My Way Home
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-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=e8e15c98c66ad71f165a17978500b308 "Finding Her Best Self: A Journey from Kyiv, Through Artsakh, to Ijevan")
Personal Stories11.07.2025For the next repatriate story, I traveled to Ijevan to meet Sofia Hakopyan, who settled there with her husband. Leaving the big city and reviving her ancestors' traditions had long been her dream: her interest in beekeeping grew after meeting her husband, who had hives and made honey in his lost homeland of Hadrut. Running Away from Kindergarten to Get to Yerevan Sofia left the big city twice: the first move was her parents' choice (something she now appreciates), and the second was her own strong wish. “I was born in Kyiv. My parents moved there from Yerevan. Returning to Armenia was always part of our lives. My dad said he didn’t start a business there because he knew we’d leave someday. He planned our move when we were still young to make adaptation easier. Before we moved, Dad visited family in Armenia every year, and I was lucky to go three times. I remember once running away from kindergarten in Kyiv. When the teachers caught me and asked where I was going, I said, ‘To Yerevan,’” Sofia begins. -
-webp(85)-o(png).webp?token=e1c59d1c22282919f53b3720c85d994e "Lusine’s Return Home: “Here, Everything Just Feels Right”")
Personal Stories05.06.2025You might find this story familiar – recently, Repat Armenia shared how Gayane Bayatyan moved to Armenia from Krasnodar, Russia. Lusine is her sister – and she has been on a similar path. Last September, she made the big move home too, this time through the iGorts program. -
-webp(85)-o(png).webp?token=573340629cb9fbc714d3b1a8015a4d19 "Discover Summer Programs for Kids and Youth in Armenia 2025")
Practical Tips27.05.20251 minRepat Armenia has put together a fantastic selection of summer programs for kids and teens in 2025. Whether you're living in Armenia or part of the Armenian diaspora, these programs are a great way for your children to explore, learn, and connect with Armenia in fun and meaningful ways. Got a young artist or tech whiz at home? They can join creative workshops, arts and crafts sessions, or dive into the world of coding at our tech camps. -
-webp(85)-o(png).webp?token=a31e464efa8038c896ea02025f7800b6 "Chasing Ararat: An Armenian's Journey from Africa Back to His Roots")
Personal Stories16.05.20252 minVicken DerSarkissian moved to Armenia five years ago, having previously lived in Africa for several decades. But this isn’t the first time Vicken has lived in Armenia, after finishing high school in Beirut, he moved to Armenia to study engineering at university for six years. He then went into his family business, which worked with diamonds, prompting his move to Africa. “In the Armenian school in the diaspora in Lebanon they paid great attention to putting Armenia in our minds and hearts”, he says, “When we came home from school, our parents did the same. So Armenia has been part of our hearts and minds since childhood.” Vicken set his heart on going to university in Armenia, not just to study, but to learn about Armenia. “When you apply for a visa, you write the purpose of your visit”, he says, “Everybody writes tourism or holiday or something. I was so filled with idolizing Armenia... I wrote pilgrimage! ... I said that no one goes to his homeland as a tourist. I'm going to my homeland on a pilgrimage!” -
-webp(85)-o(png).webp?token=711a0d66e13db2d7dcaf4e4c4fd5a8b7 "Life in Armenia After 50")
Opinions30.04.20252 minSome people think that repatriation is only for those who are in their 20s or 30s and “can afford to start a new life.” At Repat Armenia we wholeheartedly disagree. Repats can be any age, and can come from anywhere. As a matter of fact, many repats relocate to Armenia in their 50s and choose to establish themselves from a place of wisdom and understanding, which lends itself to a more enjoyable transition than if they came to Armenia at full steam without any plan or knowledge. To that end, we decided to collect the stories of just a handful of our repats who are in their 50s as their stories will serve as inspiration to many that age is not going to hold you back from living a good life in Armenia. -
-webp(85)-o(png).webp?token=bf62b0861c23aa261e6fe7a97112c201 "Find a job in Armenia more easily with staff.am and Repat Armenia")
Professional Insights24.03.20253 min readRepat Armenia has partnered with Staff.am and has created an exclusive platform where repats, and those planning their move, can access the best positions in the Armenian job market and likewise companies looking to hire can have a direct pipeline to employees with international work experience. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=fd6ec217b99b8a370e68ffc7af84b8bf "Conductor Nvart Andreassian: Five Decades of Experience for Armenia")
Impact Makers22.01.20257 min readNvart Andreassian’s professional journey is nothing short of extraordinary. A conductor, musicologist and cultural program manager, she has lived, studied, and worked across the globe – Turkey, France, Belgium, Brazil, Uruguay, China and Russia. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=de3192f5bca45ff563f992196ca3d897 "Imperial Porcelain with an Armenian Touch")
Personal Stories09.01.20255 min readLucy Nazaryan grew up in Yerevan, started her studies at Yerevan State University and later headed to Moscow to continue her education at the Financial University. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=e79d3e55d4d0fc058431e3279b37d666 "From Russia to Artashat: Building a Future for Youth Football")
Engage Armenia30.12.20244 min readArarat Mambreyan, inspired by the repatriation of many of his relatives, friends and fellow athletes, decided to follow his dream of helping young Armenian players reach their football goals. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=06cd275d8b98296ca3ec121810f601a0 "So you don’t end up looking for yourself among strangers in foreign lands…")
Personal Stories25.12.20246 min readAt the Blue Mosque in Yerevan, a venue that regularly brings together fans of Iranian culture, another gathering took place. The focus of the evening was George Abrahamyan, a poet, translator and journalist who has become one of Armenia’s most enthusiastic advocates for Iranian culture. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=57f01b298182da67bc08b6868a64933d "Turning Homesickness Into Art")
Personal Stories30.11.20248 min readAs a writer, I have always found it interesting to write about people I have met not through the repatriate community, and who, at first glance, seem like old friends. But through conversations about repatriation, I discover them anew. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=99be754d28c85bddf02c653fd44f580a "Love for Armenia Born from Family: The Nush Enamel Jewelry Story")
Personal Stories27.11.20246 min readNune Malakyan is one of my heroes with a personal story to share. I often spotted her, her husband, Artem Tatevosyan, and their two kids during my strolls along Mesrop Mashtots Avenue. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=0b54ebc22c68b6d33272d640e6699fef "From Armenia to Sweden to Boston To Armenia")
Engage Armenia19.11.20243 min readWhen Armenians decided to move out of Armenia in the early 90s during the “dark and cold” years, they rarely came back. In fact, much of the time they would adopt this idea of abandoning Armenia altogether as the country was seen as a lost cause in the eyes of many Armenians. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=93250a630b3cc90fe3d378c9ebc2619c "Happy Back Home: Opera Singer Suren Mkyan's Repatriation to Armenia")
Personal Stories28.10.20246 min readAfter a long career spanning Italy and the United States, where Suren Mkyan (Mkrtchyan) took on leading roles in international opera productions – including a world premiere of Chukhadjian's Zemire – Suren repatriated to Armenia to perform his own part in bringing Chukhadjian's works to the stage here. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=be39550bc8c6f7ba9fe2ee7094e22c09 "Armenian Code Academy: A New Era of Tech Education in Armenia")
Practical Tips21.10.20247 min readI first heard of the protagonist of this story a few years ago. During a call, my mom asked, “Do you know Narek Aslikyan?” I searched his name on Facebook and realized I’d seen him around – once at Ayb’s New Year fair with a classmate, and on social media, promoting IT education in Armenia.
