Tweet
ARMENIANS MARK BITTERSWEET CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY
By Michelle L. Klampe (Contact)
Ventura County Star, CA
Dec 24 2007
Mother, kids celebrate; father is still miles away
Armine Matevosyan has trouble imagining anything but a white
Christmas. "Christmas without snow is not good," she said with a grin.
Matevosyan, 21, grew up in Armenia, a landlocked, mountainous country
where cold, snowy weather is common this time of year. Christmas
is celebrated Jan. 6, following the Orthodox calendar, with large
gatherings of family members and traditional food such as freshwater
fish and rice.
But this year, Matevosyan and her brother, Tigran, 19, will celebrate
Christmas without snow in Ojai. It's their first holiday with their
mother, Susanna Sukiasyan, since Sukiasyan sought political asylum,
immigrating to the U.S. seven years ago. Sukiasyan left her children
behind so she could find work and build a better life for them,
never imagining it would take so long to reunite her family.
"It's nice having the family together," Sukiasyan said. "I'm blessed
to have them here."
The reunion finally came six months ago. The children arrived in Los
Angeles, where their mother and grandmother Chinar Hakobyan, who came
to the U.S. two years ago to be with her daughter, were waiting.
Sukiasyan's husband, Ashot Matevosyan, remains in Armenia, unemployed
and struggling, but unable to secure the necessary paperwork to join
his family.
"It's very painful for me," Sukiasyan said. Her son, an artist,
will say, "How can we help Daddy? Maybe I can sell a painting and
pay a little for your bills and a little to Daddy so he can have a
nice Christmas."
The separation is hard on the children, who speak by phone to their
father nearly every day. "We were so close to him," Armine said.
Still, Tigran and Armine's first Christmas in America is worth
celebrating. The festivities will include gifts and a table laden
with Armenian specialities. Tigran made a wreath for the front door
of the family's small cottage; a matching garland is draped across
the fireplace.
Though the family struggles financially, having a table and food to
share with the friends they've made here is one of the benefits of
life in America, Sukiasyan said. "Here you can buy things," she said,
because store shelves are filled with all kinds of food, not bare
because of trade blockades or poor economic conditions. "Even if you
don't have money, you can make a beautiful table."
There is an Armenian saying, "The guest is from God," and that's how
they treat visitors. "Whatever we have, we are going to put everything
out," Sukiasyan said. "Whether we have money or not, we are putting
our heart out to people. It's very special for us."
Sukiasyan and her children work as a team to support the family and
build a life in the U.S. Sukiasyan works part time at The Gables
assisted living facility in Ojai, attends Ventura College and hopes
to become a nurse. She recently applied to CSU Channel Islands to
continue toward that goal.
Armine and Tigran are taking English classes two nights a week at
Chaparral High School in Ojai. The siblings hope to enroll in college
next year, after they've established residency in California.
In August, Armine got a job working as a cook's helper at Oak Grove
School, where her favorite part of her day is serving lunch to the
kindergartners. She's looking for other work, as well, to help support
her family. She dreams of someday becoming a neurosurgeon.
Tigran works a few hours each week gardening and doing other jobs.
He also set up a Web site to showcase his work and is planning for a
show at a local gallery in the spring. He's sold a couple of paintings,
including some portraits he was commissioned to paint.
He's also looking for other work to help support his parents,
grandmother and sister.
The transition from the family's home in Armenia's capital of Yerevan
to life in small-town Ojai has been a big change for the siblings.
"We're going from capital to village," Armine said with a smile. But
family friend Therese Hartmann has tried to help them stay connected
to their culture.
Hartmann, who met Sukiasyan at The Gables while visiting a resident
there, has taken the family to the Armenian Music Awards show in Los
Angeles, and to an Armenian concert at the Hollywood Bowl.
Friends such as Hartmann help Sukiasyan remember what she loves about
America and cope with the struggles she's faced in reuniting with her
husband. She sent yet another application to immigration officials
over the summer, but the package was sent back in November.
The fees had gone up between the time the package was mailed and the
time it was opened, so the package was rejected.
"I just don't know what else to do," she said. "Sometimes I don't call
(her husband) because I'm ashamed I have nothing to tell him."
Still, she sent the package back with a new check. She also plans to
apply for citizenship as soon as she's able, in March, which might
help her effort.
And she tries to remain hopeful that 2008 will see her long-awaited
family reunion.
"We're going to gather when my husband comes here," she said. "That
will be our first Christmas party."
