My Travel Diaries of
Armenia
Summary
Currency: Dram
Capital: Jerewan
Drink like a local: wine, cognac
Special facts:
- The country of Armenia is incredibly old and the name of the country can be found in ancient Greek scrolls.
- A lot of wine is grown in the country and both wine and the high-proof cognac are very popular.
- Armenia is permanently at war with its neighbouring country Azerbaijan. This involves ethnic groups that live within the other country’s borders and want to join the motherland. There is constant fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh in particular. Bloody fighting broke out again in 2020.
- In the Eastern Bloc, there used to be popular jokes about the fictional station “Radio Yerevan“, which answered listeners’ questions under the socialist-communist Soviet regime. The regime’s actions and logic were criticized in a humorous way.
- Armenia is the first country to introduce Christianity as a state religion (in 301).
- The Armenian population is extremely homogeneous, 97% of the people are Armenian. There is hardly any immigration and citizens from other countries.
- Chess is a compulsory subject in Armenian schools.
- Armenia’s greatest tragedy occurred in 1915 with the genocide by the Ottoman Empire, which claimed the lives of 1.5 million Armenians.
- As a result of the genocide, so many Armenians fled abroad that today twice as many Armenians live outside the country as inside. Descendants of the refugees include celebrities such as Cher, the Kadashians, Serj Tankian and Andre Agassi.
- Mount Ararat on the border between Armenia and Turkey plays an essential role for Christians and Jews, as the legendary ship “Ark” is said to have landed there.
- Armenia is the land of apricots. The orange color of the Armenian flag symbolizes the color of the fruit.
- The country is full of cross stones. These large stone tablets are lying everywhere, either near churches or on the side of the road.
- There are always pictures of the deceased on gravestones.
Language
The Armenian script is unusual and unique. I call it “worm script” because the characters look like a series of small worms, similar to the Georgian script. As part of the Soviet Union and because of the proximity to Russia, many people in Armenia also speak Russian. English, on the other hand, is not very widespread and is only learned and spoken by the younger generation.
- Hello – Ողջույն (voghjuyn)
- How are you? – Ինչպես եք ձեր գործերը? (inch’pes yek’ dzer gortsery)
- Thank you – Շնորհակալություն (shnorhakalut’yun)
- Bye – Ցտեսություն (ts’tesut’yun)
- Cheers! – Ողջույններ (voghjuynner)
Currency
Der armenische Dram ist von enormer Inflation betroffen. Für wenige Euro erhält man hier einen dicken Haufen Papier.
My lesson:
The colour orange can be found throughout the country, in the rolling hills, the mountains and the apricot
Travel Diaries
Armenia – this is the little-known end of Europe, which flows geologically and culturally into Asia and oriental cultures. It has always been my dream to explore these remote countries on my own.
The people are very hospitable and the country is safe. The youth are making themselves felt in the capital, the country is developing more self-confidence again, but the country regularly suffers from the conflict with Azerbaijan.
