Volunteer in Armenia

Once upon a time (not too long ago) there were two volunteers from Holland who came to Armenia through the EVS program.  Both Sanne and Marieke, with their blonde hair and not-so-typical-Armenian physical appearance, came trotting halfway across the globe to try to make some changes in this country.  What ended up happening in the end, well that is probably best left unsaid, but for both Sanne and Marieke, I believe they not only were able to make changes in Armenia but Armenia was able to make changes in them. 

Sanne describes the European Volunteer Service organization and how one can get involved in international volunteering in her recent blog post.  [ check it out ] She was involved in BEM Youth Progressive Action Center and particularly interested in civil society development here in Armenia. 

And Marieke was also involved at BEM Action Center.  She was also interested in civil society development but also brought her journalism experience to contribute at the organization. 

When it was time for these girls to leave in December, they really had mixed feelings about going.  They both were quite hesitant about going back to Holland.  It turned out the weather in Armenia really did not want them to go back either!  For that entire week, maybe even 2 weeks, Armenia was experiencing such horrible fog that no flights were leaving from Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport.  Maybe it was fate, Sanne and Marieke?  Either way, I do hope you both are able to find ways of coming back to Armenia soon – as your presence is missed. 

For these two volunteers from Holland, I don’t think they ever thought they would have been influenced the way there were by volunteering in Armenia.  Right now is the best time to start looking into such volunteering activities like EVS service that these girls were involved with.  University students are probably looking for things to do this summer.  Recent graduates might not be happy with their current jobs or just looking for a change in their life.  Why not look into volunteering in Armenia?  International internships and other opportunities are not only an excellent resume builder but really tend to be life-changing experiences. 

And for Diasporans who are thinking about their summer plans, there are many different summer programs that one can become involved with in order to come to the Homeland.  For example, check out Depi Hayk or Birthright Armenia  www.birthrightarmenia.org.  I will continue to provide posts and ideas about volunteering opportunities to Armenia, especially as I know there are many young people throughout the world that may be particularly interested. 

Should you be interested, please let me know and I will be more than glad to provide you with some advice and or websites that can give you more insight about how you can come to Armenia and volunteer.