xarrnum er, meqnen anharmar er ir hamar.... nuynisk estegh USA yerkar janaparhi Aranq chi

 

isk te kapren iynteghte voch - yerazum em yes inqs el aprem HAyastan

k@lini te voch chgitem - irenq k@gnan te voch da chem karrogh asel, jamanak @ tsuyts k@ta

[Takoush]

Yes vor Middle East em dznvel yev payts shad zoravor Hay ezkatsoumnerov dsenoxk em ounetsel, anonk im meches shad xoroung Haygagan ezkatsoumner trel en vor@ armadagan himk e trel ints hamar. Tera hamar yes abrel em, ezkatsel em yev im sirde liovin Hay e deropoum im polor gyankoum. Yes shadonts yerp shad yeridasart eyi meg ankam miyayn katsel em Hayasdan yev sagayn shad xor debavoroutyoun tsekads er Hayasdane im meches. Avelin, yes polor im gyankum Haygagan metnolordi mech em antsgatsrel yev oknel Hay kaghoutnerin our vor kednevads em yeghel. Ays polore kich ar kich desnoum ou ezkoum e im yerexan yev yereg inke ints asets vor shad gouzena na Hayasdan jamportel yev mer Hayrenike desnel. Yerp iran 2 or arach Kach Antranigi yerke yerketsi, aynkan sirets vor ouzets iran sovoretsenem yerke vor inkn el yerki. Meg xoskov djisht e Sulamitayi esadse te zavagneret ge sovorin kezme yev irank el Hayeren ge sovoren ou Hay gellan ou gezkan. Des te inchbes im zavages arants Hayasdane desnelou gouze ambayman Hayasdan aytselel yev im xosads Hayrenike desnel. Hagarag vor nera hayre voch hayeren ge xosi yev voch al Hayasdan katsads e. Payts zavages aytbes gezka vorovhedev yes ou mayres aytbes ge xosink, gerazenk, gardahaydevink te menk Hay enk yev mer Hayrenike Hayasdann e. Yev yerexan el kich ar kich ge sovori kezme, payts nayev mer ezkatsoumnere na el jarankads e. Yes ge gardsem te sa yergou iroghoutyounnere mas ge gazmen. 1) sovorel dsenoghnerits, yev 2) yerexan el arten jarankads e kou hokit yev meg xoskov ir pechichneroun mech kou aryounn e vor gera ir mech.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 20, 2008 by Takoush

[hyethga]

As a Disaporan Armenian, born and raised in Armenia, but now living in the US, I have very strong desire to permanently return back to my home country. I know for Diasporan Armenians, especially those born outside of Armenian, this would perhaps be a very difficult transition, and for some, downright impossible. Many Diasporan Armenians said they would return to Armenia if the USSR broke apart, but few ever did and for obvious reasons.

 

So I'm curious, how many of you guys out there are seriously contemplating to go back and what, if anything, is stopping you from doing so?

 

 

 

Note: Your topic is merged with an existing one. Thanks Yervant

Edited February 24, 2008 by Yervant1

[Ashot]

HyeTgha jan, I suggest you look into here - http://hyeforum.com/index.php?showtopic=17569&hl=

[gamavor]

First, we need to explain to the 40 million Kurds that Europe, NATO and America are their real enemies.

[Ashot]

gamavor jan, better yet, their homeland!!!

[hyethga]

Anoushik jan, i would have to somewhat disagree with you on that case... I was 13 when I came here, and in the past 12 years I have visited Armenia twice, both of them 2 years ago... ever since coming back I have been working hard to accomplish what I need to move back... Let it be the hardest place to live in, let it not have light nor gas, I am used to the dark days, and I can go trough it again, and again, as long as it's in the homeland... I have not adopted in here, I don't belong in here, and I definitely belong there... Even if I had kids, I would do everything in my power to have them grow up in Armenia - and that I shall do, no matter what I have to go trough, but within some years it will be done!!!

 

Yes hamadzayn em Ashot jan. I feel like a foreigner too and have little desire to raise my kids in a society where there is no chance of escaping the evils of assimilation. I came here when I was only 12 years old and I plan on returning back as soon as I complete my education. The US is in shortage of intellectuals so it would be much better to invest my knowledge in home country. Armenia is on the verge of falling off a cliff and no matter how delusional some people consider me to be after telling them this , I'm no less dissuaded on returning back to our Hayrenik. I returned last year and have a deep urge on returning permanently, hopefully within a few short years, God willing.

[Ashot]

ya your right!!! God Willing!!!

 

Inch asem zhoghovurt jan - Astvats mer het!!!

[ExtraHye]

Don't hate me for saying this, but I can't see myself living anywhere but the US. I went to visit Armenia about ten years ago and the first thing they did was ask for $100.00 per luggage from some people from the same air plane as me. When my uncle was taking me home the cops pulled him over for chewing game, they wanted to know why he was chewing gum and that he must be drunk, so he asked for money so they could let him go. I can't live at a place like this.

[Ashot]

Extra jan, I strongly suggest you re-visit Armenia every now and then... especially this summer... Armenia has spent so much money on international advertisements it's not even funny... go there, think again... sure you will see some things you won't like, but do compare it to 10 years ago and think of the next 10 years, then come to the conclusion one more time!!!

[Ashot]

I said it, I believed it, and I done it... I am here :-) in MY COUNTRY!!!

[Arpa]

How reliable is the source of this news?

BTW. Hetq and Footprints seem to be one and the same, one being the Armenian word for the English “footprints”.

This sounds like what is known in the English an “urban legend”, like “someone told me what someone had told them”, etc.

