Knarik O. Meneshian
Two things should fill a person’s soul with wonder and reverence—a starry sky above and morality in one’s heart.
—Karekin Nejdeh*
After 13 years, my husband and I finally returned to Armenia at the
end of April 2016 for a two-month visit – this time not as volunteer
teachers, but as tourists.
Our first impression of the capital was that of amazement and
delight. Zvartnots Airport was modern and efficient and the uniformed
staff was professional and welcoming. Yerevan appeared new, fresh, and
vibrant. New buildings stood tall and gleaming; flowers adorned select
areas of the city, where before there were none.
There was an array of new hotels, restaurants, cafes, eateries,
stores, and other businesses, all with neatly groomed and uniformed
staff. There were new traffic lights, and both pedestrians and motorists
alike obeyed them – a remarkable and much welcomed change from years
past.
There were more public restrooms, even in the outlying regions. A
standard fee of 100 drams or 21 cents was charged, which helped pay the
women who collected the fees and maintained the restrooms–again, a
remarkable and much welcomed change from years past.
