Notes from the Armenian-Language Blogosphere
By Nessuna
Christina at Local Life in Armenia talks about her last visit to the “World of Books” bookstore on Mashtots avenue. It is with great pleasure that she visits bookstores because of a huge collection she can find there.
Now you have to choose between Steiner, Pascal, Hesse, Markes (you have to choose because books are not that cheap in comparative terms of course). There are also many books of Armenian writers, especially young ones. A church sponsored the publication of a stunning collection of medieval Armenian poems.
However, Russian publications still dominate, and there is not much literature in foreign languages. Still, there are a couple of things Armenian bookstores lack to make Christina happy — that is reading halls and an opportunity to subscribe.
An anonymous student left a message at armyouth.wordpress.com expressing his surprise at the results of Yerevan State University elections, “when instead of a rector, a council led by the Defense Minister was elected”. He then assures us that “the “huge” experience will help him [the rector] to manage the university” and he is only saddened by the fact that he will be able “to enjoy the happiness only for a year”.
Full post in Armenian here
Lilit at Armyouth touched upon the issue of the higher educational system in Armenia. According to her, the problem is that many smart youngsters cannot afford to study at university, or they are simply forced to choose a profession they do not really like. As a result, people who have no clue about how big a responsibility their jobs represents, hold the position of a lawyer, a doctor or a psychologist. She then urges everybody to put an end to corruption, so that people actually consider going to doctors when they are sick instead of thinking it will make no difference.
Full post in Armenian here
Yet Artyom at Armyouth writes about a problem of unemployment in Armenia, blaming the government for not paying enough attention to “the destiny of its people”. According to Artyom, there are people in Armenia who have received a good education and are good professionals but they do not have a job. The reason is that “the jobs are occupied by people who have enough money or some good connections.” Consequently, people who do not have money or connections are doomed to sit in their homes unemployed. Artyom believes it to be the reason for many people to abandon their motherland in search of a better life abroad. He then hopes “there will be time when people will not have to leave their homes and will be able to find a job in their motherland.” He also urges the government to do something about it: “This is the problem of our government, let them take care of it.”
Full post in Armenian here
Thanks for translation! I saw Tamar started translating one of the articles as well, and now I know what the other people wrote as well. (this doesnt mean i am encouraging people to write in English by the way. It is great people are writing in Armenian now, so even more people in Armenia will be able to read it (and write is, since writing in your own language is so much easier to express yourself). But it is great I can still read about what Armenian youth is thinking this way. Thanks again!)
Comment by Sanne — February 27, 2006 @ 9:20 pm
To be honest, nothing new is coming from the Armenian language blogs. I mean, everybody knows what the situation is regarding the situation in all spheres of life in Armenia. In fact, apart from Armenian-language blogs from the regions where no real news is coming from, English-language blogs are more important because the situation can be conveyed to a Diaspora that lacks much real information as well as any other foreigner interested in examing the situation in Armenia.
Re. Tamar’s summaries, I suggested this to her about 3 weeks ago and Nessuna translated these posts yesterday, but it was only today that it’s posted. Anyway, as I said, it’s more interesting, I think, for a foreign audience to know what’s going on in the educational or whatever sphere. Everybody else, especially young Armenians, knows what’s going on, so it’s basically a supplement to the kind of news the Armenian newspapers are publishing.
Two exceptions to this reality — if there were Armenian language posts from the regions so people in Yerevan could understand the situation there, and if a discussion or any action occurs as a result of whatever conversation might occur in the comments section of each post. On the other hand, it’s good that Diasporans can read the real opinions and experiences of young Armenians in whatever language so that the hopes and fears of these citizens can be understood.
Another idea, however, would be to have these posts in Russian so that some kind of regional conversation could take place eventually.
Comment by Onnik — February 27, 2006 @ 9:45 pm
I think I disagree with your point. It depends on what you see as your goal, which for you apparently is informing the Diasporans about the real situation in Armenia. This definitely has to be done, I agree on that. But on the other hand I see blogging as a tool for young people to express themselves. To learn how to express those negative feelings against their society, against government etc. Somehow young Armenians do seem to be unhappy about the situation (see their articles), but only few of them seem to be able to share those feelings with others, because they don’t know how to do it, because they don’t see their writings as important enough, because they are scared, or whatever reason they have. Important for those young people is to be able to express themselves, to be accepted with having an opninion, to feel their opininion matters. That their opinion does start a discussion, does start to make a change (maybe a small one in minds of other people, but change is change). This in my eyes is the ground for any democratic changes in society. Which is so necessary in Armenia.
).
(and doing this in Armenian, their own language makes it easier to speak up and to reach more people, as I mentioned before in my previous post
Comment by Sanne — February 28, 2006 @ 9:44 pm