Ter-Sargsyan is an old man for whom a visit to the homeland has turned into a pilgrimage. He is in Armenia with his wife Anahit. The two have been married for 55 years and share not only the joy and sadness of life, but the joy and beauty of their visits to the homeland as well. With tears in his eyes, Mr. Minas tells the story of his life and his unsatisfying love for the homeland.Minas Ter-Sargsyan: I have never shone as a speaker, but the homeland gave my tongue “wings”. It is the force of the native land. I don’t even feel how old I am in the homeland, even though I turned 80 on May 28. I was born in Beirut and graduated from Melkonian School. For 32 years, I have worked for an American oil company. I had “a taste” of the civil war in Beirut, and moved to France after the establishment of peace to be with my daughter.

“Hayernaysor”: When did you first visit Armenia?

M. T. S.: My first visit to Armenia was in 1979. I cried everywhere I went. I will never forget it. Words can’t describe what I felt the moment I saw Mount Ararat from my airplane window. This is my 15th visit to Armenia. I know that the country faces many hardships, but believe me, I would like to spend the rest of my life in the homeland. Life is very easy in Paris, but that is all transient. The homeland is everything-it’s my life. I feel that there is no meaning to my life without the homeland.

“Hayernaysor”: You have the desire, but what’s holding you back?

M. T. S.: “Unfortunately”, I am not single. My wife doesn’t want to come.

“My daughter and grandchildren live in France. Our whole family is there and we have no relatives in Armenia, but my husband loves Armenia. He goes crazy for the country and can’t live without it,-says Mrs. Anahit, making it seem like she is justifying.

“Hayernaysor”: Do you have a large family?

M. T. S.: We have three children-two sons and a daughter. Unfortunately, my son died. We have four grandchildren. Three of them live in France and the other one lives in Beirut. True, they don’t attend Armenian schools, but they only speak Armenian at home.

“Hayernaysor”: Mr. Minas, have you published books?

M. T. S.: I don’t consider myself a writer, but when I feel the need to write about my sweet Armenia, I go ahead and do it. All my books, including “Coming From Yerevan”, “With My Homeland” are about Armenia and express the love for the homeland. My wife kept telling me to write a poem about her. I did and called it “Letter To My Love”, which ends with the following lines: “…You are a lover like no other, and your name is Armenia…” When I read it to my wife, she kneeled and prayed for Armenia.

“Hayernaysor”: What is your wish for the homeland?

M. T. S.: I would like to see my compatriots working and not leaving the homeland. As Silva Kaputikyan used to say, “The migration of Armenians means voluntary concession of our lands to the Turks”.

“Hayernaysor”: The return of Diaspora Armenians should also prevent the migration of Armenians.

M. T. S.: Indeed. I am aware of the “Ari Tun” (Come Home) program of the RA Ministry of Diaspora. It actually should have been called “Ari Tun Yev Mna Tane” (Come Home and Stay At Home).

Interview by Lusine Abrahamyan