Birkir Fistik is one of the participants of the second stage of the “Ari Tun” Program of the RA Ministry of Diaspora. He is 18 years old and lives in Istanbul.

In an interview with Hayern Aysor, Birkir said he was in the 10^th grade at the Yesayan Armenian School and that he had learned about the “Ari Tun” Program from his Armenian language teacher, who had urged him to participate.

Birkir says he felt proud when he saw Armenia for the first time. He admires and feels proud of the fact that Armenia has so many splendid buildings, monuments, ancient churches and other historic and cultural sites to see and regrets not having seen all this until now.

Birkir says he is content with his host family. He says the family treats him to different Armenian national dishes and introduces him to the traditions of an Armenian family, and he likes it a lot.

Birkir says it is also important for him to attend the Armenian language courses that are being held as part of the “Ari Tun” Program. He only has difficulties with the transition from Western Armenian to Eastern Armenian, but doesn’t complain because he knows he can overcome those difficulties and speak fluently in Eastern Armenian as well.

Gevorg Chichyan