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Huffington Post Canada
Sept 27 2012
Barev, Armenia!
Betty Londergan. Writer, author, blogger
Posted: 09/27/2012 5:04 pm
When I told people I was going to Armenia with Heifer International,
the most frequent response was, "Wow, um.. where is that?"
So first, the geography lesson: Armenia is just east of Turkey and
bordered by Georgia to the North, Azerbaijan to the East, and Iran to
the South. Which basically means Armenia is a raft of Christianity in
a sea of Muslim countries. In fact, Armenia was the first nation in
the world to adopt Christianity as its state religion in 301 AD, and
that has pretty much defined and shaped its turbulent history through
the ages.
Armenia is a mystical place -- filled with monasteries, pagan temples,
prayer stones and churches, most tucked away in wildly remote places
to protect them from destruction. (It didn't.) These pockmarked
Christian monuments are the pride of Armenia as well as testament to a
seemingly endless parade of invaders: conquering Persians, rampaging
Mongols, invading Turks, totalitarian Soviets, as well as the ravages
of devastating earthquakes. For over 600 years, Armenians knew
themselves to be a distinct people and yet were not a sovereign
country. Faced with hostility from all sides, Armenians held fast to
their identity and managed to survive into the modern era with a faith
as deep and constant as the obsidian stone that is part of this
beautiful landscape.
Although the Kardashians are undoubtedly the world's most famous
Armenians, they are not typical of the Armenian character (sorry, Kim)
-- although I did see an awful lot of beautiful women in the modern
capital of Yerevan. Actually, it's a bit hard to get a firm grasp on
the Armenian character because it's full of such deep contradictions.
Armenians are enormously proud, highly educated (with a literacy rate
of almost 100 percent), and hospitable beyond your wildest
expectations. In centuries of life along the Silk Route, Armenians
became known for their business savvy in commerce and trade, and they
interacted easily with almost every European and Asian culture. But
Armenia's psyche is indelibly haunted by the memory of great loss (1.5
million annihilated in 1915 alone) and like all the Caucasus's states,
the people have experienced centuries of brutal conflict that staggers
the imagination and continues today in the convoluted conflict with
Azerbaijan over Nagorno Karabagh.
Armenia was a part of the Soviet Socialist Republics for more than 70
years, and has only been independent for 21 years. Armenia's economy
was far more robust and productive under Soviet rule, and the country
is still struggling to establish a modern economy with almost no
natural resources (and with its two borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan
closed). While the capital of Yerevan is bustling, elegant and
thriving, in the countryside there is little besides subsistence
farming to support the villagers and the poverty rate approaches 35
percent. Many men still immigrate to take jobs in neighboring
countries; in fact, three times as many Armenians now live outside the
country as inhabit it. That's why Heifer is investing $3.7 million in
projects to help the smallholder farmer in Armenia achieve economic
independence and food security -- and what I came to see.
Despite the economic challenges, Armenia is hardly depressing. For one
thing, the country is beautiful. The food is incredible, and though
the people are tough (they've had to be) they are also joyful, sweet
people who love to garden, to eat, to talk and to welcome visitors --
particularly if you're one of the 8 million diaspora Armenians who's
coming back home.
Even their blooming Christian cross never features the crucified
Christ, because Armenians believe in the rising-- not the suffering.
And that's as good a prescription for moving forward as anything I can imagine!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/betty-londergan/armenia_b_1917569.html
Sept 27 2012
Barev, Armenia!
Betty Londergan. Writer, author, blogger
Posted: 09/27/2012 5:04 pm
When I told people I was going to Armenia with Heifer International,
the most frequent response was, "Wow, um.. where is that?"
So first, the geography lesson: Armenia is just east of Turkey and
bordered by Georgia to the North, Azerbaijan to the East, and Iran to
the South. Which basically means Armenia is a raft of Christianity in
a sea of Muslim countries. In fact, Armenia was the first nation in
the world to adopt Christianity as its state religion in 301 AD, and
that has pretty much defined and shaped its turbulent history through
the ages.
Armenia is a mystical place -- filled with monasteries, pagan temples,
prayer stones and churches, most tucked away in wildly remote places
to protect them from destruction. (It didn't.) These pockmarked
Christian monuments are the pride of Armenia as well as testament to a
seemingly endless parade of invaders: conquering Persians, rampaging
Mongols, invading Turks, totalitarian Soviets, as well as the ravages
of devastating earthquakes. For over 600 years, Armenians knew
themselves to be a distinct people and yet were not a sovereign
country. Faced with hostility from all sides, Armenians held fast to
their identity and managed to survive into the modern era with a faith
as deep and constant as the obsidian stone that is part of this
beautiful landscape.
Although the Kardashians are undoubtedly the world's most famous
Armenians, they are not typical of the Armenian character (sorry, Kim)
-- although I did see an awful lot of beautiful women in the modern
capital of Yerevan. Actually, it's a bit hard to get a firm grasp on
the Armenian character because it's full of such deep contradictions.
Armenians are enormously proud, highly educated (with a literacy rate
of almost 100 percent), and hospitable beyond your wildest
expectations. In centuries of life along the Silk Route, Armenians
became known for their business savvy in commerce and trade, and they
interacted easily with almost every European and Asian culture. But
Armenia's psyche is indelibly haunted by the memory of great loss (1.5
million annihilated in 1915 alone) and like all the Caucasus's states,
the people have experienced centuries of brutal conflict that staggers
the imagination and continues today in the convoluted conflict with
Azerbaijan over Nagorno Karabagh.
Armenia was a part of the Soviet Socialist Republics for more than 70
years, and has only been independent for 21 years. Armenia's economy
was far more robust and productive under Soviet rule, and the country
is still struggling to establish a modern economy with almost no
natural resources (and with its two borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan
closed). While the capital of Yerevan is bustling, elegant and
thriving, in the countryside there is little besides subsistence
farming to support the villagers and the poverty rate approaches 35
percent. Many men still immigrate to take jobs in neighboring
countries; in fact, three times as many Armenians now live outside the
country as inhabit it. That's why Heifer is investing $3.7 million in
projects to help the smallholder farmer in Armenia achieve economic
independence and food security -- and what I came to see.
Despite the economic challenges, Armenia is hardly depressing. For one
thing, the country is beautiful. The food is incredible, and though
the people are tough (they've had to be) they are also joyful, sweet
people who love to garden, to eat, to talk and to welcome visitors --
particularly if you're one of the 8 million diaspora Armenians who's
coming back home.
Even their blooming Christian cross never features the crucified
Christ, because Armenians believe in the rising-- not the suffering.
And that's as good a prescription for moving forward as anything I can imagine!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/betty-londergan/armenia_b_1917569.html