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READ MOREHome as Artful Wonder31 Jul, 2025Welcome to Halos of Home, my podcast where I, Serena Izmirlian, explore what home is to friends in their twenties and thirties while we’re both exploring Armenia for a short time. I find it beautiful that humans are tasked with creating a home for themselves, and that this changes with time so I have dedicated time to exploring this with friends.
For episode seven I talk with my friend Michael Aghasaryan from Sherman Oaks in Los Angeles. He is a trained actor, literary buff, and avid appreciator of art.
His love for art appears throughout our conversation. We begin by distinguishing true from false wonder, then move on to discussing his journey of regaining innocence, how to not become jaded, his desire to create, his relationship with writing, thoughts on masculinity, and his exploration of his Armenianness within the past decade of his life.
My aim is that all you listeners will consider what home means to you currently and how it has evolved, so ponder this while listening to Michael's ideas.
READ MOREHome as Mindful Imagination29 Jul, 2025Welcome to Halos of Home, my podcast where I, Serena Izmirlian, explore what home is to friends in their twenties and thirties while we’re both exploring Armenia for a short time. I find it beautiful that humans are tasked with creating a home for themselves, and that this changes with time so I have dedicated time to exploring this with friends.
Episode six stars Sharmagh Tonoyan, my Armenian native friend from a village in Lori. Sharmagh is a graduate of English literature and currently moves between her village and Gyumri for living.
She is highly imaginative which is transparent throughout our interview. We talk about the advantages of dreamers, home as a state of mind, how to discover your authentic self separated from the need for external validation, and the unforgettability of kindness, to list a few points.
My aim is that all you listeners will consider what home means to you currently and how it has evolved, so ponder this while listening to Sharmagh's ideas.
READ MOREHome as Restful Humility21 Jul, 2025Welcome to Halos of Home, my podcast where I, Serena Izmirlian, explore what home is to friends in their twenties and thirties while we’re both exploring Armenia for a short time. I find it beautiful that humans are tasked with creating a home for themselves, and that this changes with time so I have dedicated time to exploring this with friends.
Episode five has me chat with Katrina Popovian from Los Angeles. Katrina recently graduated from her studies in Economics and describes herself as being in a transitional period of her life with her wish to pursue creativity. She lived in Gyumri for nine months, learning pivotal lessons along the way.
Our conversation covers many points such as defining rest, humility, and creativity, how to initiate emotional vulnerability, what expectations we should have when being vulnerable, the obscured connection between pride and insecurity and how to have a large sense of identity.
My aim is that all you listeners will consider what home means to you currently and how it has evolved, so ponder this while listening to Katrina's ideas.
READ MOREHome as Worthy Nostalgia16 Jul, 2025Welcome to Halos of Home, my podcast where I, Serena Izmirlian, explore what home is to friends in their twenties and thirties while we’re both exploring Armenia for a short time. I find it beautiful that humans are tasked with creating a home for themselves, and that this changes with time so I have dedicated time to exploring this with friends.
For episode three I converse with my dear friend Camille Ramecourt from Paris. Camille is very creative and loves to write, and to bring people together using her charisma and awesome planning skills. Also, her background is in law and economics.
We talk, to list a few topics, about the importance of shared vulnerability, her journey regarding overcoming auto-pilot mode, the difference between a house and a home, and the magnetic pull adventure has on her life.
My aim is that all you listeners will consider what home means to you currently and how it has evolved, so ponder this while listening to Camille’s ideas.
READ MOREHome as Sharing Love23 May, 2025Welcome to Halos of Home, my podcast where I, Serena Izmirlian, explore what home is to friends in their twenties and thirties while we’re both exploring Armenia for a short time. I find it beautiful that humans are tasked with creating a home for themselves, and that this changes with time so I have dedicated time to exploring this with friends.
For episode two I chat with Hovig Ohanian from California. Hovig loves to read, is passionate about politics and films weekly vlogs about his experiences in Armenia on his YouTube channel.
During our time together we discuss, to name a few points, the centrality of relationships in his life, the capability of every person to give love, his personal connection to his Armenian homeland, the guarantee of change and the eternality of love.
