Gohar Sardaryan: I would like to hear “welcome” often and never leave Armenia, but..Yes, I am sad.

“Hayern Aysor”: Family, work…?

G. S.: My family is waiting, and I have a lot to do. I have been living away from the homeland for 16 years. I hadn’t visited Armenia for 13 years, but I have always come to Armenia in the past three years.

“Hayern Aysor”: You participated in the Diaspora Armenian summer teacher training program. Are you satisfied with the results?

G. S.: I am very satisfied and grateful. The courses were very well organized. I have gained a lot of knowledge and have many impressions to share. I can’t wait to arrive in Germany and share all that with my family, co-workers and fellow Armenians.

I found out about this program through television. I have six Armenian television channels and always follow up on all events taking place in Armenia. I contacted Head of the Division for Scientific and Educational Programs of the Department of All-Armenian Programs at the RA Ministry of Diaspora Sirvard Hambaryan, received details and applied.

“Hayern Aysor”: What do you do in Germany?

G. S.: Currently, I am studying early child education and psychology at the Private Institute of Social Affairs in Bremen. I am acquiring more skills in my profession since I already have good knowledge of the German language.

“Hayern Aysor”: Where did you study and work beforeo leaving Armenia?

G. S.: I am from Hamzachima. I studied in the Elementary Teaching Methodology Department at the Pedagogical Institute in Kirovakan, and worked at secondary school N 1 of Nor Hatchn from 1981 to 1995. It is as if I graduated from an institute after participating in this one-month training program. Mrs. Gyulamiryan gave a wonderful explanation of elementary teaching methodology. We learned about patriotism studies, history, pedagogy, school administration, psychology, as well as Armenian rituals and traditions. I can say I am armed with vast knowledge that I will apply in my profession.

“Hayern Aysor”: Will you work at an Armenian school?

G. S.: Unfortunately, there is not even a Sunday school in Bremen. We have neither an Armenian community nor a church nor a newspaper…

“Hayern Aysor”: There is no school or church…This means that the most important components for preservation of the Armenian identity are lacking and the only hope is the family…

G. S.: Yes, it’s sad, but true. However, not all families preserve the Armenian identity and language.

“Hayern Aysor”: Perhaps you will form the Armenian community and create a Sunday school.

G. S.: Forming and organizing a community is a very difficult task. I would like to appeal to the Ministry of Education and Science and ask or suggest that the government open an Armenian Sunday school adjunct to any German school. There is an Armenian benefactor who has started carrying out acts aimed at creating structures to preserve the Armenian identity and I have decided to address him with this issue.

“Hayern Aysor”: Being an Armenian Christian, you might feel the need to be consoled, pray, light candles, participate in a liturgy or receive communion, or wish to have your children and grandchildren baptized…Where do you fill that gap?

G. S.: Yes, I feel the need for that a lot, but we don’t have an Armenian church. We attend the Catholic Church in Koln. There is also a wonderful Armenian khachkar (cross-stone) in memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. We gather there every April 24th. There is also a grand Assyrian church near our city, and that is where my granddaughter, Selin was baptized.

“Hayern Aysor”: Do you like your residence?

G. S.: I love it. I have lived in Hamburg for five years, and then I moved to Bremen. It is a very clean, beautiful city with a lot of greenery. The Veza River is the city’s charm.

“Hayern Aysor”: Do you have a large family?

G. S.: I have three children. My elder son works, my daughter has been married to an Istanbul-Armenian for eight years and my younger son studies cooking, design and service culture at a very well-known, 1700-year old restaurant in Bremen. It is hard to achieve success in Germany, but I can say our family has achieved it. We have taken care of family and domestic affairs, and I have started showing active participation in community life. I am thinking of raising issues concerning the community.

“Hayern Aysor”: When did you find out about the establishment of the Ministry of Diaspora?

G. S.: I found out about it since the very first day of its existence, but contacted the ministry just recently. The ministry is doing a great job. Mrs. Hakobyan has promised to help us with transferring Armenian alphabet books, notebooks and instruction manuals. We really need them in Bremen.

“Hayern Aysor”: Where do you go first when you visit Armenia?

G. S.: I visit my mother’s tomb. It is like a sacred place for me. Then, I visit my sister in Ijevan, followed by Etchmiadzin, Oshakan and the Matenadaran. I like to tour Yerevan. It has become very beautiful. There are many renovated roads, and this means that the country is in a stage of development.

“Hayern Aysor”: There are many nationalities living in Germany, including Turks. How are relations with them?

G. S.: We have no conflicts with any nationality. We live by maintaining friendly relations with everyone.

“Hayern Aysor”: Have you treated your German friends and acquaintances to Armenian national cuisine?

G. S.: I have worked at a hospital with 1,200 employees and have prepared many types of Armenian meals and pastries for them. Germans love the dolma with leafs and the dolma that we make in the summer.

“Hayern Aysor”: Do Armenian intellectuals, Armenia’s singers, choirs and dance ensembles visit Bremen?

G. S.: No, they visit Hamburg more.

“Hayern Aysor”: How are you leaving Armenia?

G. S.: I am leaving with longing…

Interview by Karine Avagyan