I’m Russian and I’ve lived in Yerevan for more than a year now. I LOVE Armenia and Armenian people so much! 🇦🇲 I have never felt not welcome here. Most people here understand what it means to have shitty politicians, they know that you as a person are not defined by whatever your “officials” do. Most people I’ve met here say that no matter what governments do they wouldn’t be able to divide us as people. And even though Russian government betrayed Armenia in recent Artsah war - we still can sit together with Armenians and shit on Russian government together and it makes us even closer. Armenians seem very compassionate. And also so proud of their country that you just can’t not fall in love with it too. People here are always willing to help even if you’re a complete stranger. Neighbours care about each other. Having lived in Moscow all my life it took some time for me to get used to this relaxed and friendly vibe. It felt strange at first, but in a very good way. People say that it’s easy to spot a Russian who came here for the first time because they are so tense and don’t trust people. But after some time you can just relax, feel at home, trust people. And it feels so good!
Natasha, thanks for taking us to Armenia with you. My great grandfather immigrated to the US from there many many years ago. I met him when I was a small child, he was 101 years old and passed away soon after. It was very cool to see a small part of his country.
He immigrated from Turkey, your ancestor has never stepped foot in Armenia I guarantee you. Could you please clarify the town where your ancestor came from?
@@ireneolsen9037 he did not immigrate from turkey i can guarantee you, there was no turkey back than, and ottomans were only 30 percent of the entire population of the emoire, there was Armenia and there is Armenia and there will always be Armenia For than there were turks in anatolia, Eastern Armenia And Western Armenia Untill They Unite, plus how can you be so sure they were not from Eastern Armenia?
@@mkryann1587 There was no Armenia, please stop lying to yourself. His ancestor was a Ottoman citizen and immigrated from Turkey, as did almost 96% of Armenians who came in that era. US immigration documents literally have Turkey as place of origin.
Armenia developed "friendly" relations with Russia to survive in a hostile geographic environment. Now, Armenia's diplomacy is slowly but steadily drifting away from Russian influence. And I can surely state that Armenia might be a little more democratic than Georgia in terms of freedom of speech.
Armenia will shift back to Russia soon because the current route has not helped and resulted in losing wars to Azerbaijan. Russia could of helped but did not really all because Armenia told Russia it wanted to he independent.
I don't know what you are talking about Mr. Artak. Did you say something in Georgia and police put you in jail? You just want to impress readers that Armenia is better than Georgia ☺
Interesting comments about Armenia. In my home town in the NE of Iran lived several Armenian families. The town’s only movie theater was owned by Mr. Arshak, who also owned the town’s only hotel and liquor shop. Mr. Griygorian owned the town’s cotton ginning plant. Mrs. Haratunian was the head mistress in girl’s high school and her two sons went to the same school as I. And finally Mr. Estepan was a construction and road contractor/engineer. Very good community, respected by everyone.
Much respect for Iran and Iranians. Iran is the ONLY real friend of Armenia and Armenians. I am a third-generation Iranian of Armenian ancestry. I left Iran after the revolution 44 years ago. I live in Canada but I still miss my country terribly. Armenians and Iranians are almost the same people, share a lot of customs, words and traditions. We are just like brothers.
Despite the division of the common state into Armenia and Russia, most Armenians prefer to live in Russia. In St. Petersburg, 90% of the construction and road business belongs to Armenians. I still don't understand why it was necessary to share a common territory?
