Mikhail Harutyunov, at the age of 81 is living a happy life with his family. Throughout his life he has experienced many changes. Some being small and others being significant. Living a difficult life without a father, Mikhail tried his best to succeed. His older brother, a veteran of World War II, took care of him throughout his childhood. Mikhail, born in Georgia, spent most of his life in Yerevan, Armenia. After graduating technical university, Mikhail married Amalya Hovanesyan and became the head mechanic in the State Department of Transportation in Yerevan. Later on, Mikhail became a father of two: daughter, Naira; and son, Ivan. Today, he enjoys the easy life of a senior citizen in Los Angeles. Surrounded by his family, Mikhail can ask for nothing more, but health.

I came here about four years ago from Armenia. One of the most significant changes in my life would have to be transportation. One of the main differences in transportation, throughout the century, would have to be the subway and the metro. Before the subway, the common public transportation vehicles in Yerevan were the “Tranvai” and “ Trolleybus”. Metro exists in Yerevan for about 15 years now, the “Trolleybus”, about 30 years. The metro was a big help to the people because it worked all over the city. This was especially helpful for anybody who had a job.

Nowadays the transportation is excellent. When I first moved to America, I wasn’t used to the buses or taxi’s, it was a bit too weird for me. However after a while I began to get the hang of it and how to use it. I say this because here, the city transportation, works well. However there is one flaw that I have found in the transportation system, the bus stops. Personally, I think that the intervals between the stops of the buses are too long. Sometimes you need to wait 30 to 40 minutes for the bus to come.

Nowadays people rarely use the public transportation. From what I’ve seen, sometimes you sit on the bus and there are only two or three people with you. There have also been times when I have entered bus and I was completely alone. The reason being is that almost every family has, or owns one or two cars. Because of having cars, they use public transportation very rarely. Even though the bus might be empty, it is the driver’s responsibility to go to each and single bus stop.

None of the Trolleybus or Tranvai existed back when I was ten or twelve. We didn’t even know what this meant until after about 20 years later. Before everything people used horses and carts. Those carts transported people from place to place. They kind of reminded me of the carts from movies. The good thing about horse carts was that they served people all over the city. This was good because if we wanted to go to certain places we did not have to walk, you know. If we had heavy bags or other stuff we also did not have to carry that.

After all of that, cars started being manufactured. However, since this was a new thing to people the car company did not produce many models. Only a few. Thus not every family had a car. Though, later on after some years passed, cars began to fill the streets of the cities. Having a car was very important because people went to places daily; they were good for going to places, and not just in the city, but also in the outer parts. People back in my day traveled a lot. We as a family went somewhere almost once a week. We’ve been on a vacation to Kislavodsk or Odessa. Also my parents live back in Georgia while I lived in Yerevan. So, I used my car to drive and visit them. I got my first car at a very young age, probably around 15. Also, this is was the time where it was difficult for regular people to buy an automobile. Of course I bought the classic Jigouly.

Back in Yerevan, when I still worked, I was the head mechanic of the Department of Transportation. To become one I hate to go through a university and earn my degree there. To learn how to drive the buses or trucks, one had to become an apprentice. The driver taught the students as well as me, how to drive.

In Yerevan, after I had a decent job I bought a car. It was called Jigouly. Our family I went everywhere together. When we went to Odessa we loaded out stuff and our cat onto the boat. When we arrived there we used the car to cruise around and the headed back. Of course I was a well-educated driver.

In my opinion transportation today has greatly advanced for the better. Transportation in America is nothing to think about. It is very well monitored and very well planned. The buses work perfectly and it is much more comfortable. I think that today’s transportation is less dangerous those 50 years ago. There are two huge reasons why transportation is becoming good now. First off the way the cars and vehicles are designed and with all the airbags and stuff. Second, important thing is the road. In the future the vehicles of public transformation will greatly advance. I have recently found out that Bill Gates wants to put a computer and a phone in every car.

Like all other teenagers my grandson is anxious to get his license; however I tell him that the time will come don’t rush it.