FACTS and ARTEFACTS about Armenia that locals use...

To intrigue an internet pal for the first visit to Armenia 

To give some info to a newly assigned expat boss on a way from the airport to hotel:

To impress a one-year visiting professor on a graduation party

To tell what is usually not told to Armenia tourists and expats

To intrigue an internet pal for the first visit to Armenia

• Ararat. Excellent views of the legendary Biblical mountain can be observed from almost all sides of Armenia. The capital, Yerevan is virtually built as an arena directed at this heartbreaking view.

• Cultural mix. Due to its location, Armenia in different periods was influenced by very diverse cultures. Come to Armenia to enjoy the silence of the world's oldest Christian churches, experience truly Caucasian passion, pick some very Arabic sweets, try food that outside Armenia is incorrectly referred to as Turkish, see a lot of Soviet stuff like funny 06, 07, 08 Lada cars, multistore unidesign apartment buildings and Russian vodka

• Artwork. Armenians are proud of it. One may fulfill his collection with fantastic medieval carpets, paintings, stone and wood carvings (ExpatInfoArmenia's favorite!), and many other hand-and-soul produce that is in a great and cheap supply here. An informed local may significantly lower costs and expand assortiment of the artwork.

To give some info to a newly assigned expat boss on a way from the airport to hotel:

• Yes, it is common to arrive in (and departure from) Armenia in the late night since almost all international flights are scheduled for that time. Probably some cost savings on airlines' part.

• Street traffic. Although the traffic is not that heavy, one should be very careful on the streets. Pedestrians cross the streets wherever they want, drivers do not usually make way to pedestrians. A boat size hole may be left opened in the middle of the street without any warning sign and lighting.    

• Language. Armenian letters do not resemble any letter in Latin alphabet so it is difficult for a foreigner to at least make sense of the writings. However most of the menus, billboards are accompained with English translations. Almost all of the people older the teen age can and will speak Russian (sometimes even if asked for help in English). The youth may have difficulties with Russian, instead most of them know at least some English words. Other languages are rare, yet it is always possible to find good transaltors. Due to large and diverse migration habits of Armenian nation, the language skills have always been in high respect here. 

• Etiquette. No need to learn anything new. Again, due to exposure to international community Armenians got tolerance to their customs. The local etiquette itself is not that unique and in most cases is similar to European-Christian norms. Some exceptions that come to the mind are: 

Attitude to the nice gender is more conservative

Swearing (especially to mother) is considered a deeper insult than in the West

It is normal for men to kiss each other on greetings

Asking personal questions is ok (after some it may eventually turn out that someone's sister/brother is a right spouse candidate for you)

 

(the others will be discussed in the Expat Experience forum):

• Visas/Registration. Although some bueracracy exists in the visa/registration, one may still easily enter Armenia by obtaining a 3-day visa at the entry point (usually airport). For prolongation you need to visit a place called OVIR (not a very pleasant experience) or just pay a fine at the departure in the airport. The fine is a multiple of the days that you remained in excess of your original visa period, but is still not very high and comparable with the amount of the visa if obtained from OVIR

• Transportation. If you don't have a car, then the best transport mean in Armenia is taxi. On-call taxi services are preferred to private cabs since most of them have better cars, charge less and provide receipts. ExpatInfoArmenia's best recommendation here is Taxi [Insert Name] [Insert Phone] (For list of some other good ones and their comparative benefits see travel information page).

Yerevan has a Metro line, which is however extended only in small center. There is a good security in the stations and the trains are clean. For the Yerevan metro map please click here

 

Money and currency. Prepare to carry a greater wallet in Armenia. Despite recent development in this area, Armenia still mostly uses cash. Recent rules of Central Bank of Armenia tightened restrictions on free use of the foreign currency in the public places and imposed penalties on shop owners. You may change your currency to local Drams (symbol: AMD) in any bank or at the street exchange offices. The most popular ones are located near Republic Square on Tigran Mets avenue (see map)

To surpise an expat professor during a beer talk

• Armenia was the first country in the world to adopt Christianity as its official religion, traditionally dated to 301, which is 20 years earlier than adoption of Christianity by Rome.

