The New Normal: Being Quarantined in Armenia

When the panic of the Coronavirus crisis first took the global stage, Universities called its study abroad students home, Peace Corp assignments were cut short, and Birthright Armenia volunteers were in limbo—should we stay or should we go? We’re Armenians after all, we can survive anything, especially some flu like symptoms. While I teetered between the two decisions, weighing the pros, being home safe with my family whom I haven’t seen in months, and the cons such as having my Birthright Armenia experience cut short and leaving the budding relationships I’d began behind… I blinked and all of a sudden it was too late and the decision was made for me. As flights were canceled and borders were closed, Armenia implemented strict lock down measures which restricted movement within the city to vital outings only. On the night of my 23rd birthday, police cars drove throughout the city, blaring a recording announcing the new normal: “Beginning tomorrow March 25th, if you need to leave your home you must be prepared to show authorities your passport and have a filled out application which states the details of who you are, where you’re going, and when you’ll return.” We’d already been working from home for about a week at this point, but not being allowed to leave the house, except to go to the grocery store, seemed rather daunting. I was worried my productive days and fun-filled evenings in Yerevan had come to a close. However, after a few days the initial shock began to wear off and myself and others began making the most of our newfound free time at home. With the help of my host family, I began devoting more time to learning and practicing Armenian, remembering words I heard as child and reminiscing on the memories they stir up. I work, read, write, talk to friends online, attempt learning the piano, do home-workouts, and spend time with my host family. Whether we are enjoying a cup of soorj together and taking in the beautiful views from our apartment in the morning, or having a backgammon tournament in the evening, we are always doing our best to celebrate the positive moments of this trying time and avoid the c-word best we can.

Christina Voskanian

USA, 2020