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Armenians believe in the rising, not the suffering. Huffington Post
16:15, 28 September, 2012
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS: Huffington Post dwelled on Armenia
and its reach history, reports Armenpress . 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.
16:15, 28 September, 2012
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS: Huffington Post dwelled on Armenia
and its reach history, reports Armenpress . 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.