First, I would like to thank Matt for the opportunity to post my thoughts here on Blogrel. As you can tell from my name, I am not Armenian; however, I have lived for many years in rural Armenia.

First and foremost, I have come to love Armenia very much. I have been to many places but the people of rural Armenia are strong people who view the world much differently than I have ever viewed it.

I am sure we will have some lively discussions. I hope to highlight the good and the bad and to help the discussion that is currently going on in rural Armenia. That discussion revolves around how to improve one’s life without offending or upsetting the status quo. Of course, this is almost impossible but I will explore the issues that face myself and others in the community in which I live and work. Changing the status quo is mandatory for Armenia to improve itself.

I do respectfully ask that you carefully read my opinions and understand my opinions. My experiences will be very different than those who live in the capital because Armenia is a country with two realities. The first is the fast development and riches of the center of Yerevan and the second is the rest of Armenia which begins two kilometers from Yerevan’s central square and extends almost throughout the whole country.

For me, my work is for the people of Armenia. In this I make a distinction. There are Armenians all over the world but this blog will mainly deal with people of the state of Armenia. I am hoping that we can address the issues facing them head on and not talk in circles. I will not be posting and commenting on the news although I may reference a supporting article. There are enough bloggers all over the world that already give their opinions on the news. I hope to address issues that may not appear so clearly in the news and provoke some much needed discussion about life in rural Armenia.