Susan Balyan, a
hard working mother of four, at the age of fifty-six now living in Glendale,
California with her youngest son and grandchildren. Lived in Armenia until
1991 when she flew across the ocean to get to a land so unfamiliar to her
homeland. She worked all her life trying to raise her children the right way.
Like any other Armenian well-structured family, Susan worked as much as her
husband to bring money home in time to pay the bills.
I worked as a measurer. Someone that measures waves of the sea.
Measures the wave height. In Russian it is “valmarer,” and in Armenian
“aliki chapich.” A department where I worked as an engineer. There was
work and more available jobs for the educated people. You had to learn to be
able to work in the engineering room. Not every one could be a measurer. At
that time I was twenty-five years old. I started work at the age of seventeen
and learned form then on. Employees worked and I checked if everything was in
its place. It was a very important job.
Usually where I’m from—Soviet Union—a student wouldn’t work.
The parents would work and would take care of their kids. Parents would take
care of any fee until students finished their school and studies. First school
was finished then accepted to an university then their parents take care of
them usually. But if someone who learned well in the school, gets a
scholarship to be able to buy their books, notebooks, and anything that’s
needed from the university.
Every student had to buy his or her own books. School in Armenia is
different from here. In Armenia school was taught differently from the
beginning. We went over everything. You know mathematics, literature, and the
rest. All of the students in the class had their book unless one, who
couldn’t afford one, would borrow it trade so it’d b good for both
students.
Students were
treated very well. At our schools the strictness was leveled out well. Never
did the teacher have the right to abuse us in anyway. But if ever, which
happened barely, a student behaved badly he would be sent out of the class
till the second hour started, but never did the school send students home or
suspend them. Instead they kept them at school longer to learn their lesson.
Our only punishment was more assigned work
All
businesses were the governments. No man was allowed it have their own
business. We had no freedom. We couldn’t everything was the governments. But
there were much greater things: no funds for attending school, learning was
free.
Medical problems were all free. When we were sick or hurt we would go
to an health office faraway from our city with no fee, all left for the
government to pay. But go far to be healed and cured. We were able to use out
own car. But usually we used a train or plane because it was easier to reach
such a far place.
Soviet Union was not just Armenian’s
government. Soviet Union controlled fifteen different countries. In Armenia if
people were caught for stealing they would need to show up in court. They
would go to court, and the judge would choose his punishment. If it was just a
small simple theft only a “tugank.” A ticket fee.
You know how all police here have the same value and nearly same job.
But in the Soviet Union it wasn’t like that. See whoever was the highway
officer was the only one to be able to give a ticket. But the city officers
had no right to give out a ticket; they had no business with another’s
business. For example city cops would give you a ticket if the rate were
written thirty-five and you drove fifty, of course you would receive a ticket.
I don’t know about now, but at my time the family father and mother,
they were equal, worked together and took care of the children together. They
had no house payments or rent to pay. Our yearly fee was twenty-three rubli.
Soviet Union’s rubli. And where we worked, the government supplied us with
homes to live in. but whoever wanted an house, had to build it themselves with
no help of the government. We would pay the light bill and gas bill monthly.
We had a president. Khushrov was the president of the Soviet Union. The
fifteen nations’ president back then was like today’s United States’
president is Bush.
Every “hanrapetutsun,” which means republic in Armenian, didn’t
have a president but someone like a governor called “Hayastani Nakhaga.”
Similar to California, the governor is Schwazhinager. In Armenia it was
Dermichyan.
The day of the votes were called “untrutsun.” For example September
eighteen was voting day, whoever had their passports and were old enough, went
to vote. Needed to be eighteen or older.
When I went
to school Khurshrov was president. But then a little while later it became
Brezhnev. During Khushrov life was poor. But at Brezhnev’s time people lived
better and well. People were safe and secured.
In the 60s, 70s whoever worked would eat. If you worked you’ll be
able to survive and live well. Yerevan is the nation’s capital and people
lived better and wealthy. Workers got a lot of money. Soviet Union was cheaper
then, than prices of today. A villager brings milk, eggs, cheese, and yogurt
to the city. Villagers sell those items to city people and bought clothes and
many other things then returned to the village. Usually traded. Our country
was great. Then Galbachov destroyed it.
Our country turned democratic when it was communist at our times. Then
Galbachov gave freedom and democratic. All the strong and powerful took over
the lower class people. And that’s why people left to come to America.
That’s why the strong and powerful are eating the weak and poor in our
country.
The Sovietakan Hayastan and Avardang—Soviet Union
newspaper in Armenia. Every Soviet country had their own Soviet newspaper. And
Armenia had many and even the sports section. When we went to school we were
“ponyer”(scouts. Students would be the ones to write the paper. The paper
was seen all throughout Armenia, elders and youngsters.
Young high school students would write the paper. It was a newspaper
informing people about school and graduated teens.
Looking at it this way makes it easy, kids those times weren’t picky.
They didn’t have much and there wasn’t so much out in the markets to be
wanted. And children grew up with more manners and respect. My mother had
seven children and my mother-in-law had five kids.
Usually it was the father of the family who worked unless the family
had some problems then the mother would work. Women wouldn’t be old to work
because many jobs didn’t need to be a graduate from a university. Everyone
was paid for every job they worked.
My husband had never laid a finger on me. And no parent would allow
themselves to beat a child. But if you tried talking and didn’t work as
planned, just a slap on the head wouldn’t make a big deal just trying to
discipline you child.
The most difficult time in my life was when I just had two kids in a
year apart and I was working and taking care of them also, plus the house.