My aim is that all you listeners will consider what home means to you currently and how it has evolved, so ponder this while listening to Hovig’s ideas.
READ MOREHome as Eternal Truth06 May, 2025Welcome to Halos of Home, my podcast where I, Serena Izmirlian, explore what home is to friends in their twenties and thirties while we’re both exploring Armenia for a short time. I find it beautiful that humans are tasked with creating a home for themselves, and that this changes with time so I have dedicated time to exploring this with friends.
During episode one I chat with Sevan Zobian from Rhode Island. Sevan has a passion for the Bible, works as a carpenter and has a background in historical restoration. Each of these come up in our conversation.
My aim is that all you listeners will consider what home means to you currently and how it has evolved, so ponder this while listening to Sevan’s ideas.
READ MORELes interviews avec les bénévoles de Birthright Armenia à Gyumri : Épisode 8 : Arevig Karabedian.31 Jan, 2025Bienvenue dans le huitième épisode d’un projet très passionnant dans lequel je mène des interviews avec des bénévoles de Birthright Armenia, ici dans la ville magnifique de Gyumri ! Lors de ces interviews, je vais présenter nos charmants bénévoles à nos auditeurs, nous apprendrons ce qu’ils font à Gyumri nous découvrirons leurs impressions de la ville et de l’Arménie en générale.Aujourd’hui nous sommes avec la magnifique Arevig Karabedian, originaire de Lyon et arménienne exemplaire. Musicothérapeute de profession, Arevig est venue en Arménie après avoir terminé ses études pour servir le pays de ces ancêtres.Arevig, notre première invitée de France sur la chaîne avec Birthright, est une Arménienne très proche de ses racines. Dans cet épisode qui donne matière à réflexion, elle nous livre ses pensées profondes sur sa perception de identité nationale, pourquoi il est important de faire du bénévolat avec Birthright Armenia à Gyumri et nous présente sa profession qui est unique et si importante ! Merci d’être venue Arevig, c’était un vrai plaisir de parler avec toi !
READ MOREInterviews with Gyumri’s Birthright Armenia volunteers: Episode 7: Lilit Kevorkian.18 Jan, 2025Welcome to the seventh episode of a very exciting project, in which I, your host Christopher Crowson, a participant of the Birthright Armenia program, am conducting interviews with my fellow Birthright Armenia volunteers. In these interviews, I hope to get our listeners acquainted with the Gyumri volunteers, learn what they are doing here, and hear what kind of insights they can offer us into life in Gyumri and Armenia today.Today, we are joined by the lovely Lilit Kevorkian! Lilit, who grew up in New York and recently graduated with a degree in health science, was actually born in Gyumri, thus making her our first Gyumri native to be featured on the show! It was a privilege to have Lilit in the studio and have her recount the heartwarming story of her return to Armenia’s cultural capital!In this particularly touching episode, Lilit discusses the significance of her Armenian roots in her life and identity, provides a thoughtful perspective on what it means to be Armenian and explains how, during her time in Armenia, she has not only learned more about the country but has also discovered more about her own personal values. Lilit, you a spark of joy in the world. Thank you for coming to speak to us!
READ MORELes interviews avec les bénévoles d’Armenia Volunteer Corps a Gyumri: Épisode 1: Anaïs Kromicheff20 Dec, 2024Bienvenue dans le premier épisode d’un projet très passionnant dans lequel je mène des interviews avec des bénévoles d’Armenia Volunteer Corps, ici dans la ville magnifique de Gyumri ! Lors de ces interviews, je vais présenter nos charmants bénévoles à nos auditeurs, nous apprendrons ce qu’ils font à Gyumri nous découvrirons leurs impressions de la ville et de l’Arménie en générale.Aujourd’hui nous sommes avec Anaïs Kromicheff., une Française originaire de Dijon, qui est spécialisée dans des projets internationaux pour une organisation de jeunesse. Anaïs est venue en Arménie deux fois l’année dernière par le biais de son travail et et lors de ces deux séjours, elle est tout simplement tombée amoureuse du pays. Par conséquent, lorsque l’opportunité de revenir en Arménie s’est présentée à elle cette année-là, elle l’a saisie sans hésitation.Anaïs, en tant que première invitée avec l’organisation Armenia Volunteer Corps, offre des perspectives très intéressantes sur la vie en Arménie. Dans cet épisode amusant nous discuterons du fonctionnement de l’organisation Armenia Volunteer Corps, des avantages d’être française dans un pays qui adore la France et tout un tas d’anecdotes comiques de ses aventures arméniennes ! Merci d’être venue Anaïs, c’était un grand plaisir de parler avec toi !
