ENNUI MAKES ARMENIANS RETURN TO THEIR HOMELAND
Tatevik Ghumriyan
A1+
[05:40 pm] 03 November, 2008
"My father wasn’t with me when I went to school. He didn’t accompany
me during the graduation ceremony either. But I shall send her an
invitation to my wedding party beforehand," 23-year-old Seda Hakobyan,
student of Yerevan State University, said half jokingly.
Student of Yerevan State Engineering University 18-year-old Hayk
Gevorgyan hasn’t seen his father for eleven months, since last
Christmas. I contact my father whenever I need money or have to pay
tuition bill. He works in Moscow and we see him once a yea- during
New Year celebrations.
Over 147 000 people have left Armenia in search of better life over the
past three years. According to the National Statistic Service (NSS)
93000 people have been back to their homeland. The highest migration
is reported in the marzes of Shirak and Lori where people cannot
even afford their bare necessaries. Migration rate is comparatively
lower in the marzes of Aragatsotn, Syunik, Tavush and Armavir where
residents mainly raise cattle and till the land.
According to the NSS Armenian emigrants mostly settle in Russia,
Europe and the USA.
"Man is the head in Armenian families, therefore he shouldn’t leave
his family and go abroad in search of better job opportunities. It
directly affects the moral values and psychological state of the
family," says psychologist Seda Danielyan.
"Unlike Armenia, you can keep yourself going abroad. The only hindering
thing is ennui," said Gevorg Abgaryan who has recently returned to
Armenian from the Russian Federation.