Iranians always been top people in history we had many stuff going on and once I remember my Iranian two classmates told me that if Iranians know that in region turns will come and rule they would never attack to Armenia as he said official iranian government only trust Armenia and India that's all rest wanted to see Iran Wanished even russia did
Alright, so I love Yerevan and Tbilisi both but in different ways. Yerevan to me feels like a very energetic, dense and bustling city with lots going on, and for that reason it feels like a much bigger city than it actually is - it's also quite a unique place with architecture that you don't find anywhere else and a whole aesthetic that is unmistakable. Tbilisi to me is much calmer, feels much more chill, and gives me the same vibe that I get in many small to mid-size European cities. If I wanted to just relax for a week I'd rather stay in Tbilisi, if I wanted to explore a lot and do a lot of walking I'd rather stay in Yerevan. Another thing to mention is that Armenians have had very close ties to France and the US for a long time since both of those countries are home to very large Armenian diasporas. Many Armenian families have relatives in Los Angeles or Marseille or Paris, and for me as a French-American it makes it feel comfortable in the same way that it felt comfortable for you as a Russian. Many people speak English of course (which you didn't get to discover since even more people speak your native language 😄) but what's really surprising is the number of people that speak French - my wife is Armenian but we live in France and we speak French with each other and with our son. Almost every day we go out somewhere and we are speaking to each other or our son in French, an Armenian will come up and start speaking to him or to us in French. It's a very warm feeling, and in general the love that Armenians have for France in particular really makes me feel connected to the people in a way that I feel less in Georgia. I love Georgia for its unique beauty and almost alien language, but the relative lack of cultural ties makes it feel much more foreign to me - and I want to emphasize that I do not mean that as a critique at all - it actually makes Georgia more fascinating in some way, since it feels truly unknown. But on the other hand I feel much more comfortable when in Armenia because of those ties, and probably also in large part because of the Indo-European links we share. It's not so hard to pick out familiar words in spoken Armenian. Mother is mayr, moon is lusin, light is luys, bad is vat, cow is kov, dog/chien[fr] is shun, the root for the verb "to bring" is ber-, which is related to the English verb "to bear" or the identical Russian verb stem "ber-" (to take), and so on. There are even sentences in Armenian that are almost completely intelligible for me as a French speaker without knowing any Armenian - for example, the word for "this" is "sa" (սա) in Armenian, and the verb "to be" conjugated in the third-person singular is "é" (է), which is exactly the same as in French ("ça" for this and "est" for is). And to continue with the verb "to be", the first-person singular conjugation (I am) in Armenian is "em" (եմ) which is pronounced almost the same as "am" in English. All of those little things meant that I was able to start understanding basic context in spoken Armenian in a very short time. One last thing that I'd like to mention - I was told by many people (Armenians included) before going to Tbilisi that everyone there speaks English and to not speak Russian, but that was not my experience at all... I got MANY blank stares and rather rude responses when trying to speak to people in English, and had a lot more luck using Russian with anyone over the age of like, 30. That happens a lot less in Yerevan in my experience, at least in the city center... almost every shop has a few people who speak English (young and old) and you don't really need to speak Armenian or Russian. To put it in perspective, my mother (who only speaks English) is able to walk around and do basically anything in Yerevan, but when we were in Tbilisi she struggled many times and had to rely on other people to help her. It was a rather funny reminder of how the stories people tell each other can be so different from the reality!!
The similarities with other Indo-European languages end on those simple words. Try saying 'magnifique' in Armenian. Even I, as an Armenian, don't know it. In real Armenian everything is translated. And I mean EVERYTHING, every part of a globally adopted word. Television? Nope, "Herustatsuyts". Bicycle? Nope, "Hetzaniv". Biology? Nope, "kensabanutyun". Democracy - "Joghovrtavarutyun", and so on. Good luck learning Armenian if you ever dare to. I've heard that Georgian is more lenient in that sense. Anyway, it was interesting reading your flattering essay. Btw, to my shame, I've studied French in school and college, but I can't speak it besides "Comment ca va?", although I do understand, like, 20% of a regular French speech.
@@GareginRA yes you’re absolutely right about those words - and it does make things difficult when you actually learn the language at a higher level, which I am doing btw. I don’t find it absurdly difficult though, it’s just learning all that entirely new vocabulary that takes time. The grammar is actually not so bad, definitely not any worse than Russian.
