An alumnus of the history program at Eastern Connecticut State University has spent the past few months in Armenia through a volunteer program called Birthright Armenia. Ara Daglian ‘18 has had the opportunity to teach English, work in sustainable agriculture and explore the history and culture of the country as well as his own Armenian heritage.

According to Daglian, his main work is teaching English to local teens and young adults. He noted that while the native speakers have been very encouraging, the Armenian language was initially challenging to learn, especially given its unique alphabet and sounds not found in English. 

“When I arrived here just about two months ago, I didn’t know much Armenian at all,” he said. “I only knew a few words and some of the alphabet, but now I can have basic conversations with most people. I feel even more motivated to learn since I work with people who are also similarly motivated.” 

Daglian has also expanded his volunteer work to local sustainable farms that connect him with Armenia’s natural environment and local agriculture. 

“Sustainable farming is not something on my resume by any means,” said Daglian, “but I do like to work with my hands and kind of get dirty, so that’s a lot of fun.” 

Outside of his work, Daglian has had the chance to explore Armenia’s historical sites and natural beauty, including centuries-old monasteries, dramatic mountainous landscapes and local fauna. 

“I’m currently in the city of Vanadzor, which is surrounded by the most incredible mountains,” he said. “Sometimes I’ll be on a mountain road, and it looks like Middle Earth, ‘Lord of the Rings’ style. You look out and it’s like New Zealand with its rolling hills, fields and herds of wild horses.” 

Daglian has explored several of Armenia’s landmark cities as well. According to him, he and two friends recently took advantage of the fact that Armenia is one of the safest countries in the world to hitchhike in. 

“(We) ended up hitchhiking a couple of weeks ago and had great conversations with the drivers,” he said. “We’ve also explored Armenia’s capital Yerevan, as well as Vanadzor, the third-largest city in the country which was once a very affluent production city that’s gone through pretty rapid deindustrialization.” 

Daglian highlighted the welcoming culture in Armenia shown to him by both his host family and the locals, saying that it’s a stark contrast from what he’s used to, considering he was disconnected from Armenian culture growing up. According to him, rural communities in Armenia are deeply rooted in hospitality. 

“The level of warmth and generosity that my host family has shown me is just not something you get in America; you would never be able to confuse the two,” he said. “If someone was treating you like this in the U.S., you’d be like, ‘What are they trying to steal from me?’ but here, people are very warm, generous and community-minded.” 

According to Daglian, he didn’t initially anticipate an intense cultural awakening but has since built up a greater appreciation for Armenian culture. 

“I didn’t come in with expectations, but I feel like I’ve been allowed to build an understanding of the culture from the bottom up,” he said. “It’s an experience that really makes you appreciate the depth of your heritage.” 

He continued: “It wasn’t like something awakened inside of me, but being here is showing me that the culture and community are always present, even if I wasn’t raised closely within them.”