Not a Goodbye Letter by Zachary Antoyan

  

Ask me in a few years what being in Armenia did for me. I have a feeling that even in that amount of time, I will still have not fully understood how this summer affected me. It’s the kind of smile that starts at one corner of your mouth and spreads slowly to the other side. It’s the uncertainty of which story to tell. The excuses I now have to go to Montreal, New York, Detroit, Moscow, London, Buenos Aires, simply because I know someone there.
        Imagine being systematically pulled apart and inspected. All of the pieces of you dutifully and individually pushed to their limits. At home, it feels like different parts of me are being challenged at the same time. In Armenia, it was different. Like each day was the day a different part of me was going to be put to the test. And I did feel tested, because at the end of the day I would have a good nights sleep. Strange how those nights only come after a tough day. I can’t tell you if I passed the test or not.
        At this point however, my cup overflows with stories and memories and connections. When I was in high school, my world was limited to my city. When I got college, my world became the state. I travelled more and felt a new sense of freedom. After only two years in college, and a trip to Armenia, my world now has no limits. I am discovering its waterfronts and its mountain tops. Remote is now just a plane ride and a hike away. Familiar places aren’t just city streets of Fresno, California. Someone has taken a crowbar to open the eyes of my mind and what was inside is a hunger. It is this insatiable thing that will never be satisfied. I am ok with that, in fact, it excites me.
        I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Armenia has given much to me. I can only wait for the day, I am able to give back, with interest.

Why Participate in AAA's Summer Internship Program in Armenia?

Summer Internship Program from Ani Boghossian on Vimeo.

The Armenian Assembly of America's Summer Internship Program in Armenia participants give reasons to why they chose to participate in the program.

More about the program: aaainc.org/index.php?id=217

Starring:
Zachary Antoyan - (interning at ACNIS)
Ani Darbinyan - (interning at Civilitas Foundation and AUNA)

Filmed / Directed / Edited by: Ani Boghossian

Music - Jahzzar "Room With a View" betterwithmusic.com

Local youth and Assembly Interns Gather

On the 14th of August the AAA Yerevan Office organized a gathering/ meeting with the AAA Summer Interns in Armenia, Summer Interns in Washington and the local youth. The meeting was opened by the AAA Country Director Armina Darbinian, who gave an introductory on the aim of the gathering and talked about the Assembly and the Yerevan Office activities. 
During the meeting the interns presented AAA’s Summer Internship Programs, shared experiences and engaged in discussions with Armenian students. The Terjenian-Thomas Internship Program participants Alissa Tabirian and Lusine Stepanyan presented the Washington Internship Program through power-point and a picture slideshow. They talked about their meetings with different congressmen, ambassadors, the lectures and their internships in different institutions, offices and organizations. Soon after, the Armenia Internship Program participants Zachary Antoyan and Ani Darbinyan shared their work experiences and impressions on Armenia. The local students and the interns engaged in a lively discussion about the problems facing the youth in Armenia and USA, making comparisons and speaking about their differences, similarities, goals and hopes for the future. By the end of the meeting the participants had exchanged contacts and had made new friend. 

Trip to Arsakh

Who is Ani Darbinyan?

My name is Ani Darbinyan. I was born and raised in Armenia until the age of 12 when my family moved to the United States because of economic hardships. In the US, I am living in Glendale, California with my mother, father and brother. After graduating from high school with high honors, I got accepted to the University of California Berkeley where I studied Peace and Conflict studies, with a concentrationin conflict resolution, as well as Slavic Languages and Literatures. While inuniversity, I worked as a peer mentor advising fellow students to adopt study strategies such as time management and exam taking skills in order to succeed intheir courses.Later, I worked at the Glendale City Clerk's office coordinating special projects for the clerk and helping with other office functions. Currently, I am finishing up my Masters in Science degree in Public Management and Governance from London School of Economics and Political Science and at the same time participating in the Armenian Assembly of America summer internship program in Armenia where I am interning at Civilitas Foundation.

               I am really passionate about traveling, doing community service, and learning languages. I have studied abroad in Spain as well as in Costa Rica. In these two countries I have mastered Spanish and volunteered in organizations such as World Fair Trade Organization and the Non-Governmental Organization Friends of OSA, where I helped to rebuild a local library for children. Also, in addition to Spanish and English, I am fluent in Armenian andRussian.

               My personal path has been shaped by diverse backgrounds and relationships with people from around the world. One of my firm beliefs is that one hand doesn’t clap—two hands do. In other words, what can be achieved singlehandedly; can reach ultimate fruition with teamwork. Therefore, I will not cease to keep an open mind, but rather continue to grow as an individual wherever I go.

Welcome Dinner

Some photos from the welcome dinner which took place at The Club.

SIP Coordinator Vram Karakeshishyants and AAA staff member Katia Hairapetian

AAA Staff member Ani Boghossian and SIP intern Ani Darbinian

Interns Ani Darbinian and Zachary Antoyan

Katia Hairapetian and Alice Darbinian

SIP interns with AAA Country Director Armina Darbinian

Who is Zachary Antoyan?

