Stay Classy, Armenia

 
 A Moment of Brilliance 

I wanted to write my final post on my time in Armenia a couple of weeks ago right after I got back when I had all of my final memories freshly stored in my brain. So, I awkwardly sat down at my desktop computer a few days after I got over jet lag. I began to type, when something happened. I physically didn’t want to write the final post. So, for those mathematically inclined individuals, here is an equation that illustrates what this final post means for me:

Final Post = Armenia Experience Officially Over + (In Writing)

Realizing this, I went ahead, turning my back on Hye-Octane and busied myself with getting reacquainted with the greater Los Angeles area. Over the course of those days, I doused/bathed/smothered myself in everything and anything having to do with Los Angeles or for that matter, anything having to do with being ‘Amurikan.’ From eating a fatty burrito at my favorite Mexican place to using dollars (which was one of the weirder transitions) to driving a car (with safety being my number one priority), I did absolutely everything I could do that didn’t involve me writing my final post on Armenia. A week of this reintegration into American society went by, when I had to go back to school. Two weeks of school have gone by and I’ve gotten back into the college life cycle of work, sleep, eat, socialize, work again. Not only has my experience in Armenia become more and more of a dream, but also I have refused to give it the closure it deserves. So here I go and instead of a general sum up I think I will tell a story.

It was the night of the opening ceremonies of the Homenetmen Games and the ENTIRE city population of Yerevan including a sprinkling of Diaspora Armenians converged on Republic Square. A rope sectioned off the middle of the square, which was guarded by soldiers in order for the various sport teams to parade around holding their nation’s flag. Proudly walking with their official looking shirts, the players strutted in the middle of square. Natalie, Talene, Sophia, Melania and I watched the parade and the subsequent speeches that were given by the Diaspora Minister (quite the lady…she needs her own blog), and other important individuals with ties to Homenetmen. The entire affair was very straightforward, until the performances began. All of a sudden, everyone was asked to come closer the stage, so everyone jumped and broke the rope and ran to get front standing spots closest to the stage (see picture above). It was mass pandemonium, but it was absolutely beautiful. Moms, kids, akhpers (bros), old men, everyone ran in the middle to get a glimpse of a famous act that was about to come onto the stage. I took a look around me and I re-realized that over 97.9% of the people that surrounded me were Armenian, but this time it wasn’t weird. This is what I came to understand as my world for two months. Even though I might not agree with certain societal norms and actions of people in Armenia I am still apart of this community. A community that bum-rushes a stage together stays together.

I want to thank all 21 of you for taking the time to read my blog. I hope that you have enjoyed reading my few thoughts and experiences in Armenia. Until next time…

P.S. I didn’t get ONE marriage proposal. I guess I shouldn’t have gone in being so confident that I would receive one.