Meet Our Staff : FAR Blog

[Meet Our Staff]: The Volunteer Experience.

August 9, 2011 3:37 pm

I’m Zara, a 17-year-old girl from Yerevan. Currently, I study at Yerevan State Linguistic University in the Linguistics and Intercultural Communications Department. My minor is international journalism. I also study English, French and Russian.

As a person, I’m very active, hardworking, responsible and self-confident. When the academic year was over, I immediately tried to find something interesting to do for the summer. Since I am very much interested in volunteering I searched on the Internet for opportunities until I found FAR. I applied for an internship and accepted their offer. The organization welcomed me with great love. The atmosphere is warm here and everyone shares their working skills with others.

As a volunteer I learn a lot of things – from basic office work to improving my communication skills. Thanks to FAR I’ve already learned a lot this summer and I’m sure that this is just the beginning.

Zara is currently helping with translations for FAR’s communication department and educational programs. She is also assisting in processing paper applications for FAR’s healthcare programs.

Zara Israyelyan is one of FAR’s summer interns
Credit: Levon Lachikyan

[Meet Our Staff]: Q&A with Asvadurov Hovhanness, Security Guard at the FAR Children’s Center.

August 5, 2011 4:36 pm

By Tatevik Khoja-Eynatyan, Krista Tyner

FAR: What do you do at the FAR Children’s Center?

AH: I’m a security guard for the facility. Sometimes the staff needs help with other things though and I happily help out. We all join together and make sure everything that needs to happen does happen. As you saw with moving during the center’s renovation, we all love doing this work and I can certainly testify that I do everything here with great enthusiasm.

FAR: How did you come to work at the center and can you describe the transition from
being a child of the center to being one of its employees?

AH: I was sheltered at the center when I was 16. Afterwards, I was placed in a boarding school and soon joined the army. When I returned after the service, I had nowhere to go and again applied for assistance from the Children’s Center, even though I was no longer a child. The staff supported me and I found a temporary seasonal job. I happily agreed to work, even though I knew I’d eventually be unemployed again. Nevertheless, very soon they offered me a chance to join their staff. I’ve now worked here for four months. At first it was a little strange to work and live at the same place, but I eventually got used to it.

FAR: How often do you work?

AH: I work the night shift here three days a week. Sometimes I work in the afternoons, too. This place feels so dear to me that I occasionally try to work for no particular reason.

FAR: How is your relationship with the children here?

AH: Very good. Children are often very sweet and enthusiastic, especially here.

FAR: What do you like most about working here?

AH: I can’t say there’s one thing that I like, but it’s definitely a delight to work with the people. Sometimes people don’t want to go to their workplace, but I come here with immense delight.

FAR: What career plans do you have for your future?

AH: After the army, the center supported me so I could be admitted to Yerevan’s Pedagogical University on a full scholarship. Recently, and with their support, I was admitted to the Professional Casting School, which is the only school in Yerevan for those who want to pursue careers in visual media. It is headed by Abel Abelyan, a member of the center’s Circle of Friends and a well-known Armenian actor. I go to the Pedagogical University the first part of the day and to the Casting School in the afternoon. I want to continue to work here and practicing my socio-pedagogical knowledge can be of help to these children and to the staff. I wish to continue working for the center for as long as I live.

FAR: What impressions have the center left on you?

AH: When people say that good people exist in the world, it’s true. Thanks to them, I have gotten very far. If not for the center, I don’t think I’d be in a good situation. It’s called a support center and they truly support children. They are a miracle.

Crystal Densmore is one of the FAR Children’s Center’s summer interns.

“It’s called a support center and they truly
support children. They are a miracle, ” Hovhannes
said about the FAR Children’s Center.

Credit: Manane Petrosyan

[Meet Our Staff]: The Musical Achievements of Vachagan Navasardyan.

May 20, 2011 1:38 pm

By Levon Lachikyan

For twenty years Vachagan Navasardyan has been working for FAR as artistic director Tatev Children’s Choir. He has also made great contributions to Armenian music. At FAR we call him “Maestro.” Recently, this great man was given the title of associate professor of vocal study at Yerevan State Pedagogical University by the Armenian government in appreciation for his long and dedicated commitment to teaching the arts.
Born in Yerevan in 1944, Vachagan graduated from Sayat Nova Music School in 1963 and went on to study at Gyumri State Music College and Yerevan State Music College. He also attended Yerevan State Conservatory. Between 1961 and 1963, he worked at the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra then later was a soloist for the Armenian Choir Association.

Vachagan has created many choirs, including the Yerevan #2 Music College Choir, the Armenian State Project Institute Choir, Yeghvard Ethnographical Choir, the Choir of Sirius Factory in Abovyan, along with FAR’s Tatev Children’s Choir, which was initiated by FAR in 1991. The Tatev Choir has participated in both national and international competitions and festivals, receiving prizes and awards in the process. Vachagan has also conducted the very unique Paros Choir, whose members all have disabilities. These groups have participated in various concerts around Armenia and in places like Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, Italy, France and Lebanon.

For many years, Vachagan was the only one who worked with Armenian compositions written for children. At the same time, he showcased his own talents in various major art events organized by the Armenian government, and in concerts organized by the Composers Union of Armenia.

We sincerely congratulate our Maestro and wish him the best in his future endeavors.

Vachagan Navasardyan

Credit: Felix Arustamyan

Vachagan Navasardyan with Paros Choir

Credit: Paros Choir

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[Meet Our Staff]: Veronika Mkrtchyan, the Newest Member of FAR’s Educational Programs Team.

December 1, 2010 10:30 am

We at FAR introduced our readers to Veronika Mkrtchyan a few months ago. At the time she was studying for a master’s degree in international relations at Yerevan State University. After graduating in June, she spent months trying to find a job in diplomacy while also volunteering to help implement FAR’s education programs. Proving herself as competent and dedicated, she accepted the offer to join FAR’s Yerevan staff full-time as the assistant to the educational programs coordinator in the beginning of November.

“FAR helped me at two very crucial and important moments of my life, first by supporting me so I could receive an education and second, by giving me an opportunity to implement my knowledge and skills. In fact, this organization is like a guardian to me,” Veronika said.

Veronika Mkrtchyan

Credit: Levon Lachikyan

[Meet Our Staff - World Cup Edition]: And Now For Something Completely Different – Soccer XI.

July 15, 2010 11:55 am

And so it is over.

The games are over, South Africa can go back to its regular routines (we sure hope that the world cup was, after all, a great success for all South Africans), we here in the offices of FAR went back to work. And everybody lost their bets. Argentina, Brazil, England (especially England), Germany, USA – all disappointed us. Well, at least financially. I think we have to send the wagered money in the pot to the Spanish team. Or just donate it. Hey, perhaps we can finance some new soccer balls for our summer camps…

Levon Lachikyan, our press secretary from Yerevan, has his own final thoughts on the spectacle surrounding the game of soccer / football:

Armenians love to watch and play football. Unfortunately we are not good at playing it. Well, we are good in other categories: weightlifting, boxing, even chess!
When I was a child I was very fond of the game. I was a goal-keeper in my team and my favorite footballer was Lev Yashin, a Soviet goal-keeper. I also loved watching Eusébio, Garrincha, and Pele.
I loved football as an art form. I am more interested in the game itself than the results. Nowadays, unfortunately, football more and more loses its appeal. Goals become more important than values and sportsmanship. The game becomes rational. The World Cup 2010 is a very good example for this. One can hardly see individual games developing. Everything is based on passes. The excitement of the game comes short and therefore the attitude and attention of the audience changes as well. It is not so much fun to watch anymore. And the vuvuzelas are very disturbing!
The most interesting games are perhaps still ahead.

See you in four years!

Credit: Shine 2010 – 2010 World Cup Good Views
via Creative Commons / Flickr

Also check out Shine 2010 – 2010 World Cup Good Views’ photo stream

[Meet Our Staff - World Cup Edition]: And Now For Something Completely Different – Soccer X and a half.

July 13, 2010 1:49 pm

By Celine Kaladjian

[ soccer ] |ˈsäkər| noun, a game in which you actually have to be able to run for at least 90 minutes straight (unlike ‘American Football’ where they stop ‘playing’ every 2 minutes) – Urban dictionary definition.

If I believe the scientific grounds of this definition, let me tell you that until 1985 (the year I was born), my dad – Robert Kaladjian – was indeed able to run for a long period of time. He started playing for A.F. Balustres in Marseille in 1977 and for many years, he dreamt of going professional.

I have always wondered why some cities are more prone to live through soccer. In Marseille, a whole identity is built around this sport. Actually, we venerate soccer teams as we would venerate a God. Until the late 90s, my dad belonged to the fervent supporter pack who would travel from city to city to cheer for his favorite team: l’Olympique de Marseille. For years, I have watched soccer games hoping to see him appear on the tube. Needless to say that those hours where fruitless.

But my dad has stopped being a real supporter. In his words “the 70s where the golden years, for soccer. Then came the 90s and the era of business soccer”. He remembers fondly the best World Cup he has ever watched: Mexico 1970.

Former supporters always keep an opinion about soccer. For this World Cup, he was hoping the U.S.A would go further. “At least they played with their hearts. So did teams such as North Korea or even Japan. I have the feeling that others are not aiming at the trophy anymore but more at trying to sell themselves after the World Cup”.

I grew up hearing legendary names such as Boli, Platini or Maradona. No wonder that my dad’s second favorite was Argentina. When prompted to give his reasons, he answered “Contrary to other coached, Maradona always said what he has to say. He has a big mouth and made me laugh”.

Genes must have something to do with one’s taste: I was hoping that Argentina would make it. At least I can rejoice to know that one specific person on the board has enjoyed seeing Germany beat them hollow!

Robert Kaladjian, 1977

Credit: Kaladjian Family Archive

[Meet Our Staff - World Cup Edition]: And Now For Something Completely Different – Soccer X.

July 12, 2010 11:27 am

Congratulations, Spain!

[httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8__lUfx7zdo]

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