Sparing you the details of my average childhood, perhaps the best way to explain who I am is to go through why I am here and what I am doing(but I’ll keep it short I promise). Six months ago I had no idea what Armenian Assembly or Birthright Armenia were. In fact, I hadn’t even been outside of the United States at that point, so you can imagine what stepping off of the homeland meant for me. Admittedly, coming back to my “roots” here was not something that ticked very high on my “where I want to go”-o-meter. I had always imagined my first experience outside of the US to be in China or Europe, and yet it seems almost poetic that I am the first of my family to step foot in this country in over 75 years. My parents, whom I consider to be the greatest sources of knowledge, could offer no advice, no wisdom on what to expect. I was(am) in uncharted territory.

        So, coming to Armenia was like jumping into the middle of the ocean when you have only ever been told what swimming is like, and never actually done it. Jet lag didn’t hit me very hard, but culture shock? Well, that punched me square in my Armenian nose. To put it simply, I was just not prepared, and to tell you the truth, it was fantastic. Never have I been challenged in that specific way, and I realize now, four weeks into my stay, that getting punched in the face(metaphorically of course) was and is the reason I am here.

        Currently, I am working on my undergrad in two majors at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; political science and philosophy. If you were to ask anyone in the philosophy major, at least in my program, what they learn as a student of that part of academia, they will tell you: “Philosophy teaches you that you know nothing.” I believe this to be very accurate, and it also holds true of my experience here. The amount of things I know, pale in comparison to that which I don’t, and being in Armenia has helped me to stay humble, in all aspects of my life. What Armenia is teaching me, all the knowledge that I take from it and use to feed my hungry mind, I would not want to take without giving something back. Working at the Armenian Center for National and International Studies, as well as Orran, the children’s center has allowed me to give back, and I am very proud of that. Two months is not a long time, and it is not enough to learn all that I can. Not enough to learn about my culture, about this country, about simply being where you are in the world(especially if you can’t speak the language, like me). But when I leave, I will take much with me, and bring it all back someday, maybe with some company. I owe this place much.

        But please, don’t be a stranger; you’ve read about me, and now I’d like to learn about you. Fell free to contact me in any way, we could chat over tea and talk of everything and nothing.

Armenian Assembly’s 2012 Summer Internship Program in Armenia kicks off

Armenian Assembly’s 2012 Summer Internship Program in Armenia kicks off

The Armenian Assembly of America launched its 2012 Summer Internship Program in Armenia with the arrival of 2 participants. Both interns – Zachary Antoyan and Ani Darbinyan represent California.

In response to requests from the Armenian government, the Armenian Assembly of America expanded its Summer Internship Program to Armenia in 1999. Interns are placed in Armenian governmental offices, NGOs, Medical Centers and inter-governmental agencies. If accepted, they will have the opportunity experience life in their homeland, gain valuable professional and unique work experience, and discover Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh. To date Assembly placed interns in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Ministry of Finance and Economy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Health, Nork Marash Hospital and many other places. Visits to various sites of interest in Armenia and Karabagh are arranged for the interns to develop a greater understanding and appreciation of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.

Zachary Antoyan from California State Polytechnic University is interning in the Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS), a leading independent strategic research center in Yerevan, which is the institutional initiative of Raffi K. Hovannisian, Armenia’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs. The institute focuses in its research on a comprehensive agenda of foreign and public policy issues, which are articulated analytically in political and academic arenas around the world.

“Much of my perception of Armenia comes from stories from grandparents since passed, and the surface research done here and there.  I want to have a rich firsthand experience of my own, that I can cherish for the future, and do some good in the process,” said intern Zachary Antoyan.

Ani Darbinyan , a graduate of the University of California Berkeley, who is currently continues her studies in the London School of Economics and Political Sciences is interning in the Civilitas Foundation. The Civilitas Foundation is an Armenian non-profit organization based in Yerevan, Armenia, and established in October 2008 by Armenia's former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vartan Oskanian. It is a development agency and think tank directed by Salpi Ghazarian that works to strengthen civil society, promote democracy, economic development and education in Armenia, and facilitate dialogue between Armenia and the international community on a number of pertinent political issues. In doing so, Civilitas is strengthening the ties between Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora.

“ I hold strong ties to my roots and feel that it is my responsibility to, no matter the challenges, use the skills that I have acquired whether it is in organizational dynamics, leadership and working in teams to be of best use for my internship and gain the most out of it,” said intern Ani Darbinyan.

So far interns had orientations, visited Museums of Yerevan, Amberd Fortress and churches of Aragatsotn Region. They had orientations and meetings with AAA Country director Armina Darbinian and the director of Birthright Armenia Sevan Kabakian.

“The Summer Internship Program is truly a unique experience for the participants to form a strong and undying bond with their historic fatherland, and at the same time work and live within the Armenian reality”,- stated Country Director Armina Darbinian, “The Program fully gives them that opportunity”.

(Interns Zachary Antoyan and Ani Darbinyan with AAA Country Director Armina Darbinian)

This program is also a chance for the Armenian-Americans to discover Armenia. A two-month stay in Armenia, though short, provides great opportunities for interaction with citizens of Armenia and other Diasporans. Participants gain a better understanding of the issues facing Armenian people today. They also gain a better understanding of who they are, and what they can do to further strengthen their Armenian communities. They come to Armenia because they want to discover Armenia and themselves. They leave with a greater understanding of both Armenia and themselves. Some return to Armenia to be part of this wonderful, growing democracy. Others may remain in the USA, but, being more aware of themselves as Armenians, can greatly contribute to strengthening their local communities.