Youth Corps: Melanie Moradi
To say that the Youth Corps program changed my life would be to put it mildly. Every major event changes the course of your life as you know it; Participating in Youth Corps did much more than that. It changed who I am as a person, it redirected my goals and dreams for the better, and it opened my heart to a whole new sense of identity. Connecting with the homeland made me realize where my true home is and where I’m meant to be. Seeing the natural beauties of Armenia, experiencing the rich culture, and creating personal relationships with the natives were ingredients to only one recipe: to move to Armenia one day and build a family there. But this soulful awakening wasn’t even the best part of the entire experience. The greatest, and most rewarding, aspect was being able to do a little good for the future generations – the youth of Armenia. The smiles I saw on the faces of the kids every morning of camp is an image that will never be erased from my mind. From teaching the kids English, to getting competitive in a game of Steal the Bacon, and to heart fully singing Gini Lits, every moment was an impactful one. Connecting with hundreds of bright and talented kids in different parts of Armenia and Artsakh really ignited a whole new passion inside me – along with giving me new friendships to last a lifetime. To talk about every incredible aspect of Youth Corps, I would need a week – with no interruptions. All that can be said about Youth Corps could be better understood through experiencing it yourself. It’s an outstanding opportunity that I relive every moment, wishing I could be back in the wondrous mountains of Artsakh, singing
Honestly what can I say? I am living one of my life long dreams; I’m home! By now you know that we have already toured Yerevan and my group is in Stepanakert for our first week at camp.
There are no words to accurately describe the feeling I felt when we landed at Zvartnots airport. As I looked outside the planes window, I didn’t see beautiful city lights or glorious monuments as I had imagined. An older Armenian lady sitting next to me leaned over and said, “Shat seeroom hox chi, biac mer hoxna” (It’s not that pretty, but it’s ours). She was right… There was absolutely nothing around us that indicated we had landed in Armenia but there was this special feeling in our hearts that let us know we were home. Once we got off the plane, we gathered around arm in arm, and started singing Anoush Hayrenik. Most of our group members did not know each other prior to the trip but just after 3 days, we developed an amazing bond that I cannot imagine being broken. This special bond will only make our experience in the villages that much more exciting and efficient. With our energy levels and spirits high, we continue our journey to the villages where we will really make a difference in the lives of the campers. The thought of knowing a child is happy and carefree for a couple hours a day because of our presence is the ultimate feeling. Our homeland brings out the best in us and I’m confident it will positively impact our relationship with the kids at the camps. I hope to really grow from this experience and truly make a positive difference in these children’s lives.