My Journey to Armenia: Witnessing the Strength of a Timeless Homeland

I went back to Armenia this summer for the second time — but in all fairness, it felt like the first. I was really young the first time so I didn't learn much from that trip. This time, though, I really got to see it all and appreciate how important everything was that I saw.

From the moment I stepped off the plane, I knew something was off. Everything was old, but in this strong sense — like the earth had experienced a lot but was still plugging away. The coolest aspect? The old churches and monuments. Some of them date back more than a thousand years. And they're still standing.

I visited places like Geghard Monastery, which was literally carved out of the face of a mountain. I also visited Etchmiadzin — the oldest cathedral in the world. That is insane to even say. Moving around such places had me walking around feeling like I was stepping into the past, being a part of something much larger than me.

What really blew my mind is how much Armenia has suffered. Wars, invasions, genocide — but our people didn't lose hope. They held on to their language, their religion, their land. You can sense that strength wherever you go.

It was uplifting. Uplifting to be Armenian. Uplifting to see how strong and durable our people are. There is this quiet strength in each church, each intricate stone, each face doling out food with lavash and a smile. As if they're declaring, "We're still here."

And that's what I'll take from this trip most:
We've been through so much, but we're still standing.
And we always will be.