• Number of Armenians living outside Armenia (Armenian diaspora) is double the number of Armenians living in the country (about 6-7 and 3 million people respectively). The main reason for this is Genocide of Armenians in Ottoman Empire in 1915 which took lives of around 1.5 million Armenians and spreaded the rest all over the world. Most of the replaced did not return to the Soviet Armenia due to communist regime. The greatest communities are in France, US, Argentina and Lebanon. Another wave of Armenian immigrants was in early 90's due to economical crisis. Most of these people (around one million) settled in Russia.

• Armenia is a homeland for Apricot. The latin (botanic) name of this fruit is read as "Prunus Armeniaca" which means an Armenian plum. 

• Armenia was the smallest republic of Soviet Union. Despite that Armenia greatly contributed to the victory over Nazi Germany in WWII by giving to the Red Army over 500,000 soldiers and officers (nearly 1/5-th of the republic's total population). From nearly 20 WWII Soviet marshals four were Armenians. In the post war time Soviet Armenia was one of the most industrialized republic of the USSR. Self determination efforts of Armenians in 1987-1991 deepened the crisis of Soviet system and together with other reasons eventually led to its collapse.     

• Armenian for centuries had been known for its rugs. The name "Carpet" has Armenian origin and is used in Armenia currently.

• Armenia divides "Turkistan" (the Turkic people belt ranging from Medditeranian to Asia in two parts right from the middle: to the West is Turkey and to the East are Azerbaijan and Central Asian republics of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyztan and Turkmenistan. (see image) In some places the width of this "wedge" is less than 40 km (20 miles).  No other nation could preserve its identity and state after expansion of Turks to the East to this region. 

To tell what is usually not told to Armenia tourists and expats

• Country tours. Most of Armenia countryside roads go up and down through mountain ranges and deep caves. Elevation in some mountain passes reaches more than 2000m. Numerous road bends on such hills are very interesting and will offer exciting landscape panoramas to enjoy, yet may be difficult for people with blood presure problems.

• Borders. Artsakh (Armenian name for Nagorno-Karabakh - a territory disputed between Armenia and Azerbaijan as well as buffer territory around it are currently held by Armenian forces. The conflict is frozen yet unresolved. Because of that Azerbaijan and Turkey borders are closed and traveling to these countries from Armenia is impossible. To go to Turkey or Azerbaijan, expats and tourist usually need to go through the neighbouring Georgia. Local Armenians may travel to Turkey via the same route, but entry to Azerbaijan is impossible for them for security reasons. The same is probably the case for Azerbaijanis wishing to enter Armenia. Regional conferences and meetings with participation of the residents of these two republics are usually held on the "neutral" territory - Georgia.  

• Food. While in Armenia you will accustom to the local food which is very tasty indeed, and healthy too. However most of expats and tourists experience stomach problems in the first 2-3 days of their residence in Armenia. Some explain that by "overloaded" receptions in the best traditions of Armenian hostpitality. It could be that Armenia food is different too. In any case smoother shift to local food is advised

• Environment. Vehicles in Yerevan do not pass emmision control and since most of these vehicles are old European cars or rubbish Russian trucks, environmental situation in the Yerevan is at best satisfactory. The good thing is that Soviet giant factories that had extremely bad emmission habits are not operating now. Outside Yerevan the environmental situation is much better.

Locals still use tap water, yet since the water infrastructure has not been repaired for already a decade, it is recommended to use bottled water.

• Prices. It is generally told that Armenia cost are low, yet recent appreciation of local currency made this statement invalid in many instances. 

• Slow and Calm. A lot of things in Armenia is taking longer to accomplish than in the West. There are several factors contributing to this ranging from the objective country specifics such as underdeveloped infrastructure to purely cultural such as Easter sluggishness. Sooner or later expats accustom to the delays in meetings and shifted deadlines. They either leave the country or become philosophers.   

You can read also about Armenia here

ArmeniaDiaspora.com

ArmeniaInfo.am

ArmeniaForeignMinistry.am