@@adoberoots I've lived in both and people that move from Tbilisi to Yerevan typically move back to Tbilisi because of how vibrant the arts/nightlife/social scene is. The streets of Tbilisi are packed with people at night and there are hundreds of bars. Yerevan was very quiet. Pleasant, but quiet.
Thank you for your video! I like how you contrast cultural and societal differences between Armenia, Georgia, and Russia. I hope to continue seeing your video tours throughout Central Asia.
Armenia is indeed a nice little country. I would like to point out that your vlog style is really unique, having a nice and calm vibe to it. Also, I like your storytelling. And nice to see Alena again. You two are a great duo.
You guys have a simple, uncomplicated, almost matter of fact style that sets your videos apart from the style of those on UA-cam here in America! You have a kind of innocence and down to earth manner that portrays a totally difference of upbringing, unlike most tubers here. Not better, not worse, just different and refreshing. Simple things seem to matter to you, where here, opulence ,braggadocio , and snobbery prevail!
We lived in Yerevan for 3 months last fall. We left for Tbilisi because the prices for renting an apartment here are much lower. Tbilisi is an insanely beautiful city and I love it very much, but I miss Yerevan and Armenia a lot. It's somehow more sincere and warmer there. People are more open and friendly. I felt completely safe there. Unfortunately, there is no such feeling in Georgia.
Russia is currently occupying 20% of Georgian territory much like in Ukraine. And how do you think Georgians feel when they see Russians in their lands?
Love to Armenia❤ from 🇷🇴! We owed them everything and will not be forgotten. In Transylvania they preserved Orthodox religion and helped romanians keep our culture.
In the 18'th century, the Habsburg Empire forced all orthodox in Transilvania to move to catholicism or get hanged. Armenian where good traders in big cities and paid lots of money to the Austrians and obtained a new Church for all orthodox: the Greco-Catholic Church which was keeping all orthodox rituals, just different by the name. In my village there are ruins of an Orthodox Monastery burned to the ground and all nuns hanged. Half of Romanian population from our village in that period was hanged for refusing to move to catholicism.
@@Carnabon wow, how tragic story just shows how Christians and Eastern Orthodox Christians were always opressed, yes Armenian Merchants Were Very rich and powerful its sad we dont learn much about it in School
Natasha, I once again found myself fascinated with your video. Your insights, your interpretations, your observations, your comparisons and contrasting of the various things you see, your noticing of small things like the beauty around you all together make your videos must watch for me. It is good to keep your guard up around strangers. Trust comes with time. Respecting once’s space and privacy is important. You have correctly deduced that certain topics of discussion are indeed red flags. Especially when you are traveling. Thank you for another enjoyable, informative, interesting, and entertaining video. Stay safe.
Thanks Natasha for your very informative and amazing tour of Armenia. I was so surprised how different Armenia and Georgia was in their language. That's another thing I learned today, so thank you and keep safe! Love, from Minnesota, USA.
Alena and you are terrific. Love your content. I wish Alena did more stuff. She’s hilarious and has a terrific dry sense of humor. Shout out from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
Great journey! This country must be really interesting to visit mainly for its history and culture, but also for its awesome landscapes. Mont Ararat, seen from the capital, looks so majestic! I am really happy that you and Depressed Russian enjoyed your stay in this wonderful country. Thank you for sharing.
Glendale is like part of Los Angeles where I am from, and there are many diaspora populated neighborhoods all over the city. Many Iranians, Koreans, and Thai. There is a Russian street with a market and bookstore, and Ethiopian restaurants. Little Tokyo, and Chinatown too. Of course many Spanish-speaking people too. I hope you can visit California someday, everyone will love you.
Thanks for taking us along on your journey and sharing your observations with us. Very interesting video! I hope all is well with your family and they are recovering from the flood.
Lovely to see a new video Natasha. And to have Alena with you is extra nice. Thanks for exposing me, once again, to a country and it's culture. I love the street cats and dogs and the way you include history into your videos. Be well.
