Hye Sharzhoom Armenian Action
Denise Altounian
Staff Writer
“Every Armenian should visit their motherland”—as young Armenians we often hear that phrase preached to us, encouraging us to visit Armenia and see the sights. This past summer, Professor Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Coordinator of the Armenian Studies Program, and 14 students made the journey to Armenia for the 2011 Summer Study Trip and did just that. The group was in Armenia from May 24 to June 9, with students who had enrolled in a three-unit class—Armenian Studies 120T-Armenia Today. The goal was to better familiarize students with the modern country of Armenia; for many of them, this was their first chance of really getting to know the country of their ancestors.
The group consisted of Heidi Lea, Denise Altounian, Phillip Der Mugrdechian, Ann Soghomonian, Andrew Khasigian, Zachary Gavroian, Michael Rettig, Kyle Gaede, Sarkis Manavazian, Tamar Karkazian, Nishan Karagozian, David Tataryan, Kimberly Santikian, and Kristina Koroyan, led by ASP Coordinator Barlow Der Mugrdechian.
The trip began with a quick day tour of London, England. In addition to visiting London’s most historic sites, such as Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey, the group stopped at St. Sarkis Armenian Church, one of only two Armenian churches in London. Students met with Rev. Fr. Dr. Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate of the Armenian Church in the United Kingdom, who gave them a tour of the Diocese.
“I really enjoyed our time in London; I definitely want to go back and see more of London.” recalled Kimberly Santikian.
In Armenia, the group stayed at the Yerevan State University Guest House, located on Mashtots Street, in the heart of the capital, Yerevan.
Once in Armenia the group began touring immediately, visiting many of the country’s most historic and religious landmarks. These included the temple of Garni, the monastery of Geghard, Khor Virap, the site of St. Gregory the Illuminator’s imprisonment, and many of the other churches and monasteries Armenia is so famous for.
The group also visited Holy Etchmiadzin for Sunday service and had a special tour of the Alex and Marie Manoogian Museum
The group took numerous trips to various regions of Armenia, outside the city of Yerevan, including Lake Sevan, Gyumri, and the Lori region. “The road trips we took in Armenia were the highlight of the trip,” recounts Tamar Karkazian. “The scenery was beautiful and breath-taking. Not to mention how much fun the group had talking, and laughing on the bus rides.”
After one particularly long day, students were given a surprise opportunity to visit a cultural program organized by the Nork Youth Center in Yerevan. His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, was a special guest at the performance by children of various ages.
A unique opportunity the Fresno State Students had was to spend time at Yerevan State University, the leading public university in Armenia. They met with the executives of the student council to discuss a wide array of topics—ranging from politics, classes, sports, and Oprah Winfrey. Dr. Kristine Antonyan, professor in the Faculty of Economics at Yerevan State University, educated the group on the past and present economy of Armenia. Dr. Antonyan was a Junior Fulbright Scholar who had spent the Spring of 2010 at Fresno State, hosted by the Armenian Studies Program.
Visiting the southern region of Armenia was memorable, including a stop at the monastery of Noravank, wine tasting at the Areni Winery, and a visit to Karahunj in Sissian. The culmination of this trip was a ride on the new aerial tramway to the historic monastery of Datev.
In the region of Ashtarak the group visited Ambert and the monastery of Saghmosavank. A stop in Oshakan included a visit to the tomb of St. Mesrop Mashtots, who created the Armenian alphabet.
The trip concluded on an especially high note; the group was given the honor of planting a tree at Tsitsernagapert, the Armenian Genocide Memorial. “That was my favorite part of the trip,” exclaims Arpy Soghomonian “I can’t wait to go back and see how our tree has grown.” This marked the first time university students have planted a tree in the memorial grove, as this honor is usually reserved for dignitaries. Prior to planting the tree, students had visited the Armenian Genocide Museum and met with director Dr. Hayk Demoyan, who arranged for the planting ceremony.
The trip was full of busy days, exciting nights and a few unexpected surprises, overall making for both a rewarding and fun trip of a lifetime. The students had a great experience, seeing much of Armenia, experiencing the culture, and creating some unforgettable memories.