Stories of Armenian repatriates

[Mher]

Re: Stories of Armenian repatriates

Birthright Armenia is easily one of the greatest tools, if not the single greatest, at the disposal of the Armenian Cause. It is incredible how well it is run, and how much participants get out of it. Almost everyone who was a volunteer in the summer I was a participants would say that it was the greatest experience of their life. It gave you such a immersion into a culture that you otherwise could never experience, no matter how many times you visited before as a tourist, as I had. More importantly, through presentations and meetings with company leaders, activists, and government officials, you got a chance to see outside of the constant pessimism and negativity, and see the progress being in the country, and the contributions you yourself could one day make. I highly recommend anyone 20-32 years old to participate in the program because without a doubt it will be the greatest and most life changing experience of your life.

[Mher]

Re: Stories of Armenian repatriates

Joseph Zakarian
RepatArmenia


"We have a beautiful country with beautiful people. The only thing that is stopping us is us”.


From Amman, Jordan | Moved in 2012

Joseph Zakarian was born in Jordan to an Armenian father and a half-Armenian, half-Assyrian mother. He lived there until he was 16.

He says, “I’ve had a long relationship with Armenia. My first time in Armenia was when my parents sent me here when I was 16. It was not my decision.. My father said, “It’s time for you to try living on your own.” It wasn’t normal for me, I was cut off from everyone I knew, my friends and my family. I didn’t know anyone in Armenia. I didn’t know Armenian when I came here: I barely spoke Armenian and did not know how to read or write (though I had attended Armenian school until second grade). But I learned it quickly.”

“That was back in 2001, things have changed a lot since then. It was pretty difficult at the time. Sometimes, I thank my father for having me move here. I think he wanted me to dive into life, to not live the ‘fluffy’ life. He bought me an apartment, which was affordable back then. I had already finished tenth grade, which was how long you went to school in Armenia so, once here, I was able to go straight into University. When you’re 16, and given all the freedom to do what you want, it seems pretty great. I lived completely alone. As a teenager, it was cool.”

“But it wasn’t easy at first. It was love-and-hate. I had problems with the country, with the people. I was scared at the beginning, never wanting to leave my house. It was a bit dark, the city wasn’t lit the way it is now. Everyone dressed in black back then, I don’t know if it was fashion or mentality. I still don’t know.”

I ask Joseph if he has lived in Armenia continuously since that first move. He told me that no, “I had to leave the country and come back several times before I realized this is where I wanted to settle. I stayed only two years the first time I was here, before going back to Jordan. It didn’t work out the first time because I was studying political science which wasn’t right for me. Back in Jordan, I got into theatre and decided to continue my studies in film. My teacher told me about a film school in Armenia so I decided to come back to study here. While studying I also worked as a DJ. It was not big money, we used to get peanuts really. But I had been DJing since I was 14, doing birthday parties for friends and so on. A friend asked me if I’d be interested in DJing at a new club here, owned by a Diaspora Armenian, and that’s how it started. It’s not really a hobby, it’s enjoyable but it’s also one way to make money. I still do it now.”

That second time, Joseph stayed longer. He came back at age 19, in 2003, and stayed until 2008. “But I left Armenia again and went to Turkey on a youth project. They used to send a group of students from Armenia to Turkey to document life there and a group from Turkey to Armenia to document life here. It was interesting to go to Turkey and see what used to be Western Armenia.”

“After that, I went directly to Jordan and found a job in a publishing house. I also travelled a lot to South Africa, England, and the Middle East. Eventually, I decided to move to Los Angeles, where I have family. It was good to reunite with my brother there. I thought I could start my career there and live there, but it didn’t work out. I didn’t like it. I found it really sad to see the situation of Armenians there. A lot of people are immigrating to the US, especially from Iran. Armenians are just leaving and going to LA. They call it ‘White Genocide’. They are opening offices for the purpose of immigrating Iranian-Armenians to the United States. So it was interesting to see Armenians trying to adapt to a culture that is not theirs, to try to be American. You can see, deep inside of them, that something is missing. Everyone you talk to is missing Armenia in some way. They say, “I miss my country, but I can’t go back.”

“I decided I must come back to Armenia. I was missing the culture – I didn’t want my children (if I have children) to grow up outside of Armenia, in a place like America, for instance, because it is not ours.”

“I am not saying everyone should come back here. Obviously, not everyone even has this choice. The government here does not care about the people. There is not enough industry for people to rely on for work if they come back. Armenia is small, it only needs small industries, but those are missing now.”

Even for Joseph, it was difficult to return to the country he had grown to love when he made his final move in October, 2012. “When I came back I started to feel negativity. Everyone here would ask, “Why are you back? You had a great job, money… why would you come back? Are you stupid? What are you going to do here?” But this is my country, I want to live here. I realize now that everyone is leaving, whether I like it or not. It is really sad that this is happening. I think the government must start to think about stepping down before it is too late. The people are fed up. The government is our biggest obstacle now. Armenians are such bright people! They are creative and they are survivors. They have been through earthquakes, wars, soviet times, and finally we have an independent country, but the political system is so messed up. I don’t think the government thinks about the people, they are selfish. To me, that is the big problem here.”

He continues, sharing that he “really believes that our entire government should be changed. We have more than 150 parties. They are not organized. Everyone wants to act on their own interest, to fill their own pocket. Even in corporations we have low wages and long hours. It’s sad. We have the poor and the very poor and the rich. There is no middle class. The middle class left. I think it would be better for everyone if the government just stepped down. I’m into action, not screaming. I want things to actually change. I want to talk about solutions, not just problems. I want a peaceful change. I hate violence.”

