Arsineh Valladian, a graphic designer and photographer from Washington, DC, moved to Armenia a decade ago, hoping be part of the country’s renaissance. So was her future husband, Zak, who moved from Dubai around the same time and opened a butcher shop. The two of them met in Yerevan, got married a few years later, and started not only a family but also a business—a fast-food khorovadz (barbecue) joint that draws re-pats and locals. They say Armenia has changed a lot since they first arrived: people follow traffic laws, and modern buildings dot Yerevan’s cityscape. However for all it’s growth, unemployment and poverty remain high, and corruption remains endemic. “You have to look at the good in Armenia, not the bad,” Zak says. “You have to see the country with a positive eye and realize all that has been accomplished within less than 30 years of independence.” Zak and Arsineh say one reason they’ve stayed is they wanted to raise their two children in the country. “It is much more exciting, easy, and fun to parent here than anywhere else,” Arsineh says. “Everyone on the street becomes your aunt and your uncle.” Zak echoes his wife, “There is an amazing touch of humanity still left in Armenia.”
Polecany
