About me

Although I will always call Armenia my motherland, I’m not quite sure if I should be considered a traveler or a local here. In any case, I spend a lot of time in this beautiful country. So, at a certain point I figured I should start sharing my experiences with others. These days more and more people come to visit Armenia without speaking our language or knowing much about us, so I want to be helpful. Whether you see my blog as a bunch of tips from a local or ideas from an experienced traveler, I’ll let you decide for yourself. Here is my story though!

I was born in Yerevan, Armenia, in 1990, just when the nation decided to reject Communism and the Soviet Union. As the Republic of Armenia started writing its independent story, my parents decided to use the newly discovered freedom to the fullest. So, when I was only 3 my family left Armenia. Since then I changed three countries and, technically, I never returned to live in Armenia again. Nevertheless, every year I would come back to Armenia, to spending here some time – anywhere between 5 days and a couple of months. Every time sort of re-discovering my own motherland, again and again!

I have major gaps in my knowledge of Armenia’s history. I haven’t read a lot of books, which I should have. Also, some archaic Armenian views seem bizarre to me, especially things involving subtle misogyny and xenophobia. These, unfortunately haven’t been eradicated in Armenia yet.

Another example is the value I assign to precision and time management. I think this is something I certainly picked up in Europe. In Armenia it’s normal to run a business without any written contract, by simply trusting your partner’s word. Or when people say they’d show up at 2 PM, it can mean anytime between 1:45 PM and 3:30 PM.

As I was growing up surrounded by more progressive, western cultures, my views and values formed accordingly. So, when I’m in Armenia I often end up being triggered or intrigued by things that locals don’t even notice and vice versa. In that way, I guess, Armenians who live in Armenia view me as a traveler, or a “foreigner”.