======

http://hetq.am/en/society/46435/

Is Armenia Really Not a Country?

[ 2011/01/08 | 11:40 ] society

Last night a friend came over and gave me some disturbing information. He had been talking to someone earlier in the day who said that there are only 1.5 million people left in the Republic of Armenia.

Moreover, people are leaving en masse. He said that there was at least one instance of an entire village moving to live somewhere in Russia. Everyone in the village closed their homes and relocated to an area where they were provided with new houses and land to cultivate. But he could not remember the name of the village and couldn’t identify its location, and he didn’t know exactly where in Russia everyone had gone.

Read full story at Footprints

 

And the rest from Footprints;

====

 

You hear the same story about Gyumri. People are being approached to give up everything they have and move to somewhere in Russia, where they will be provided housing and work, fulfilled by signing some sort of contract. Who was sponsoring this initiative–Russian private interests, Armenian or from elsewhere–wasn’t clear at all.

Naturally I cannot attest to the reliability of this source but will say that I think the new population figure is a bit of a stretch. It was only five or six years ago when I started hearing unofficial statistics that the actual number of people living on Armenian soil was 2.5 million. It seems this number, although unofficial, has become an accepted reality, as I’m hearing not only Armenian citizens telling me this, but even people living in the diaspora who are close to me acknowledging the same. The regional populations are indeed thinning, but to say that 1 million people have managed to clear out in five years’ time without the government realizing what was happening or even giving a damn that it was is not logical. My friend’s argument is that people are forced to leave because there is by and large no economic development in rural areas, and there are no jobs to be had, both of which are certainly true. He pins sole blame of everyone’s economic distress on the government and scorns it for not addressing the problem of mass exodus as officials are too focused on lining their own pockets than to be concerned about how the other half lives.

Let’s assume that state officials, from the president down, only care about exploiting their positions to make money. In order to have a country to rule over, you need citizenry to form an active society that must be governed. Even if government officials didn’t give a damn as my friend claims, it would not be in their interests to let another million people leave their homes. In order to have power you need to rule over a populace and assert that power and prove to neighboring countries that you do indeed have power to wield, that your country has significant importance in the region.

Regardless of how authentic that information he relayed to me is, the main problem is that this issue is being discussed in closed circles via rumor as fact. This is most troubling to me because now my friend believes there is nothing left to do but to leave the country as he sees no future here. And he is middle class—he is not necessarily hurting for work being a professional photographer sought after by foreign news agencies. He is giving up after prolonged exposure to self-defeating, bitter rhetoric that only fuels apathy, as are countless others, without doing anything to bring about good governance. The country is not a country.

I mentioned to him in our heated conversation that citizens need to start engaging their lawmakers, they need to meet with them as special interest lobbying groups or individually, to make them understand that elected parliamentarians are in office to serve the people. He shrugged off what I was telling him, claiming that a parliament member would only keep his door closed and refuse to talk with his constituents. Without even making an attempt to try, that it is even futile to do so, he has convinced himself that lawmakers don’t want to do their jobs. Moreover, he is convinced that nothing good can ever come from the current government, or apparently any government for that matter.

He is not alone, and that’s where the real problem lies.

Edited January 8, 2011 by Arpa

[Ashot]

This is to clarify that there are many jobs available in here...

 

http://recruiter.am/

 

http://www.ashxatanq.net/

 

http://www.list.am/category/29

 

http://www.careercenter.am/

 

http://www.armhr.am/Vacancies.aspx

 

http://www.jobfinder.am/

 

http://www.job.am/

 

Here is a list of most companies in Armenia - just a general idea of how many people are employed.

http://www.spyur.am/en/business_directory/new

 

 

And this is just some samples... not to mention "online" jobs for our "hetamnac" people, imagine how many more jobs there are offered daily.

To be honest with you, it's all a b.s. when they say there are no jobs we can't work we can't live, it's easier for those who are lazy to hit their remote control to change the channel and call our brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers out in the diaspora and ask for money. Ask anyone in here they all think that money comes easy in America or even in Russia. But to live and see is different. How many of you come by easy money? Do our fellow Armenians living here in Armenia really think that others outside of Armenia make easy money - oh heck yes they do... Is that the truth - oh hell it ain't. Same thing goes in here, it's hard to work, it's hard to make money. But, no they all want to be "Gagig Tsarukyan" become a millionaire in a day or so. Don't believe anything they say, ask me I will tell you the truth. They have to lie to you guys and tell you that everything is bad, how else are they suppose to get the green stuff from your pockets on to their tables? How else are they going to drive German made cars instead of the cheap Russian made? And in the end, when they get the chance and get their buts out of here, how else are they going to explain why they left? Indeed by lying and telling everyone that Armenia is the worst place to live in.

 

Did you know that there has been over 10,000 Armenians that returned to Armenia in year 2010? The statistics say that in 2011 over 5,000 families will return home, not to count another 20,000 families will be deported from Europe back to Armenia... The more they come back the better it will be. It's that time to come back to homeland and build it up. Enough is enough, running away from our problems won't resolve a damn thing. Sure we need the Diaspora, sure they help us a lot, but now more then ever we need more people back on our fatherland, it's time to build inside the house, the roof is already built!

[Yervant1]

Well said Ashot Jan! Nothing could be nicer than easy money, once you taste it you want more of it forever.

[Anoushik]

I said it, I believed it, and I done it... I am here :-) in MY COUNTRY!!!

What? Are you in Armenia??? Do you live there? Since when? How do you like it? Tell us more! :)

[Ashot]

Ayo Anoushik jan, I have been living here since September. Things are well, waiting for my wife to join me in February... anything in particular you want to know?