“Meanwhile, the Diaspora Armenians that come every summer to visit say, “I love Armenia”… they must become more realistic. They must read some blogs and news. They romanticize the country and everything in the culture. Ararat is not even in Armenia! It is in Turkey! You won’t get it back just by looking at it.”

After talking about these deep issues, Joseph steps back for a moment to add, “I’m a positive person. I do not say things that are negative, I say the truth and I talk about reality. I cannot lie and say everything is fine, because it is not fine. But there is good. What is good is to see people like those at Repat Armenia opening up offices. I really would like to see more people come to Armenia. I feel that, if the system changes, a lot of people will come back.”

On a more personal level, Joseph also shares his experiences living and working in Armenia after his final return. “It wasn’t easy to get a job when I came back in 2012. I went to Repat and they helped me. I am working now at TUMO Center for Creative Technologies. I started by managing the sports facilities, the basketball and soccer. Later, I started doing photography workshops and helping with filmmaking. Currently, I’m trying to start a DJing workshop. I love TUMO, but I’m looking for something else now.” He adds with a smile, “Maybe start my own government.”

“I was shocked when I came back this time. Things have really changed in the past few years. Armenian people are very progressive. When they have the opportunity to move forward, change happens very quickly. As an example, Armenia is doing great in IT. We are good in math, chess, etc. I see huge potential in technology and manufacturing. The creativity is here, we just need the opportunities.”

When I ask Joseph if he feels settled in Armenia, he says, “I plan to stay here. I have moved here for good. I am here, I want to be here. I wanted to see the world, see other cultures, but now I am home. I want my studio here. I feel Armenian. I do not feel like I’m diaspora or local. I think we need to start thinking about how to move forward together, about uniting together. We need to remove these supposed obstacles and differences to do that. Without both Diasporas and locals this country won’t survive. People who come from abroad bring their backgrounds and that enriches us as a country. Armenia is full of people from different areas who moved back here. We have a beautiful country with beautiful people. The only thing that is stopping us is us.”

To end our time together, I ask Joseph what he would say to a friend who told him he was thinking of repatriation. He says, “My advice to those thinking to repatriate is, if you have courage, come back. If you feel yourself to be a true Armenian, if you feel you belong here, then come back. Don’t bring negativity, try to be positive. Armenia is your country, it is where you belong. It will not be easy, there will be no red carpet awaiting your arrival, but if you have the guts, you are welcome here. If you come, you must work to make this country better.”

On a final note, he adds, “I want to ask you to think about your grandparents, your great grandparents who went through so much to keep this little piece of Armenia that is left. They fought for it. I wish that we will not hang on only to the past, we must move forward, but at the same time, remember what they gave to us. For me, this is a sacred piece of land that we must make better.”

http://repatarmenia.org/eng/joseph-zakarian/#.Usfx6LRZJqS

[Mher]

Re: Stories of Armenian repatriates

Imagine Armenia Forum in Tbilisi hosted by Repat Armenia

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.745168278851221.1073741846.412986918736027&type=1

[Haykakan]

Re: Stories of Armenian repatriates

Mher that is some good stuff you are posting especially birthright Armenia which is doing exactly what i have been suggesting for years. Joseph's story is a good one to because it is realistic in nature and optimistic in outlook to the future.

[Mher]

Re: Stories of Armenian repatriates

Mher that is some good stuff you are posting especially birthright Armenia which is doing exactly what i have been suggesting for years. Joseph's story is a good one to because it is realistic in nature and optimistic in outlook to the future.

Thanks a lot! Those two organizations are doing an incredible job. Both have exceptional and very dedicated leaders and employees who do a great job of providing a bridge between Diaspora and the homeland. Through honest presentations based on logic, they show that there is a future in the country beyond the doom and gloom emotional pessimism and they show you that highly educated people, with graduate degrees from Oxford for example, with much better opportunities abroad, are choosing to stay and fight for that future. Best of all, they attract the most education and skilled people to Armenia. And they show people there that if the most successful people form abroad are choosing to come back here, maybe moscow/los angeles is not the heaven its made out to be. Even when participants don't repatriate, they become ambassadors around the world. The recent bs Azeri Hawaii bill that was defeated was done so in large part because of two volunteers who were the summer I was, who had gone back to Hawaii, and were the ones pushing the awareness campaign against the bill.

Yesterday I was talking to a friend who was there with me in 2012, who is getting engaged, who has plans of repatriation, and what he told me was that participating in Birthright changed my life. I couldn't find a job as an Electrical Engineer for two years after graduation. After coming back from Armenia, in 3 weeks I got a job thanks to my job experience there. He said that it changed his life, and gave him a general direction.

[Mher]

Re: Stories of Armenian repatriates

wonderful blog with a very realistic yet positive outlook about Armenia from a young woman who repatriated at the start of the year. I don't know personally but he posts are very enjoyable to read.

http://notyourgrandmasarmenia.wordpress.com/

[Federate]

Re: Stories of Armenian repatriates

"The [lahmajoun] dough has to be as soft as cotton", states Syrian-Armenian Krikor Jabaghchourian who opened the Lahmajun Gaidz bakery in Yerevan and calls Armenia his home.

Address:

Lahmajun Gaidz
5 Nalbandyan Street
+374 77 332118

[Artashes]

Re: Stories of Armenian repatriates

"The [lahmajoun] dough has to be as soft as cotton", states Syrian-Armenian Krikor Jabaghchourian who opened the Lahmajun Gaidz bakery in Yerevan and calls Armenia his home.

Address:

Lahmajun Gaidz
5 Nalbandyan Street
+374 77 332118

Lahmajun ... Haven't heard that word in decades. It used to be a regular dish in my family when I was very young.
Brings back memories.