When I first told people I was coming to Armenia, their first reaction was "where?" So I think, it’s safe to say, it’s not the most well known of places in England, so, beyond some brief research, I didn’t really know what to expect of the place...

So after a month, what have I found? A bright, vibrant and surprisingly relaxed city with buckets of history and culture that even after a year here I imagine I will have barely scratched the surface of. And the people? They reflect this perfectly - friendly, welcoming and hospitable (even after I’ve tried to speak to them and brutally butchered their language, which sounds beautiful when you hear it, but, oh my days, it is a hard one!). I think, I've seen this attitude mostly at 89 school after Daniel Varouzhan I have been lucky enough to have been volunteering in, it feels like the staff and children alike are delighted to have a guest and determined to make me feel as welcome as possible, always keen to offer advice on where to go and what to see, or teach me something new about their culture and history. It’s a far cry from the uptight attitude I'm used to and a microcosm of the country itself in its warm and welcoming ways. Just walking through the city itself is an adventure - walk around aimlessly and you'll find something. See a park, find a funfair. OK. Go to the square, find some dancing fountains. What’s down to that tunnel? It’s the Children’s railway, cutting through the centre, but feeling like it could be in the middle of nowhere. Climb the Cascade steps! Find the huge statue of Mother Armenia at the top overlooking the whole city. It feels like a place where there's always something to do or see, without even having to look particularly hard. I'm delighted to be in Yerevan, and it feels like Yerevan is more than pleased for me to be here. I have to go in 10 months time and I already don't want to leave...

Josh Cox

EVS volunteer of Federation of Youth Clubs of Armenia

(United Kingdom)