CONNECTING WITH ARMENIA THROUGH VOLUNTEERISM: THE TRUE STORIES OF AVC VOLUNTEERS
By Elaine Krikorian
1/connecting-with-armenia-through-volunteerism-the -true-stories-of-avc-volunteers/
March 1, 2010
YEREVAN, Armenia-One of the unshakeable first questions any newcomer
to Armenia has to answer is "Why are you here?" This question is not
asked to make small talk, as it might be in any well-traveled tourist
destination of the world; on the part of the asker, an Armenian from
Armenia, the question comes with sincere curiosity.
Of course, many Armenians from the diaspora come to their motherland
to see the church at Etchmiadzin, to visit ancient sites, and to bring
their school books to life before returning home, happy to know that
Armenia is real and independent and available for future visitation.
Others come to stay a little longer and involve themselves in the
life of the country.
The Armenian Volunteer Corps (AVC), established in 2000, assists in
facilitating this deeper involvement and helps some visitors with
this question of why they are here. Let’s take a look at some of the
current AVC volunteers to construct one possible answer.
***
Brandon Norsesian, from Rockledge, Fla., came to Armenia in the
late summer of 2009 to explore a part of his heritage and to learn
about a new part of the world. After spending some time traveling the
country, he met an AVC alumnus who was visiting Armenia at the time
and who pointed him toward AVC, which placed him as a volunteer at
the Zatik orphanage in the Kanaker district of Yerevan. Brandon, 25,
spent five years in the U.S. military; he’s been on foreign tours and
has spent time in the U.S. performing different military projects,
such as building piers in California or diving around the coast
of Florida to clean polluted shorelines. He is well-suited to this
job which requires flexibility, discipline and a sense to suit the
practical needs of the moment.
In Brandon, the children and young adults between the ages of 3
and 18 at Zatik find an older brother and a teacher. They start to
come to Zatik after their schools get out, sometimes as early as
one o’clock in the afternoon. Brandon tries to direct their energy
toward productive activities. He helps the young adults write their
resumes and encourages everyone to do their homework. To make Zatik
more than a social center and place to eat and sleep, Brandon comes
up with projects to engage the kids. One day is devoted to building
birdhouses. Brandon sets up and supervises the circular saw, and the
older girls and boys have shop class. "The older boys won’t agree to
take part in any activity. They’ll stand around and act like they’re
not watching until they see you doing something that they want to
prove they can do better than you or the next guy," Brandon points
out with amusement. The art room at Zatik is filled with brightly
painted birdhouses.
Although he does not speak Armenian, language is not a barrier between
Brandon and the children of Zatik. The younger boys run and jump
on him affectionately, and when the older boys act over-aggressive,
he takes them outside and teaches them wrestling techniques.
Brandon has worked at Zatik for four months. In his last week,
he started a project to cover one wall of the art room with the
handprints of all the children. He teaches the youngest ones, who are
very excited to have paint all over their hands, to stamp their hands
evenly then quickly pull them away so they don’t smear the wall. Now
Brandon’s large hands decorate the wall of Zatik orphanage beside
those of the many children who became family to him.
***
Tatevik Revazian, born in Yerevan, moved to Denmark with her family
when she was five years old. She studies business administration and
organizational communication in Copenhagen. Through the Danish NGO
Mission East, she is fulfilling a three-month internship requirement
at her university. At Mission East she is creating a communication
plan to help educate Armenians on HIV/AIDS prevention. She is also
volunteering at the Arbes Health Care Center in the child development
and rehabilitation area. She works with professionals at the center
to take care of autistic children. Tatevik and the children sing,
play games, and learn to cook together. "They are mostly learning
practical life skills," says Tatevik. "It means a lot to me to be
able to see this side of Armenia. It’s great to be involved with the
staff and to be close to these kids."
***
Some AVC placements mirror career internships. Edwin Akopian from
Maryland received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and
is now carrying out research at a design engineering firm, Industrial
Technologies Co. (ITC). His current project is designing wind
turbines. Of course, interning in Armenia has its unique challenges.
"Sometimes there is no running water. And we don’t have all the funds
we need yet to complete our work," says Edwin. But despite these
challenges, he respects his team and appreciates their strong work
ethic and commitment. Edwin’s family is from Iran and he is pleased
to find many Iranian Armenians working alongside him at ITC.
***
Working in Armenia can require a volunteer to find creative ways
of overcoming lack of materials. Both public and private schools
need supplies. AVC volunteer Deanna Cachoian-Schanz teaches English
at the Macsedan School, a private elementary school and high school
that specializes in languages. Soviet-era maps of Armenia still hang
on the walls of these classrooms where the students wear their coats
indoors during the winter as there is insufficient heating. Deanna
brings her laptop to class and the students crowd around it to watch
her English-language PowerPoint presentations on topics like slavery
in the United States and the Civil Rights Movement. She also initiated
a pen pal program with her younger students. Public school students
in Deanna’s home state of New York are learning about Armenia, and
Armenian students are finding friends in New York.
***
Since 2001, 275 AVC volunteers have served 118,886 hours in Armenia.
AVC has placed volunteers in almost 200 organizations in many of
Armenia’s cities and rural areas as well as Artsakh (Karabagh).
Volunteers have to be at least 21 years old. But, there is no upper age
limit (and many mid career professionals and retirees have volunteered)
and no background is exempt.
This month, four volunteers are arriving from Argentina, including
a married couple, a lawyer/singer, and an industrial engineer.
So, why does a person come to Armenia? Some come to visit, and some
come simply to be a part of the Armenian nation by contributing their
distinct background to the work of developing the country. The benefits
are immense.
The AVC’s motto is "come move mountains," or, as one alumnus put it,
"come move pebbles." All the volunteers will admit that change doesn’t
happen quickly or drastically; it’s done pebble by pebble, with the
belief that your actions will encourage others to follow. Acting on
this belief will move the mountains.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress