A Road Down Memory Lane

  It’s just another Saturday and Barseg Nazaryan today 77 years old is waiting to be interview, sitting on the edge of seat excited. Barseg still likes to drive around in his car. Barseg remembers the day that he moved to Abovyan, Armenia when he was about 22 years old. When he lived there he was a taxi driver, and he took great pride in his job. Now a days around 12:00 o’clock until around 6:00 o’clock he just drives around to his two son’s workplaces during the time and he tries to help out in any why he can, but he also still enjoys driving around and doing a few errands for his wife when she needs him too. Barseg says that he enjoyed he small town life style, but he wouldn’t move back, because all his kids and his grandchildren live here, everything he loves is here his life is here.

Oh, I was born In Vanak, Tehran, in 1932 February 4. Yes, I did, I had one smaller and one smaller sister, and so I was the oldest child in the house. I lived there until my family and I moved to Armenia, so until 1961 I lived in Vanak, I was abo ut 31 years old. I got married in 1958, the winter of 1958, in December. We were married in Vanak.

Yes all were the same religion except the ones, people who moved here. We didn’t bother them about there religion and they didn’t bother us in ours. No we didn’t to convert them, they slowly started, to come towards our religion, but we didn’t force them.

It didn’t matter low class or high class because it wasn’t like that, everyone was equal because it was communist country. People were recognized more if they were good people and everyone like them, not if they were rich or poor

Yes, there was this one person who was kind of notorious. What was his name, oh it was Kachik, but I don’t remember his last name. He was a normal guy, you would always see, but he was like a rat. Everyday he would wear like a suit, but no tie, but whenever he did wear a tie people knew that he was going to rat someone out or like break up any happy home. Everyone was afraid of him, and when someone would see him, they would warn the people around that he was coming, so they would talk to him. In my town, yes there was this one man, who was a hero, but I can’t remember his name. He was an athlete, and he was a great swimmer. There was this bus, on the way from Abovyan to Yerevan, and then the bus flipped over into water, but I don’t know how. This man saved about forty people by himself. The people treated him like a god; everyone was surprised how he was able to save all those people, and how strong he was. No there were some people who did; he didn’t have enough time go back for the others. The other drowned, because they were stuck in the bus.

Yes, yes we had this famous singer Hovhanes Badalyan; he was great and well-known singer. We also had Ofelia Hambarsumyan, which she still sings. Those two were well known. Yes, I did know, not like we went to each other’s house and we were friends, but in a friendly way. Just like a hi or bye. I also know them because of all their concerts that I went too. I also had many of their cassettes, which I listened to a lot

Yes there were a few others like Frunzik Mkirtchyan. He was a great actor. He had a lot of funny movies and was well known for them. There was Armen Gigharhanyan he was a great actor, who spend most of his time in Russia.

Yes of course there were things the whole town treasured. There were a lot of famous statues in town center. There were a lot. There was Sasoontsi David, Vartan Momikonyan, Kagh Nazar and Hovhanes Shiraz.

In all the anniversaries of the town, people would participate and celebrate. There are many days for winning in war like May 1, was the day celebrated from when the Russia won war against Germany. Also when Armenia won back Garbage from Azerbaijan, but I remember the date. There is February 23, which was the day in honor of soldiers who had fought in war. March 8 was mother’s day and everyone made a big deal for that, presents, loud music.

Oh yes, there was a circus a big and great one. Ohhh, there was circus that I haven’t seen here. They were great; there was a ropewalk, which they also danced on. Yes the ropewalk was my favorite one at of all the attractions of the entire circus. There was always a circus when there was a special anniversary so we saw the circus a lot during the year. Whenever there was a happy and joyful anniversary the circus would be there, performing. It made everyone happy when they say the circus.

We got news for television and radio. No we got news every night, also there were newspapers. It was pretty similar to the news here at night like channel seven and nine. Whatever new news there was it was in the newspaper. Oh yes we had different sections, not a lot but a few. The newspapers were delivered to us, but for some reason we didn’t get it, we could have always gone to boutique were you can get it from. No they everyday, with different and lots of information each day.

Yes there was a paper, but it was like this really big newspaper with all of the months news in it, it was like a really big journal kind of, it talked about sports, singers, everything.

Yes, there was this special food and it was called khash and everyone liked it. You had to eat it early in the morning; you had to eat before the sun came up. But the other food was good too, but this was really popular. Yes, I loved it was my favorite food, and till this day I eat it. I go out sometimes and buy the food necessary for it and then I make it myself some. Over here it easier to make khash because all the things needed is all ready at the store, but in Armenia you had to do everything. Also it is much cleaner here and faster to make.

Oh, when the earthquake happened it was so bad. Their dead people everywhere and buildings that had fallen down. There were people from England, France and Germany, which came over and helped out. Each brought whatever they could like airplanes, food, clothes and water. Everyone helped out not only like police and firefighter, but whoever could, did. We tried to help as much as we could. They would line the coffins up and whoever was dead they would be put in and be buried. Five story buildings were no more. Hospitals were damaged also.

Yes I did, I spend all my young years there. It was great especially with my family there too. Don’t get me wrong I loved living there, but I didn’t like the communist ways that’s the reason I decided to move, because there thing that they said that I didn’t believe and didn’t want my kids to be part of such as believing in certain religion and other things.

Um, I wouldn’t move back because I don’t really see a point in moving back. My family is here, my life is here. Also things on Armenia are really bad right now within the government. The people of Armenia are having fights and people are dieing. So no I would not move back, even tough I really loved it there and enjoyed when I lived there. 

 Interviewed by: Narek Nazaryan

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