So many Armenian-Americans travel to their motherland during early adulthood. I think we do this not only because we want to learn more about our culture, but also because we want to give back to the country that has given us so much to be proud of.
Personally, I spent a week in 1998 interning at the Foreign Ministry in Armenia. Following my brief internship, I traveled through Armenia as a tourist. The experiences I had during these two weeks were quite eye-opening. I fell in love with the gorgeous landscapes of the Armenian countryside and the enterprising spirit found in young Armenians freshly relieved of the old Soviet economic system. When I first learned about FAR, I was so happy to discover the organization’s educational programs that give young Armenians a way to create sustainable businesses in the country.
Why do we travel to Armenia? What do we learn about Armenia during these experiences? I am Talene Baroyan, a FAR volunteer in New York City, and over the coming months I will be posting a few stories each month about young Diaspora Armenians who have traveled to Armenia to work in different volunteer capacities. We want our readers to get to know Armenia the way we have, and we hope to entertain you along the way. Get ready for stories from young friends of FAR…..