a land of potential

I apologize for the long time since my last post. I've been experiencing some pretty amazing things and also facing some tough mental transformations. I've decided that I can't post my inner thoughts on the internet because they are mine and I'm still working them out and when you come to a country as wonderful, strange, and conflicting as Armenia, you need to think about what you've seen before you speak.

Regardless, I'd like to list some of the highlights of the past few weeks.

I went to Artsakh, known as the republic of Nagorno-Karabagh, which is an Armenian country sort of seeparate sort of connected to Armenia. Its an absolutely breath taking place and going there really challenged a lot of the ideas that I have about war, peace, patriotism, happiness, etc. If you get the chance, you should google the Armenian-Azeri war over the region and just learn a little about what is going on. We visited a memorial museum, a wonderful rehabilitation clinic, ganzasar church, hiked to a waterfall and much more.

On the way out to Artsakh we stopped at Tatev where there is an ancient monastery. In order to get to the monastery you have to drive about an hour down into a gorge and then back up on the other side. It was one of the most beautiful places I've ever been and no one should leave Armenia without seeing it. There are some beautiful photos on my facebook page from Tatev.

Yesterday I went to the first ever TEDx Yerevan event. It was really exciting and incredibly organized. Some of the talks were great and overall I think it was a great step for Armenia. I hope after this event future speakers will really embrace the "ideas worth spreading concept" and begin to dream big for Armenia. A great success i would say though.

I've been spending a lot of time at a great place called Calumet which is owned by two Beirutsi Armenians. Its a really laid back place and they always play good music. One night, I had an Irish-Armenian music jam with one of the owners, who agrees with me that there is a strong emotional, musical and possibly genetic connection between the Irish and the Armenians (he lived in Ireland for 6 months and had a plethora of beautiful Armenian and irish folk instruments). The next night I attended Sonya Varoujian's show there-- she's a great spyurkahay Armenian from New York who plays folk music. She has a beautiful voice and some great songs in both Armenian and English. Afterwards, I went up on stage and ended up jamming and playing (originals and every cover I could come up with) for about 3 hours. It was wonderful and really made me feel comfortable and connected to this wonderful place.

A great sensation I've been having here in Armenia is that it is like a child's play house. It is miniature sized and therefore you feel like you can really feel its contours and make a difference. Everything here feels accomplishable and yet impossible. I can sit for hours in a cafe and talk with both diasporans and locals about all the great things that need to be done in Armenia. Sometimes its just a fantasy and sometimes everything seems so achievable. Its nice to be in a place where everything has not been tried. There is so much room for potential.

I'm going to leave it there for now and with one thought that really affected me and I hope affects anyone out there who would ever think of coming to Armenia-- I met a jazz musician from New york at a club the other night. He has no familial ties to Armenia, is not Armenian, and kinda of came here on a whim a few years back... and ended up staying for 2.5 years. He said there is just something special and inspiring about Armenia and its true. Despite the difficulty, frustration and "stuckness" that can sometimes overwhelm you here (and I think has, understandably,  taken a toll on some of its long-time residents) there is also an overwhelming aura of creativity and potential that permeates the air here. I hope I can maintain this energy and pay it forward in my time here.

All the best,

Simajan

Photo at Tatev by Gohar

These are a few of my favorite things...

Last night, my mind was absolutely blown away by a local singer who sounds like a mix between Jeff Buckley and Stevie Wonder. Actually probably the most incredible male singer I’ve ever seen live. He’s the lead singer of a band called “Dorians”. At the same event I was lucky enough to see the phenomenal band “Katuner” which is comprised of some of the most accomplished and ground-breaking musicians in Armenia.

They love music here. They love the blues. They love art. Its really great.

My favorite desert is essentially a piecrust rolled into a small scone shape with sugar on it. On the outside it is browned and crunchy, on the inside it is like soft, uncooked piecrust. Yummmmm.

I’ve learned to cut bread holding it up in the air and pulling the knife through.

Time is flexible here… while that occasionally makes me jumpy because of what I’m used to, I thin kit is good for me to learn to take things as they come.

There is a lot of love here, especially family love. Parents absolutely adore their children. Couples are very intimate and romantic. Its nice to be in a culture where there is a very great appreciation for love.

You can eat fresh grapes that hang off the vines in front of basically every apartment building.

Yerevan is basically a small circle and you can basically walk anywhere within the center of the city. Also, there a few great places to go and all the great people always seem to end up in the same place at the same time.

Their keys look like beautiful old works of art (see picture).

I eat tan (a mixture of plain yogurt, water and salt) very often and it is very good for your stomach.

There is almost a brutal code of honesty here when it comes to sharing your opinion. Very little BS. Disorienting at first, but you come to appreciate it, and hey… maybe I’ll hone my tastes while I’m here.

Now that I’ve told you all the good things I’m going to tell you a little story about my nemesis…

As I snooze the morning hours away—work rarely begins here before 10AM—I lie dreaming about Hayastan, home, friends, family, and other peaceful beautiful things. It is only 6:30AM and long before I should have to wake up. After all, the days are long and steamy here and I really do need my rest. Just as I am reaching the most wonderful part of my dream I am wrenched back to reality by a “zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz” in my ear. I swat it away and desperately try to climb back to that dream but no… now its landed on my calf and if you know anything about how sensitive you are to touch in the morning when you just want to be left alone… you will understand how irritating it is. For the next hour I battle this ugly, half-centimeter-sized wretch who has without fail, terrorized me every morning since I’ve arrived. On my leg, my foot, my forehead, my lips!! He does not discriminate and seems to take joy in landing on all my hyper-sensitive spots. He usually wakes me in time to see the sunrise reflecting off the distant mountains and while I occasionally consider forgiving him for his behavior due to the wonderful gift of sunrise, I immediately take it back one I realize that he has just risen me in time to be conscious of how hot my bed will be for the next 3 hours of my sleep. Three hours later, defeated, and not as serene as I would have hoped, I rise from bed, stretch my shoulders and wander into the kitchen where low-and-behold he is sitting there right in the breakfast nook waiting for me. He jumps and does a dance on my watermelon, turn to give me a wink goodbye, then flies off towards the mountains. I eat my breakfast as a defeated Goliath but I know one day… I will get my revenge.

Listen to Dorian's here. I really love "Es Kulam" which is in Western Armenian (or old Armenian... its kind of like Armenia's version of Shakespearean English. THis is the language that diaspora Armenians speak predominantly. Its really beautiful). Their rock stuff is great too though. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwlJLh2UVWw&NR=1

Also, here is Katuner (the video is not great quality but I wanted to put up a more complete song)...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK8E-a7CQHQ&feature=related

Much Love, 

Sima