arpi.parseghian@tufts.edu
My name is Arpi Parseghian, and I traveled to Yerevan, Armenia for 5 weeks for an independent site project. I interned at the Health Network for Armenia (HENAR) within their Community Health Worker (CHW) project. This project focuses on the rural region of southern Armenia in Syunik Province. CHW’s representing their communities are working to provide trauma-informed care and health education, complementing existing healthcare providers like village nurses. Their initiative aims to improve management of non-communicable diseases, help patients navigate complex health systems and ensure they comply with recommended treatment and follow-up visits.
As an American-Armenian, I was incredibly grateful to learn from HENAR and immerse myself completely into the day-to-day life in Armenia. Being a landlocked country with past and present history of surviving genocide, I was able to further educate myself on my own personal interests within global public health; how does living in a region of border conflict affect one’s access to the care they need? Upon completion of my Global Health Experience, I left HENAR with my research on tools they can utilize in the future to measure the effects of cumulative trauma on access to and prioritization of one’s own healthcare. It was so impactful to see the many agencies and organizations coming together to strengthen Armenia’s healthcare system and learning just how much work needs to be done to improve it.
On my first day of orientation with my volunteer group (Birthright Armenia), our director shared with us that along with our excitement of being in our motherland, we need to remember that this is a “real country with real people”. I was so excited to be there; to serve, to help, and to hopefully make any change that I could with my time there for a place that I love so deeply.
We were reminded to not compare our experiences to others, and that it’s almost impossible to change anything in 5 weeks or even 5 months. This was a real country with real people. I was humbled, experiencing Armenia as a student to be educated, different from my past experiences where I would serve as a service trip participant. Instead of leaving with a list of accomplishments and good feelings, I was met with a yearning, a desire, and conflicting emotions that only meant one thing: growth. I was yearning to stay in Armenia and soak in the culture, the education, and the history like a sponge. I had a desire to meet more patients in Syunik, to learn more about their complex health needs, and to explore more hidden beauty throughout Armenia. I was heartbroken to leave, excited to come home to share my new knowledge and stories, and realized quickly that I would never be the same again. Because “home” doesn’t fit the way it used to, because once your soul expands, you can never shrink it back.
I know that I will return to Armenia, and when I do, I want to continue to serve completely, learn deeply, and use what Tufts has taught me to improve the lives of my people and beyond. I will forever be grateful for this experience. Thank you to the Tufts Global Health Program!