Thanks for this travel information. You often take your viewers on a little adventure. That’s something that we find enjoyable about your channel. We know we won’t be able to get to all of these fantastic countries and learn about their cultures ourselves, so this is type of content is always welcome. Stay Safe. We look forward to your next video.
Intro makes me miss walking alongside wild dogs n cats in Romania. They were all so kind and nice both the animals and ppl. I hope you n "depressed ru."still keep company in your respective courts. Your a great team Noone will forget. Both you keep making great, educational videos. The world needs this.
Have visited all the places you name in your video.I loved Yerevan.Apart from the days of the USSR,the Russian influence has probably remained thanks to the Nagorno Karabakh situation.Interesting to hear your perspective.
The dogs and cats on the videos, are always (and surely) the best part! 😅 Anyways, I hope that you girls stay safe while exploring the cities and towns all around. And take extra care when strangers get close to talk or whatever, as nowadays, our world is really becoming a real dangerous place... Besides that, enjoy your trips! Hopefully soon you girls will find a safe place to stay! 😉
i think the guy with the mullet gets offended if you call him a girl.. he is more man then most men you pass on the street, and you cant tell me he is on the bottom.. that not a girl, he gets offended when men gives him compliments.. i would be surpriced if he identified as a female
I’m sorry you’re feeling any kind of unwelcome anywhere. Thank you for sharing your honest and thought-provoking insights on your travels in different places amongst different peoples.
Very nice video. Even Though i don't agree with any of your opinions about the world, cultures, etc... it's very interesting to see everything you show. Thank you! Regards from Buenos Aires, Argentina
“I thought Armenia is like Georgia changed by AI” 😊. One of the best of your many great observations! Thank you for this and all your wonderful videos. Your outspokenness and inclusiveness are special and so needed in this world. Всего тебе наилучшего из восточноевропейского еврея в Шотландии!
I am from Canada and living in Dubai. Two years ago, I went to both Georgia and Armenia. I love both countries. When it comes to compare the capitals I felt very good in Yerevan (maybe better than Tbilissi) and Armenia in general. Restaurants have a better service in Yerevan. And the people in general. To me Armenia wins. 😊😇
Armenians ale only really friendly and civilized nation in caucassus. If you meet them in europe, they are often more friendly and kind , than european locals. Smart, wise, honest, hardworking people. Opposite of average caucassian.
Natasha the Dog Whisperer :) Another great video. I'm so glad that you two awesome ladies have each other to share your travels and lifes experiences with. Try to bear in mind and be comforted by the fact that deep down it's not you they hate; it's Vlad the Mad Putin and his illegal war.
Hi! Glad u had a good time in Armenia. In your conclusion you asked for some feedback from an Armenian, I just wanna say the street signs are like Georgia in English and Armenian mostly not Russian and Armenian altho that exists too. Come back any time
Nice to see a pleasant travel video from you and Alena. The Georgian language lesson was very fascinating. Thanks for sharing. Safe travels and best wishes always.
Hello Natasha and Alena. I stumbled onto your channel; it's quite fun watching you both wander around Armenia. Your English is quite good, and funny to me, a native English speaker. Quite charming and clearly shows you're both curious about so many things, including languages. Thanks for all the enlightenment - - and please keep it up. - Goodbye from New York.
The dogs and cats are very nice, it is great to see them! There are also many cats in Istanbul and in Israel. I live in Prague and there is very big support of Ukraine here. Lots of Ukraine flags in Prague, so it was interesting to see Ukraine flag on the Czech embassy in Erevan :)
Glad you guys had a safe trip, though it was scary. Armenia has its own beauty and charm. Mt Ararat is majestic. I have a feeling that men in almost every country would appproach pretty girls like you guys for one of three reasons: they really are looking for a girlfriend, they are looking to score, or they are looking to rob you. So you're right to take every precaution. I like wheh you talk about history, Natasha. I'm among those who love to study history, because it helps me to understand and connect with different countries and cultures and people. “History is who we are and why we are the way we are.” …David McCullough, historian.
