koko Posted March 14, 2004 Report Share Posted March 14, 2004 (edited) Anoshik, I am also positive that armenia will become one of the worlds best countries and with the highest living standard! Edited March 14, 2004 by koko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
America-Hye Posted March 14, 2004 Report Share Posted March 14, 2004 I visited Armenia during the early 1990's. I am too busy at present to return. It will take a few more years for me have a follow-up visit. Can anyone explain to me the changes, positive and negative that have transpired there during the last 10 years. I am concerned mainly with the infrastructure, urban design and the social well-being of the populace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gurgen Posted March 14, 2004 Report Share Posted March 14, 2004 Then you're in for a few unpleasant surprises my friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigil Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 (edited) Armenians in the diaspora are a dying breed. It is like the Armenian diaspora in the Crimea and Eastern Europe that eventually dissolved, it's only a matter of time. I think of Armenians as having lived beyond what they were set to live at, sort of like stabbing someone with a knife and dying a slow death, living for a month or two with the wound. People get angry at me for being so "pessimistic" but it's just based on what I've reviewed and what I reached myself. They keep telling me "Armenians have been around forever, even when people like you kept saying they would dissove", but they fail to see that they are comparing two different times. The world of the past is not the world of the present, of interconnected markets, and corporate globalization, it is a different world now which old and small cultures merge into and powerful cultures. But then again I could be wrong. I think to a certain extent you are right, but in most of the places in Eastern Europe Armenians were forced to assimilate. They were asked to join the military of that region in order to prove their loyalty. What about France? How come Armenians their have been Armenian for so long? Italy? Sweeden? Iran? Syria? Iraq? Canada? Australia? Israel? America? Also, Assimilation is inevitable for every ethnicity, but what happens when they are forced to leave America? Where are they going go? Most people assume that America is going to be a superpower forever, but what if their assesment is incorrect? I think that globalization is evil mainly because it destroys culture and degenerates the creativity of humanity. Wouldn't life be boring if everyone looked like one another? They spoke the same language? Had the same lifestyle? Because of this I feel that globalization is going to fail. Another factor you have to keep in mind is that most of the western nations allow foreigners to migrate to their country. If you look at most of the European nations like France, England, and Germany most of the population is not European at all. Just in Germany their is 3 million Turks, which eventually have to merge with Germans or just will keep in growing. This problem is not prevalent in Armenia even though their is about 2.2 million Armenians we do not face a conflict of interests among our population. I for one do not what stop my Armenianess mainly because the alternatives can not compare to the Armenian culture. What is so great about being American except knowing that your ancesters could be a raped black woman and that your grandfather wiped the continent of natives? Mexican? Russian? English? Canadian? Will a hamburger ever replace Khorovats? As long as Armenians like you and me remain loyal to our roots we should be fine. What is the benefit of me leaving my Armenianess for these other cultures? Its like trading gold for pyrite. Monte Melkonians thoughts on this topic from the Melkonian Fund website... “There exists no Armenian ‘race.’ There is only an Armenian people, an Armenian nation. This is why we need to fight. The Armenian people in the diaspora are losing their identity as a cultural-national entity, succumbing to the centrifugal effects of cultural assimilation. If Armenians of the diaspora do not claim their right to live in their homeland they will gradually lose their common cultural identity. And if this happens, the white massacre of our nation will have succeeded.” --“Our Origins: True and False,” article originally written in mid-1981, and later included in The Right to Struggle (San Francisco: Sardarabad Press, 1993) (henceforth RTS), pp. 3-6. The quoted passage appears on p.6. Edited May 31, 2004 by Vigil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armat Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 One can be both.Adapt a new country,enjoy the best what is offered and still remain Armenian.I think myself, Arpa,Azat,Sasun etc. fit that catagorie.If you think adaptation as assimilation then it is impossible to exist without "assimilation" anyway the ones weak at heart are already dancing Arabic tunes day and night... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koko Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azat Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 Is there no more car traffic at Hraparak? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angel4hope Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 oosoom em gnaam hayastan.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koko Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 (edited) Shad sirun bannen drel ed meshdekhe hraparaki che? LOL Im not sure though if they have cut of the traffic from there, I can't imagine that they have though. Edited March 29, 2004 by koko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted March 30, 2004 Report Share Posted March 30, 2004 Is there no more car traffic at Hraparak? traffic ??? car traffic ?? traffic rooolllzz es inch es hartsnum Azat jan what you see is all of the supporters of Robert Qocharian & Serjik Sarqisian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Proud EXPAT Posted March 30, 2004 Report Share Posted March 30, 2004 Traffic??? Traffic is brutal over here! I had read an article a few months back which compared the number of registered cars over the past few years. The difference was something like thousands of more cars within a year and of course all in Yerevan. Add to that the damn marshrutka buses (they do not know how to drive) and all the illegal odd parking styles and you have total chaos! Oh and yes Hraparak is chaotic as well. Crossing over to that pretty oval thing in the middle is almost suicide most of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted March 30, 2004 Report Share Posted March 30, 2004 Oh and yes Hraparak is chaotic as well. Crossing over to that pretty oval thing in the middle is almost suicide most of the time. so it is a legal crossing I was watching a video of vahram sahakyan and you can clearly see at list 7 or 8 pedestrians passing / crossing on the back. marshrutka buses was in Yerevan in year 2000 and one of the first problems I have found my self in wan start driving was the marshrutka buses this guys will park next to each other like 3 or 4 at the time and no way of passing them unless you use the Tramvay lanes or getting in to a cross traffic it was fune / splashily wan the militsya pools you over / a lady militsyoner pooled me over - gave her 500 dram shis was like "Axper es mi zuyg karqin Chulqii porr el ches talis" men I was laughing my lungs off i'm going back in 50 days this tiem taking some Shvistoks to gave to the militsya lets see haw this will work / kuzen tor pchan / kuzen tor hakarak@ MOvses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamavor Posted March 30, 2004 Report Share Posted March 30, 2004 Yerevan by night!!! Enjoy! http://www.armenianbridge.com/street.php?lang=rus&gid=3 See also these buildings and just think of how much more aesthetic they would look like if appropriate 'face lift' is to be done. http://forum.hayastan.com/uploads/post-29-1080481077.jpg http://forum.hayastan.com/uploads/post-29-1080480933.jpg http://forum.hayastan.com/uploads/post-29-1080480766.jpg http://forum.hayastan.com/uploads/post-29-1080480838.jpg http://forum.hayastan.com/uploads/post-29-1080480606.jpg http://forum.hayastan.com/uploads/post-29-1080480528.jpg http://forum.hayastan.com/uploads/post-29-1079977562.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arpa Posted March 30, 2004 Report Share Posted March 30, 2004 (edited) Traffic??? Traffic is brutal over here! What they need is a couple of traffic lights, unless of course the public still considers red as a symbol of progress. In a certain area of an upstate NY city the traffic light kept breaking every other day. The transportation dept was at a loss until finally they figured out that it was a predominantly Irish sector who thought that Green should be on top. =========== http://www.eringobragh.net/virtual_museum.htm Syracuse, New York is in the middle of a tremendous turnaround; we have a very active Convention and Visitors Bureau and have always been the "Center" of New York State. There is a large Irish community. We have a great St. Patrick's Day Parade and will hosted our first "Irish Day" on Saturday, September 30, 2000. (www.irishday-irish.com) The Irish part of town here is known as Tipperary Hill. In the center of Tipperary there is a traffic light. From the very beginning of the placement of this light the red light was always broken by the "Stone Throwers" and the green light always ended up mysteriously on top of the red. As soon as the city changed it back the red light would be broken again and the green light would be on top of the red. Finally the city said the heck with it and left it there with the green on the top and the red on the bottom. There is now a monument there dedicated to the "Stone Throwers". To the Irish community the red on top of the green symbolized the English keeping the Irish down. Therefore, they fought to have the green on top and eventually won. This is the only traffic light in the United States where the green light is on top of the red. ======= Guess what? The traffic authority succumbed and until now green, the sign of "go" is on top and red at the bottom. Edited March 30, 2004 by Arpa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Proud EXPAT Posted March 31, 2004 Report Share Posted March 31, 2004 gamavor, those pictures you have posted are some of the nice ones in Yerevan, but unfortunately there are lots and lots of them being torn