By Michelle L. Klampe (Contact)
Ventura County Star, CA
Dec 24 2007
Mother, kids celebrate; father is still miles away
Armine Matevosyan has trouble imagining anything but a white
Christmas. "Christmas without snow is not good," she said with a grin.
Matevosyan, 21, grew up in Armenia, a landlocked, mountainous country
where cold, snowy weather is common this time of year. Christmas
is celebrated Jan. 6, following the Orthodox calendar, with large
gatherings of family members and traditional food such as freshwater
fish and rice.
But this year, Matevosyan and her brother, Tigran, 19, will celebrate
Christmas without snow in Ojai. It's their first holiday with their
mother, Susanna Sukiasyan, since Sukiasyan sought political asylum,
immigrating to the U.S. seven years ago. Sukiasyan left her children
behind so she could find work and build a better life for them,
never imagining it would take so long to reunite her family.
"It's nice having the family together," Sukiasyan said. "I'm blessed
to have them here."
The reunion finally came six months ago. The children arrived in Los
Angeles, where their mother and grandmother Chinar Hakobyan, who came
to the U.S. two years ago to be with her daughter, were waiting.
Sukiasyan's husband, Ashot Matevosyan, remains in Armenia, unemployed
and struggling, but unable to secure the necessary paperwork to join
his family.
"It's very painful for me," Sukiasyan said. Her son, an artist,
will say, "How can we help Daddy? Maybe I can sell a painting and
pay a little for your bills and a little to Daddy so he can have a
nice Christmas."
The separation is hard on the children, who speak by phone to their
father nearly every day. "We were so close to him," Armine said.
Still, Tigran and Armine's first Christmas in America is worth
celebrating. The festivities will include gifts and a table laden
with Armenian specialities. Tigran made a wreath for the front door
of the family's small cottage; a matching garland is draped across
the fireplace.
Though the family struggles financially, having a table and food to
share with the friends they've made here is one of the benefits of
life in America, Sukiasyan said. "Here you can buy things," she said,
because store shelves are filled with all kinds of food, not bare
because of trade blockades or poor economic conditions. "Even if you
don't have money, you can make a beautiful table."
There is an Armenian saying, "The guest is from God," and that's how
they treat visitors. "Whatever we have, we are going to put everything
out," Sukiasyan said. "Whether we have money or not, we are putting
our heart out to people. It's very special for us."
Sukiasyan and her children work as a team to support the family and
build a life in the U.S. Sukiasyan works part time at The Gables
assisted living facility in Ojai, attends Ventura College and hopes
to become a nurse. She recently applied to CSU Channel Islands to
continue toward that goal.
Armine and Tigran are taking English classes two nights a week at
Chaparral High School in Ojai. The siblings hope to enroll in college
next year, after they've established residency in California.
In August, Armine got a job working as a cook's helper at Oak Grove
School, where her favorite part of her day is serving lunch to the
kindergartners. She's looking for other work, as well, to help support
her family. She dreams of someday becoming a neurosurgeon.
Tigran works a few hours each week gardening and doing other jobs.
He also set up a Web site to showcase his work and is planning for a
show at a local gallery in the spring. He's sold a couple of paintings,
including some portraits he was commissioned to paint.
He's also looking for other work to help support his parents,
grandmother and sister.
The transition from the family's home in Armenia's capital of Yerevan
to life in small-town Ojai has been a big change for the siblings.
"We're going from capital to village," Armine said with a smile. But
family friend Therese Hartmann has tried to help them stay connected
to their culture.
Hartmann, who met Sukiasyan at The Gables while visiting a resident
there, has taken the family to the Armenian Music Awards show in Los
Angeles, and to an Armenian concert at the Hollywood Bowl.
Friends such as Hartmann help Sukiasyan remember what she loves about
America and cope with the struggles she's faced in reuniting with her
husband. She sent yet another application to immigration officials
over the summer, but the package was sent back in November.
The fees had gone up between the time the package was mailed and the
time it was opened, so the package was rejected.
"I just don't know what else to do," she said. "Sometimes I don't call
(her husband) because I'm ashamed I have nothing to tell him."
Still, she sent the package back with a new check. She also plans to
apply for citizenship as soon as she's able, in March, which might
help her effort.
And she tries to remain hopeful that 2008 will see her long-awaited
family reunion.
"We're going to gather when my husband comes here," she said. "That
will be our first Christmas party."