July 2005
Just as I started to think that this summer weather isn’t really as hot as what I’ve been told it is, BANG! Along comes 36 degrees during the day and still 28 degrees at midnight. With this weather there’s a real sleepiness hovering, as one of our friends’ father put it “The Mediterranean without the sea.” You get to sleep around 2-3am and struggle to get out of bed at 9.30am and then try not to doze off around 3pm!
After being here a bit over five months, I’m still amazed by the amount of construction that’s happening around. On the ground level of our building, over the past two months they have completely taken everything out of the apartment including the kitchen, demolished a few walls and now they have started plastering and painting. The outside of the apartment, which used to be just concrete, has been, incredibly, covered with yellow sand.
There has been a renovation in an apartment in the building across from us too, with new windows, roofing, painting etc. On a small hill near the garages for our building there is a new building going up where previously there was just grass (and rubbish). Near one of our corner shops there is what looks like an apartment building or office building being built. A building in our street that was just getting started when we arrived five months ago has been completed; it is a beautiful characteristic apartment building. The Northern Avenue project is progressing nicely.
When we walk in the park from Saryan St. to Mashtots St. there are many fountains, which most are not working. Whether this has something to do with the enormous amount of construction that is happening in the area or not, I don’t know. I’ve seen quite a few fountains around the city that are not working. I feel a ‘fountain fund’ should be made! Or maybe someone needs to come here and show the council how councils should be run, so they are profitable, or at least make enough money to look after their parks and gardens, and fountains. I don’t think they have lawn mowers here. The past weeks the council has made repairs to some of our street, which is great. I’ve been told the streets get so many holes because of the snow in winter. There was also a campaign of posters and television ads a few weeks ago, encouraging people to clean up and use the rubbish bins around the city.
The family on level one of our building has just bought a new Mercedes and another friend has just bought a new Chrysler. These people are hard working family men.
A lot of comments and fun has been poked at police in Armenia. I’m one of the many people who think they are a real laughing stock. With their big guts hanging out, twirling their battens while waiting to collect their next bribe. They pull people over who have done nothing wrong and only let them go once they get some money. They smoke, sit and slouch around while ‘on duty’. The funny thing is they think they’re cool, meanwhile it’s nothing to see a motorist pass a policeman after being motioned to pull over (in which case the policeman does nothing), or for a policeman to try to stop an argument and being told to shut up. I really have great respect for the fit and disciplined Australian police force. Lately I’ve found out some interesting facts about the police here. They have to maintain their own police car. To get into the police force you have to pay a bribe. They get a very little wage, if any. Whatever money they can take from the public, they keep some and have to give some to someone higher up, who then keeps some and gives some to someone higher up and so on. It’s no wonder the police are the way they are, the whole system is stuffed. The uniform is very Soviet and needs a complete overhaul, especially the huge hat! We recently had a conversation about all this with a friend, whose husband is taking on candidacy for President (of Armenia). The police situation in particular seems such a huge change to try to make, but in her opinion “It can be solved with kindness.” This is coming from a lady who moved to Armenia from the USA with her husband and children 14 years ago.
There are a few things I have come across the past few weeks that have made me sad. Things that as a tourist you know nothing about, you don’t see. Like any other country, Armenia has an ‘underground’ or, as I like to call it an ‘underbelly’. Like the people trafficking ring out of Armenia to mostly Dubai (unfortunately Armenia is not the only country that has this problem). Like the orphans that, once they turn 18 get kicked out of the orphanage and have nowhere to go, no one to turn to. One 18 year old orphan boy committed suicide not long ago and three girls were trafficked to Dubai, for the ‘glamorous life’ as they were told, but they found out on arrival they were there to be prostitutes, where their pimp ripped up their passports.
A friend here, Sylvie, who is an Armenian from the UK has started an NGO (Non Government Organization), Mer Doon, and is doing a project of renovating a house for 18 year old orphans where they can live and have guidance. Mer Doon also organizes scholarships for them at University. Sylvie’s philosophy is it’s great to have Diaspora sponsor a child to live, but what about after they turn 18? What about their future and what about their mortgage? The website http://www.mer-doon.org/ includes the mission of Mer Doon; more information and photos. This much needed project is giving the youth of Armenia hope for the future.
Another great website is http://www.blogrel.com. It’s created by a British guy, Matt Macolmson. He’s not Armenian, but knows more about what’s happening in Armenia and around the world about Armenians than most Armenians.
I came across the Christian Youth Mission to Armenia website, http://www.cyma-wd.org/blog/, where the young Diaspora people blog about their time and internships in Armenia. It is a very interesting insight.
The public of Armenia and the Diaspora recently had a great victory in saving Shikahogh State Preserve from a new highway being put through it. This has been the first victory for the ‘peoples’ voice in Armenia; hopefully it is a sign of great things to come.
Our family recently enjoyed ice-cream amongst the tree tops at a unique café called ‘Atlantic’. It is situated between the Opera House and the Northern Avenue construction site. You go upstairs to an ‘all open’ paradise of green leaves, cool breeze and a guy who plays the violin like magic. The bonus is you can see out over Northern Avenue and the construction, a view which you wouldn’t normally see. The service is very fast and good.
Another place to go, especially if you are a football fan, is Café Tifosi, on Teryan St. The owner is football mad and has a huge collection of memorabilia downstairs, from a David Beckham signed jersey to UEFA tickets over the years. Their pizzas are named after famous players. At the entrance he’s got a huge Liverpool FC shield. It’s great for the kids too because they get a toy and a bundle of football trading cards and stickers to play with while you eat.
As we drag out the suitcases and start packing for our trip to Australia, part of me is excited at the thought of seeing family and friends, however a large part of me is dreading leaving Armenia and all the things I’ve come to love.
Like the lady at the fruit and veggie stand who always smiles and says “Barev, Vondzes?” (hello, how are you?) She’s taught me the names of the fruit and is very happy with my progress in learning Armenian).
The young woman at the corner store who tries her hardest to speak English to me.
The constant surroundings and sounds of construction (call me crazy, but I don’t mind the sawing, hammering and machinery because to me it signifies improvement).
The sound of groups of children playing outside, riding bicycles, kicking a ball, playing a game with chalk and stones and generally hanging out together.
The well groomed, charismatic fruit and veggie man who parks outside our building three mornings a week to sell his just picked produce. He stays for about three hours and has a constant swarm of people around him.
The drinking fountains everywhere providing cold fresh spring water.
LAVASH, yes I’m still in love with that bread! If I take some in my luggage, will it be mouldy and stale by the time we reach Australia?
Watching the birds flying circles over the entire city at sunset.
Sunset
The Mediterranean clock; ‘first thing in the morning’ means between 10.30am and 11am. It took us two months of being here until we finally gave in to it.
The comradeship amongst the Diaspora Armenians who live here.
The way our almost-three-year-old-blonde-haired-boy jumps into the back of the taxi, leans forward and says to the driver “Barev, Vondzes?” which is usually met with laughter and a “Lav, toon Vondzes?” I wonder what the Aussie taxi drivers will say when he does the same there?
The fact that at any time of day or night you can turn on the TV and watch an Armenian Folk Dance concert or watch Armenian Pop music video clips.
The view of Mt Ararat from our sunroom window.
Mt Ararat from our sunroom
And I haven’t even started on the ‘non-Yerevan’ parts!
Hopefully we won’t be away from Armenia too long.
Rose-Leah's passionate for Armenia blog 