I love how you are honest and tell everything - good or bad. Your vlog style is really cool! I like how you tell everything straightforward, and don't overexaggerate. I am so grateful for someone like you to compliment and visit my country. Thank you!
Really great travel log of your visit to Armenia! Well edited, researched and photographed. Keep up the great work! Glad you are staying safe during your travels.
Natasha , there is one distinctive quality about you and your videos that I respect a lot. By nature , you are not a consumerist person , meaning you do not treat people & things around you to your personal consumption , but you take things as they are. In your travel videos you always observe and allow other cultures to be as they are - good or bad. I noticed it is quite rare for people from bigger nations ( especially from the ones with the imperialistic history) . Such people tend to always observe in order to criticize with the mindset of '' oh my god ! why are you like this ?!''. May you never loose that quality. Wish you all the best .
@maiaberekashvili1466, You know, I think, Natalya, we are provincials and did not grow up in a metropolis like Petersburg or Moscow. But the worst factor is another factor - the unenlightened village - and these are those who are the electorate of the criminal power in russia. I myself come from Perm, this is the Urals.
I haven't seen your videos in a long while! It's good to see you're still here on UA-cam! And your friend from Russia has found her way to you too! Happy Travels!
Hi Natasha. You should never tell a stranger if you or your friend are gay. This can be dangerous because some of the people you may meet on the street may have very different cultures and ideas about gay people (because of politics, religion). Just say you're not interested, nothing more. As a straight man, my family taught me "if a woman says 'no' to you, let her go, respect her choice", but unfortunately not everyone gets the same education. Be safe.
That's good advice. I saw a video where a local man in Tajikistan became upset that two women he met bicycling through the country we're apparently partners, and he went and got some friends and they came back and attacked them with knives. Several in the party were killed. Very scary.
@@timelston4260 Not only there, whether in the Caucasus or Central Asia, but elsewhere in countries like France. This gap between our mentalities is difficult for us to understand, because we naively believe that people coming to our countries agree on all the aspects of our societies, but they don't.
Ladies you are very smart to be cautious, You cannot trust a stranger. You can only be wrong once and then it is too late. It is nice to see and hear you again, be safe and please do more programs showing your travels. If you were both in Canada you would blend in like you lived here for ever.
Heh, that's healthy natural instincts kicking in a situation of an unknown person addressing you. You did exactly what you needed to do and say, polite, courteous, firm. You have nothing to reproach yourself. I too have had this kind of experiences in the Paris metro or out shopping on the streets in cities. Being aware of your situation and surrounding is key to keeping yourself safe. Thank you for sharing about life in Ereván Armenia and Tiblisi Georgia, two places that could be a good place to live for a while .
So good to see this from you two! I'm glad when I get the chance to see and hear a bit from the interesting lives you are living. I like hearing your many varied perspectives. You two have interesting personalities that keep getting more so. I also think it is interesting that leading your very international lives is bringing to you and those of us following you, perspectives on history, present state relationships and the connections to each other we all have in this world.
I once explained to a Russian that England is a bit like Russia in the USSR. Official England is the traditional countries of England and Wales. But official England is not an international country, though it has its own soccer team. The international country is the United Kingdom, of the official Kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Scotland (the King is crowned on a throne also containing the traditional stone of the Scottish kings), and Northern Ireland (because have to keep something from the conquests of the past).
Good to see you again. You are visiting places that most of us will never see, so your videos are always interesting. Your videos are now a little more professional than when you were showing us around Sparsk when you started doing UA-cams. However your straightforward honest way of looking at things is always interesting. I hope your UA-cam payments are getting to you now that you are outside Russia.
