My Life As An Armenian: Meghri

My Wonderful Family

My Armenian heritage is part of who I am, and where I come from. I was born in Aleppo, Syria no it's not an Armenian country, but has a large population of Armenians, due to the spread of people after the Genocide. Ever since I was born I was taught the Armenian language and immersed into the culture. Although I wasn’t born in Armenia, my parents made sure I was getting the best education of Armenian language and the history. As I grew up, the only language that was spoken in my house was Armenian, and still is. When I was young, my parents would tell me all about the Armenian Genocide, and how my dad’s grandmother was a survivor. Though I never met my grandparents from my dad’s side, their stories reached me in one way or another. 

I would love to learn as much as I can  about Armenian history and culture, then maybe one day I can pass it on to my own kids. I want them to carry around the pride as I do each and everyday as an Armenian.

For as long as I can remember my mom has always loved historic Armenian art, and had some hanging on the walls. As a curious child, I would ask her to tell me the story behind each image and the stories would simply fascinate me; especially how one image had so much power and meaning to it. One of my favorite images has to be "Akh, Tamar" (Oh, Tamar) because, the love that the commoner had for the princess Tamar was so strong that he risked his life night after night. He followed the light she had lit for him, until one night her father blew it out and left the boy in the middle of Lake Van with no directions to lead him. His last words were “Akh, Tamar…” 

Hearning such stories from my mom has influenced me to learn more about the art of Armenia. From all the people that have been in my life, my mom has made the biggest impact on my development, and she has always made me want to know more about Armenian culture and background.

Town of Meghri, Armenia

I also owe it to my uncle, because he named me after a town in Armenia. I know that it is southernmost tip of Armenia, overlooking the Iranian border and one of  the hottest part of Armenia. The town and its fields are a lush green thanks to the ample water from the Meghri river. I've always wondered why "Meghri?"All my life I've wanted to go see where my name comes from, and what the background is.

AGBU Lazar Najarian Calouste-Gulbenkian

 
 My school was AGBU Lazar Najarian Calouste-Gulbenkian and it is in Aleppo, Syria. It wasn’t a private school, it was even better. My school was known to have one of the best Armenian educations in Syria; it taught us language, history, and poetry. Though I only attended that school until fourth grade, I still have amazing memories that I will carry around for a long time. It was in that school where I learned the alphabet, and how to read and write. It was there where I learned who Vartan Mamigonian was, and what he had done for the Armenians. My teachers were strict and my studies were hard, but it all got me to where I am today, and that’s all it matters. I owe it to those teachers that once taught me, to be the best version of myself. Most importantly, I learned the importance of Armenian religion, culture, and history. Armenians should be proud of their heritage that they are born into. The lessons and values of life that I learned in that school are mended into my heart and soul for the rest of my life.