down to build new UGLY and FLAT with NO CHARACTER WHATSOEVER buildings. Those particular ones are still there, but I'm sure eventually they will be demolished as well. Unfortunately our mayor or whoever it is that is allowing these new ugly buildings to be built does not give a _hit what is replacing them, or simply has no taste. There are a couple of streets that have lots of old beautiful foundations in what they call Old Yerevan, but they are being demolished as well. SAD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamavor Posted March 31, 2004 Report Share Posted March 31, 2004 (edited) If this is true, than the Mayor of Yerevan is an Idiot! People in the West are giving near and dear to have such buildings and thus they know how to preserve, maintain and make them fit harmoniously with the modern world . I guess one reason for such gross neglect could be the lack of Law on protection of the architectural heritage. He touches one of those buildings and I would send him death squad! Edited March 31, 2004 by gamavor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anoushik Posted March 31, 2004 Report Share Posted March 31, 2004 Why oh why when we think of Armenia we mostly think of Yerevan? What about the rest of Armenia? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koko Posted March 31, 2004 Report Share Posted March 31, 2004 (edited) Because it's in Yerevan where they mostly build those new and ugly buildings.Or they replace apartments as you see in the picture and replace with uglier,"western/american style" houses and buildings. I started a thread concernings this matter, I was just as concerned as proudEXPat. I couldn't belive my eyes when i was in yerevan, it was all a big mess.Anything is possible in Yerevan, thats all i have learned. Edited March 31, 2004 by koko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Proud EXPAT Posted March 31, 2004 Report Share Posted March 31, 2004 (edited) Maybe once in a while I should take some pics of some of the new buildings being built and post them on here. Most probably 1 out of 10 new buildings has something interesting and tasteful in it's structure, or else they are plain and flat with really horrible looking square balconies. Just picture if some of the old structures that have to be torn down on Abovyan Street were rebuilt with the same original designs. With those old beautiful balconies with the wood carved canopies and the beautiful balconies you find in many parts of the northern provinces or in Georgia. Instead we have ugly things such as the Astafian Hotel or the one beside it, right across from the very nice Aznavour Square where Hotel Yerevan and Moscow Cinema are. (An attractive square which actually needs a minor simple facelift to get rid of the ugly cafe in between and that thing between the two buildings.) Once in a while I see something decent being built and the excitement I go through is quite pathetic actually. Man oh man, we need more tasteful diaspora here or more Armenians from here who have lived in Europe and have developed some sense of good taste in preserving nice, intricate architecture in this city, like there you used to be at one time. Edited March 31, 2004 by Proud EXPAT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koko Posted March 31, 2004 Report Share Posted March 31, 2004 Maybe we should start a campaign concerning this matter, if it doesn't already exist? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anileve Posted April 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 Gamavor those are some amazing photos! I love this one, which was from the link Azat provided. http://www.hasoweb.com/pix/arm/yerevan05.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamavor Posted April 20, 2004 Report Share Posted April 20, 2004 WoW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Proud EXPAT Posted April 21, 2004 Report Share Posted April 21, 2004 The chief architect of the city of Yerevan Narek Sarkissian is one of the most corrupt individuals in todays government. Taste is a completely different issue, which he doesn't know anything about. He's one of the most hated people in the majority of Armenian architects. DOWN WITH THE CHIEF! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
15levels Posted April 21, 2004 Report Share Posted April 21, 2004 Taken a year ago in Hayastan http://photography.15levels.com/fullsizeworks/armenia/oldyerevan.01.jpg http://photography.15levels.com/fullsizeworks/armenia/frommywindow.morning.jpg http://photography.15levels.com/fullsizeworks/organics/skies/rain-armenia.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anileve Posted April 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 (edited) I love the middle one, which reminds me of my home in Yerevan. By the way I must confess, I tried to steal one of Roubens photos and post them here, however he was quite clever by disabling the right click. I've been told how to get around it but decided not to push the limit. Quite possessive of your photos are we? I've never been there but something tells me I should have. Hoktemberian "Armenian Ethnographical Museum" Edited April 22, 2004 by anileve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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