Through my Eyes - Life in Armenia

Wait a minute..... they're here, they're here " Our president has opened the door to hell," angrily spoken by one of my co-workers at National Cinema. Anoush, a mid 50s established film historian and archivist from St. Petersburg, left Russia in March because of the "war" and the economic downturn.  She said a number of her friends have been arrested and are now in prison, I didn't ask why they were in prison but an educated guess is they spoke out against the war or are gay / lesbian. During my four months in Yerevan I've met as many Russians and Russian Armenians as I have Armenians.  A t the start of the war  t he first wave of Russians arrived in Yerevan and presently the second wave of Russians are continuing to arrive, in all around 140,000 have immigrated to Armenia. Yerevan's population is 1,090,000 so the increase is significant.  Russians, like Americans & Europeans, can stay in Armenia for 180 days without a visa. To renew the 180 ...

Greetings from Yerevan!      On June 22nd I arrived in Yerevan for a one year volunteer opportunity with Armenian Volunteer Corps.  Since then I've lived with a family, moved to my own apartment, started my volunteer job, found a Gold's gym with an Olympic pool and a good yoga instructor and I'm taking Armenian lessons 3 days a week.  Progress is slow with the Armenian language but now that I'm settling in to a routine I wish I could say that I'm making the time to study but I'd rather go to the gym - I haven't changed. On to my first take - The People      The people are what I expected, most are helpful, giving and kind while others are short and impatient. Generally speaking my experience has been great but occasionally I encounter a man where his comments are condescending as if I'm second rate  - I have to hold my temper, bite my tongue and remind myself it's a cultural difference. Since the war began in Ukraine, or better known  as...