Achkuh Patz

I have always been very "Armenian" imitating my parents and their accents, taking a jezveh and soorj to convention, and always being the one to flip out when meeting a new Armenian wherever I go. I am a very proud Armenian girl, so naturally when these taxi drivers in Yerevan ask me if I like the city, I grin from ear to ear and start gushing about how amazing of a place Armenia is. So with only about 2 weeks left in Armenia, I constantly find myself in reflection…always trying to hold on to every moment for as long as I possibly can.

Recently, I had the amazing chance to visit Noraduz, one of the oldest cemeteries in Armenia, with over 1,000 khatchkars (cross-stones) some of which date back to the year 996. Needless to say, it was breathtaking. Upon arriving to Noraduz, I was greeted by Arevshat Sargsyan, a sixty-something, salt and pepper haired, frail man with piercing blue eyes and the local tour guide for the cemetery. While the rest of the group was listening to our tour guide Anna explain the background of the site, he kindly took me on a personal tour around some of the khatchkars, explaining whose they were and what the symbols on them stood for, even his own great grandfather’s. This was wayyyyy more gratifying than listening to Anna and her Brushmenian (British, Russian, Armenian) accent explain everything—I think everyone can attest to that. After Arevshat took me around, I had a chance to roam around on my own. I could not put my camera down! With every turn, another intricate khatchkar caught my eye and I just kept snapping shots. The time, dedication and intricacy put into each chiseled design of these carefully crafted khatchkars is evidence of their tremendous respect for the deceased. Remarkable! Then it was time to regroup for our next stop of Lake Sevan, specifically at Pyunik Camp, a camp for disabled children. When we were finally settled by the lakeside, everyone started lathering up in sunblock (because as we all know the sun up at Lake Sevan is ruthless) and laying out on his or her beach towels. I, on the other hand went in the water…I mean how many people can say they’ve swam in Lake Sevan?! Albeit the water was ice cold, a stark contrast from the sweltering sun, I sucked it up and dunked myself a couple of times. So refreshing! I stayed in for a little and got nailed in the face by a football, but no biggie, the dizziness went away after awhile ?…while the rest of the group was playing relay games with the camp kids, I sat by the water and just reflected. I like to do this wherever I go, just be on my own and reflect about my day.

All I have ever known my whole life, (with the exception of short trips to various countries) is the United States. This trip being the longest period of time I have lived outside of the states, it has definitely changed me in ways that I had never expected to change. While at the lake, I had the chance to see the Armenian Olympic sailing team practice on the lake, right in front of my eyes! I met the sailor, who didn’t think extra highly of himself, just because he was an Olympian. He played with the kids and engaged in normal conversation just liken any other regular guy. These experiences are the “little” things that have changed me. In comparison to my life back in the states, these people have next to nothing, yet they’re lives are more fulfilled than mine. Rather than dwell on what they don’t have, they take what they do have and serve as inspirations to spyurkahye’s like me. Just because I was born in the United States, I have opportunities that they could only dream of having, but I haven’t taken because I take them for granted; I know I will always succeed because the United States facilitate success with minimal effort. I used to have dreams of being a neurosurgeon, but pushed them aside because “its SOOO HARD!!” This trip has made me more “achkuh patz” (literally, eyes open) in more ways than one. I guess you can say it is life changing, because I plan on changing a lot of things in my life when I get home. I am going to become the doctor that I once aspired to be, I am going to take advantage of my endless opportunities and I am going to reach out to my fellow Armenians and push them to experience Hayastan because as rewarding as it is for the eyes, it is even more rewarding for the soul.

My people look to me as their role model; being a “successful” diasporan in the “land of opportunity”…I must live up to their expectations and be that inspiration that they are for me.

Seerov,

Sarah Jan