During every interview with a repatriate at the editorial office of Hayern Aysor, it is impossible not to get emotional and admire their repatriation. One of those repatriates is the bright Lebanese-Armenian repatriate Varoujan Majarian, who repatriated just 15 days ago and had come to the interview with his charming wife, Mary and their wonderful son, Nazareth. The couple gave the same answers to my questions, meaning they had both decided to repatriate without thinking twice and both were happy that the Homeland became their final landmark.

“I had been to Armenia several times as a tourist, but I had never lived here. Being in Armenia as a tourist is one thing, living in Armenia is another thing. I had always thought of repatriating because the geopolitical situation in Lebanon can change unexpectedly and the Lebanon that saw a war might find itself in the same situation as Syria. Besides that, I really wanted my son to grow up in the Homeland, especially in an Armenian environment. My hometown is beautiful and close to my heart, but the Homeland is more precious to me. We feel safe here. Everyone speaks Armenian. The air in the Homeland is different. The water in Armenia is like no other. My parents didn’t want to move and were against our move because I am their only son and told us that it would be hard for us to find jobs in Armenia…Nevertheless, on October 28^th, we came to Armenia, and my paternal aunt came with us. I had heard about the pro-Armenian activities of the RA Ministry of Diaspora. I thought that I could come to Armenia and address the Minister of Diaspora and ask her for guidance. I am a jeweler and am currently unemployed, but I have worked as a manager in Lebanon. I don’t want to rely on anyone. I like to live and maintain my family with my job and my earnings. I know all computer programs and have excellent knowledge of English and Arabic…I can help my Homeland and my family with my knowledge. My son has already turned two years old, but still can’t speak. The reason is because we speak different languages, including Eastern Armenian, Western Armenian and Arabic. When I have a job, I will take my child to a speech development center. I hope I find a job soon. My wife is from Armenia. She is the girlfriend of my friend’s wife. We met through them, chatted online and got married in 2013,” Varoujan says, and Mary continues. “I am also finding a job. I am a hairdresser and hope to find a job soon. There are hardships everywhere. People shouldn’t think that life in foreign countries is heaven. I can’t lie and I must say that there was a time when I also wanted to leave Armenia. I had a job and didn’t have any financial difficulties, but I was happy that I was leaving. I was very disappointed…I lived abroad and felt what it meant to miss the Homeland. We could have gone to France, but we preferred to live a dignified life in our Homeland than live as refugees under tents in a foreign country. We decided to have our son grow up, be baptized, receive an education in an Armenian environment and be attached to his roots. We don’t regret moving here. We have come home.”

After my interview with Mary and Varoujan, I became convinced once again that the symbol of the call of the blood and the roots and the magnetic force of the Homeland are almighty.

Karine Avagyan