By Tom Vartabedian
In April, I made my second visit to Armenia. It was a pilgrimage that took me to remote villages where people lived off the land and the sweat of their brow. I visited historic sites that were far removed from the path of an ordinary tourist.
I saw the real Armenia, a country still struggling with liberation 18 years after separating from the Soviet Union. Jobs are still scarce, as is technology.
Twenty miles outside the capital city of Yerevan, people were herding sheep and harvesting crops to survive.
In 2006, with a tour group from my church, we joined a celebration marking the 15th anniversary of Armenian Independence in Republic Square that pulled no stops when it came to showcasing the nation's military and memorializing those who fought and died for freedom. A crowd estimated at 100,000 took part in that observance.
We saw the traditional sites and made the customary stops.
This year, we made the trip with Joe Dagdigian, who made Armenia his second home when he and his wife, Lisa, purchased an apartment in the capital city. Dagdigian was partially raised in Haverhill and now makes Harvard his residence.
The itinerary took us across the land to Nagorno-Karabagh some 225 miles from the mainland, crossing one village after another and exploring churches and monasteries along the route with a help of a hired driver.
With a roadmap, compass and GPS at our disposal, we spent three weeks exploring the sites.
Among the highlights and observations:
Joining a crowd estimated a 1 million for the 94th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on April 24 at the memorial in Yerevan.
Touring the music institute at Gyumri and seeing young talent unfold in an area that was rocked by an earthquake in 1988 that claimed thousands of lives.
Visiting an orphanage called Zatig where children were well nurtured. Upon seeing a camera, they wanted to be photographed perhaps for adoption.
Noting the hospitality offered by strangers in desolate places, including an abandoned church that lay in ruins that dates back a thousand years.
Eating some of the best and healthiest food on the planet. Obesity is not a factor in Armenia like it is here. Only one fast-food restaurant has gained entry into Yerevan a Kentucky Fried Chicken. But a good cup of American coffee was nowhere to be found.
Encountering a numer repatriates — those who left their native lands to settle in Armenia for reasons of heritage and culture.
Exercising a foreign language with people of your own kind — a language that dates back to the 5th century and is still alive today, in all its dialects.
we returned all the better for the experience, eager to share our pictures and stories, deepening our respect for the land of our ancestors but at the same time increasing our gratitude for America.
It was good to return home.
HOW DID YOU SPEND YOUR SUMMER VACATION?
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