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| armenia |
Friday, August 3, 2007
Armenia photos
I've put a few pictures from my trip up on the web. There's no need to sign in; just click if you want to take a look!
Armenia 2007
I'm sitting at my computer in Korea, enjoying AC and high-speed Internet, feeling sort of like I've just time travelled. I got back from Armenia yesterday, and I'm struck by how incredibly different it is from life as I generally know it: slower paced, more isolated, less comfortable and convenient - but of course still wonderful in many ways. Things are slowly changing, but in the four years since I left, it seems that they have mostly stayed the same.
The first big change I noticed was the renovated airport. When the A-9s arrived in 2001, we found the airport dim, decaying and depressing and the bathrooms disgusting; this new terminal will certainly give travelers to Armenia a much better first impression of the country.
Another change: cell phones. Four years ago they were virtually unheard of in Armenia, but now everyone seems to have them. They're a significant improvement over the old land lines, though still not completely reliable. The first couple of days I was in the country, Armentel (one of the two cell phone companies in Armenia) phones weren't working at all.
There are now more BMWs and Mercedes - even a Hummer or two - mixed in with the Russian-made Nivas and Ladas and Jigilas, and I even noticed a handful of women driving. Yerevan seems to be one big construction site - there are new buildings going up all over the place. Kapan and Gyumri also had a few new stores and restaurants and cafes, though overall those two cities had changed very little.
Those superficial changes are signs of progress, I suppose, but hidden behind those are many of the same frustrations that people have been dealing with for years. When I visited colleagues in Kapan for coffee, they sounded much like they did four years ago: lamenting, understandably, the scarcity of jobs and the appallingly low salaries of those who do have jobs, the difficulty of educating their kids and paying their bills, the way they wished they'd left for the States back in the early 90's when it was easier for them to get visas - if only they'd known.
For some people, things seem to be even worse now. Prices have noticeably risen while salaries have remained the same. Some of my Armenian friends who several years ago were enthusiastic about working to make their country a better place are frustrated with lack of progress in politics, with the near necessity of paying at least an occasional bribe, with roads that are still pot-holed and with water that's still only turned on for a couple of hours a day. A couple of them say that they won't think twice about leaving if they find jobs in Europe or the States.
I found myself increasingly depressed with the lack of real changes in Armenia, and the tone of this post probably indicates that. I don't want to end on that note, though. Armenia still holds a big place in my heart; despite their difficulties, the people still display impressive hospitality, bringing out the best pastries and chocolates and alcohol they have to offer, and always repeatedly insisting that I eat and then eat some more. Most of my Armenian friends are still making the best of what they have, still proud of their heritage, and still hoping for progress, however slow - really, four years is not much time in the grand scheme of things. It was fantastic to reconnect with people there, including several fellow PCVs, and I hope it won't be four years until I have that chance again!
The first big change I noticed was the renovated airport. When the A-9s arrived in 2001, we found the airport dim, decaying and depressing and the bathrooms disgusting; this new terminal will certainly give travelers to Armenia a much better first impression of the country.
Another change: cell phones. Four years ago they were virtually unheard of in Armenia, but now everyone seems to have them. They're a significant improvement over the old land lines, though still not completely reliable. The first couple of days I was in the country, Armentel (one of the two cell phone companies in Armenia) phones weren't working at all.
There are now more BMWs and Mercedes - even a Hummer or two - mixed in with the Russian-made Nivas and Ladas and Jigilas, and I even noticed a handful of women driving. Yerevan seems to be one big construction site - there are new buildings going up all over the place. Kapan and Gyumri also had a few new stores and restaurants and cafes, though overall those two cities had changed very little.
Those superficial changes are signs of progress, I suppose, but hidden behind those are many of the same frustrations that people have been dealing with for years. When I visited colleagues in Kapan for coffee, they sounded much like they did four years ago: lamenting, understandably, the scarcity of jobs and the appallingly low salaries of those who do have jobs, the difficulty of educating their kids and paying their bills, the way they wished they'd left for the States back in the early 90's when it was easier for them to get visas - if only they'd known.
For some people, things seem to be even worse now. Prices have noticeably risen while salaries have remained the same. Some of my Armenian friends who several years ago were enthusiastic about working to make their country a better place are frustrated with lack of progress in politics, with the near necessity of paying at least an occasional bribe, with roads that are still pot-holed and with water that's still only turned on for a couple of hours a day. A couple of them say that they won't think twice about leaving if they find jobs in Europe or the States.
I found myself increasingly depressed with the lack of real changes in Armenia, and the tone of this post probably indicates that. I don't want to end on that note, though. Armenia still holds a big place in my heart; despite their difficulties, the people still display impressive hospitality, bringing out the best pastries and chocolates and alcohol they have to offer, and always repeatedly insisting that I eat and then eat some more. Most of my Armenian friends are still making the best of what they have, still proud of their heritage, and still hoping for progress, however slow - really, four years is not much time in the grand scheme of things. It was fantastic to reconnect with people there, including several fellow PCVs, and I hope it won't be four years until I have that chance again!
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