I’m headed to Armenia as a Peace Corps volunteer! This beautiful country is known for its cultural heritage, ancient churches, and landscapes. I’ll be teaching English and helping teachers to improve their skills, living with host families, and learning the language. I’m excited to be a part of this adventure and see what the future holds for me in Armenia!

What can you say about Armenia?

Armenia is located in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. It borders Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Iran. There are almost 3 million people and most are ethnic Armenians. The people speak what is referred to as “Eastern Armenian”.

Armenia has a strong focus on agriculture, industry, and services. The main industries include the production of electrical equipment, foodstuffs, and machinery. And there is a growing service sector that includes telecommunications, IT, and tourism.

As the world’s next tech hub, Armenia’s tech sector has enjoyed double-digit annual growth rates employing some 20,000 workers–30 percent of whom are women. 

Tourism is also on the rise in Armenia. It has a rich cultural heritage and many historical sites. Armenia has many ancient monasteries and churches. Armenia is the 6th most mountainous country in the world with 85% covered by mountains. Armenia’s beautiful landscapes and outdoor activities attract many visitors who want to hike or ski.

Armenia has a complicated political history. It has had a hard time since the fall of the Soviet Union, with the Nagorno-Karabakh war and the economic crisis. Armenia’s struggles continue.

Overall, Armenia offers an amazing blend of history, culture, and adventure. Its economy is growing and tourism is increasing.

What is the Education system like?

The education system is considered to be of good quality. There is a high literacy rate. And Armenia has a well-established system of primary and secondary schools. Education is compulsory until age 16. A challenge faced by schools is a lack of resources, especially in rural areas.

There are several universities and colleges offering undergraduate and graduate programs. Higher education is not free. But the government provides some scholarships and financial aid.

People feel that the government has made good efforts to modernize the education system and increase access to higher education. But some feel that more needs to be done to address the challenges in terms of resources and preparing students for the workforce.

History of the Peace Corps in Armenia

The first Peace Corps Volunteers arrived in Armenia in the winter of 1992, during the most difficult of times for the young Republic. The young republic faced a lack of food, electricity, and heat, during a particularly hard winter, and the country was still dealing with the difficult recovery period after a devastating 1988 earthquake, the breakup of the Soviet Union, and a war with Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh territory. Yet, despite all of these difficulties, these first Volunteers stayed in Armenia and served their communities who welcomed them with warm hearts and open arms. Since then, around 1,100 Volunteers have served in the Armenia Peace Corps Program

peacecorps.gov/armenia/about

What will you be doing?

As a Peace Corps volunteer, I will be teaching English to students and helping teachers in Armenia improve their skills. For the first part of my service, I will be living with host families and learning the language. After several months of training, I will then move to a permanent site to begin my work. I will be in Armenia for 2 years.

Armenia is a country with a lot to offer and I’m excited to be a part of this adventure and see what the future holds.

Photo credits: feature by Omkar Jadhav on Unsplash, church photo by Hasmik Ghazaryan Olson on Unsplash, classroom photo from Peace Corps Media Library