Members of the host families hosting the Diaspora Armenian children and youth participating in the 2015 “Ari Tun” Program of the RA Ministry of Diaspora for Diaspora Armenian youth’s homeland recognition shared their impressions of the children during interviews with Hayern Aysor’s correspondent. Many Armenian families opened their doors to the participants and received them as relatives.

Shoghik Malkhasyan’s family lives in Jrvezh village and isn’t hosting the Diaspora Armenian children and youth for the first time. She hosted Armenian children from Jordan this year, just like she did in 2013. Shoghik has a large family of six grandchildren, but she generously hosted another four children with open arms.

Gegham, Maral, Serli and Ani showed Mrs. Malkhasyan their love and tenderness and will always be close to her heart. “Every Armenian family needs to open its doors to them. As they say, if the sower scatters the seeds in the soil at the right time, they will definitely sprout. That’s exactly what the “Ari Tun” Program does, instilling in children the feeling of patriotism at a young age. Believe me when I say that wherever they may be, they’ll never forget what they saw and heard these past days! As for us, we’re trying to make our small contribution to that great task.”

On the first day, Mrs. Malkhasyan treated the children to Armenian dolma, and they liked it a lot.

Garik, 14, is Mrs. Malkhasyan’s eldest grandson. He says he and the children were able to get along easily. “We have a good time together. We play games, swim in the pool and go out for walks at Republic Square in the evenings.”

“Aghvor eh”, “Yekur Hos”, “Ketsir”…Garik learned these and other words in Western Armenian from the children, but has trouble saying what they learned from him.

Mrs. Malkhasyan says the children are very pious and religious people. During her conversations with them, she realized that they do everything they can to preserve all national customs and traditions that are characteristic of typical Armenian families.

Mrs. Malkhasyan is certain that the children are leaving Armenia with feeling of satisfaction. As 17-year-old Gegham said, he had great impressions and that they can’t wait to reach Jordan to share their impressions of Armenia and Armenian families with their families and relatives. “We’re very grateful for the cordial reception. True, we’re sad that we’re leaving, but this isn’t the last time that we’ll see Mrs. Shoghik and, most importantly Mount Ararat.”

Shogik Malkhasyan says she’s willing to host more Diaspora Armenian youth next year, if God gives her health and strength.

Karine Aghajanyan is Mrs. Malkhasyan’s neighbor. She is hosting Jordanian-Armenian children for the first time this year and says she immediately decided to host them. “I’m hosting three children, including Hrak, Ashot and little Karine. They’re very sweet kids. It’s very easy to communicate with them. I’ve always dreamed of hosing Diaspora Armenian children at my house at least once. Thanks to the “Ari Tun” Program, my dream turned into a reality.”

The children liked Mrs. Karine’s pancakes the most. They also mentioned that Mrs. Karine and her 20-year-old son, Shavarsh do everything they can to think of interesting things for them to do on their free time.

“Tsavd Tanem, Akhper Jan”-this is the Armenian expression that immediately left an impression on the Jordanian-Armenian children. They repeat those cordial words that Mrs. Karine repeated with a smile and pleasure and in which there is infinite love and warmth.

Emma Vardanyan

4^th year student of the Faculty of Journalism of Yerevan State University