READ MOREInterviews with Gyumri’s Birthright Armenia volunteers: Episode 6: Katrina Popovian.03 Dec, 2024Welcome to the sixth episode of a very exciting project, in which I, your host Christopher Crowson, a participant of the Birthright Armenia program, am conducting interviews with my fellow Birthright Armenia volunteers. In these interviews, I hope to get our listeners acquainted with the Gyumri volunteers, see what they are doing here in Armenia and see what kind of insights they can offer us into life in Gyumri and Armenia today.In today’s episode we are joined by Katrina Popovian, our first guest from the dazzling city of Los Angeles (one had to come eventually!). Born in the infamous Glendale but raised in the San Fernando Valley, the lovely Katrina has just graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a degree in economics. Feeling somewhat lost following her departure from university, Katrina decided that the time was right to spread her wings and embark on her journey of self-discovery in Armenia.In this feel-good yet thought-provoking episode, Katrina talks about the tight-knit Birthright community here in Gyumri, the warmth and love she has experienced when interacting with the locals and the unexpected evolution of her cultural identity and language skills since her arrival in Armenia. Katrina, thank you for your insights, it was a pleasure speaking with you!
READ MOREInterviews with Gyumri’s Birthright Armenia alumni: Episode 2: Anaheed Sarian.22 Nov, 2024Welcome to the second episode of an exciting project, in which I, Christopher Crowson, a participant of the Birthright Armenia program, am conducting interviews with the Birthright Armenia alumni who are currently based in Gyumri. In these interviews, I hope to get our listeners acquainted with the Gyumri alumni, see what they are doing after their Birthright Armenia volunteer service and hear what kind of insights they have into ‘real life’ in Armenia.In today’s episode we are joined by the amazing Anaheed Sarian! Coming all the way from Sydney, Australia, Anaheed has made the brave and inspiring decision to make Gyumri, Armenia her new home. In early 2021, following the turbulent times triggered by the global pandemic and the terrible loss of Artsakh, Anaheed felt the time was right to come to Gyumri as a Birthright Armenia volunteer. She has remained in the cultural capital of Armenia ever since and has been engaged in an extremely innovative line of work, having developed a successful sustainable fashion brand which you can find here.In this particularly heart-warming episode, Anaheed recounts the touching story of why she decided to repatriate in the regions of her homeland, how she hopes to contribute to the resurgence of the textile industry in Gyumri, which practically disappeared with the dissolution the Soviet Union and gives future and current volunteers encouraging advice regarding remaining in Armenia after volunteering. Anaheed, you are an inspiration, we cannot thank you enough for coming to speak to us!
READ MOREInterviews with Gyumri’s Birthright Armenia alumni: Episode 1: Alin Demirdjian. Description07 Nov, 2024Welcome to the first episode of an exciting project, in which I, Christopher Crowson, a participant of the Birthright Armenia program, am conducting interviews with the Birthright Armenia alumni who are currently based in Gyumri. In these interviews, I hope to get our listeners acquainted with the Gyumri alumni, see what they are doing after their Birthright Armenia volunteer service and hear what kind of insights they have into ‘real life’ in Armenia.In today’s episode we are joined by the very special Alin Demirdjian! Alin, who was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, has been living full time in Gyumri since 2019. She considers the Birthright Armenia program to be a truly life-changing experience and after completing her volunteer service in 2011, she has never looked back. Alin is an accomplished musician and at the beginning of this enthralling episode, you will have the pleasure of listening to one of her latest releases ‘Togh lini aypdpes’!In this episode you will hear all about Alin’s inspiring journey as a musician and her incredible One Province One Song project, why she decided to settle down in the magical city of Gyumri and how the Birthright Armenia program continues to support her even after her volunteering service. Alin you are amazing, we cannot thank you enough for coming to speak to us!
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