Well I'm Georgian and despite me standing with Ukraine I think you made the right decision! I wish freedom to Georgian, Ukrainian, Armenian and Russian people and all the other countries that are not yet free ! 💙💛
Georgian, NATO is not freedom if it poses threat to other country. If your politicians understood that at the time you would not lose 30% of your territory. NATO as per definition is a terrorist organization (not defending force) attacking weaker countries for the purpose of stealing other nations natural resources and supporting ju-z interests. Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya....
Thanks for another great video, with loads of insightful commentary and fun shout-outs of quirky scenes. I wanted to chime in about feeling guarded when random men approach - don't regret feeling awkward. You are right to be on-guard, and I am glad you and Alena were together. I read a tip about traveling that makes a lot of sense: people are good and friendly and safe if you approach THEM to ask a question or start a conversation. However, if a stranger comes up to YOU, be on guard. Period. Take care and best wishes for feeling comfortable wherever you go.
You and Alena consistently present an authenticity, a courageous genuineness, that I cannot easily turn away from. I find myself viewing to the end, unusual for me on UA-cam.
13:00 I'm surprised to read that Armenia is not hostile to Russia, given the Kremlin's recognition of Artsakh/Nagorna-Karabakh as a part of Azerbaijan. Also, democracy doesn't have a direct co-relation to any country's relationship w/ Moscow
A lot of things aren't really true, we were recently in Georgia and we had hard times finding people that could speak proper English, like not just two words but like a fluent level. In Armenia, on the other hand, we had no problem with that. Lots of texts in Armenia are available in English. Judging democracy level by "just because, feels like" is also not good idea, Armenia has the highest democracy rating in the whole region and Georgia is consistently below it. If Armenians are friendly to Russians, they are not democratic. They are very open to internationals and don't have prejudices towards Russians.
Same here in America. Occasionally I will hear about conflicts between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but other than that I first heard of Armenia because I read about the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem.
Never noticed many strays in Yerevan when I was there, strangely. Just a couple of cats. Probably because I was there in the summer when it was 100 degrees fahrenheit multiple days in a row and the strays were hiding in the shade somewhere. Loved Armenia a lot when I traveled there. Gorgeous country and really nice people. If you go back to Armenia sometime, I recommend that you check out Gyumri (the "cultural capital" of Armenia) and some of the beautiful old monasteries
excited to see this, as I wanted to visit Yerevan when I was living in Tbilisi as a digital nomad in 2021, but my Covid test did not arrive in time and there was no way to test whatever driver I got. So I went to Baku instead. But I would like to see Yerevan one day!
So much work and thoughts put into this vlog! Language, culture, cuisine, street animals, history and politics...This video is a labour of love. Thank you for this. On a side note, seems like Alena is kind of ashamed of being Russian? I remembered she once also said "I don't want to speak this terrible language" (meaning Russian) maybe she was joking. If so I hope one day she makes peace with her culture, which, despite all the tragedies, has so much to offer.
Great video, I enjoy you honesty and heartfelt expressions of your experiences. You also have great talent and your English is absolutely GREAT! You should be so very PROUD of yourself! I am an American living in Georgia (in the USA). My wife and I have been to Armenia and really enjoy it there. We think, based on your story, that you would be far happier if you moved from Georgia to Armenia. Trust me, I know you would be (happier). Keep up doing your great videos, I just happen to come accross your channel and both my wife and I enjoy it ! Now that I have subscribed (I’ll also be joining your channel) We will be following you. Stay safe and stay happy, you are very intelligent and talented! Fred
I think you are both brave traveling on your own. This is a fascinating travelogue. I didn't know much about these countries. It's nice to understand the differences between Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Your curiosity is wonderful.
Thank you so much for this great video I'm going to visit Armenia for the first time this summer (I live in Los Angeles) and this video was so helpful for me Thank you and I think your English and vocabulary are perfect
Great video, I visited both Tbilisi and Yerevan 3 months ago. Although Yerevan was interesting, I would choose Tbilisi instead. Just with regards to your encounter with the guy from Nigeria, i'm sure it was not with any bad intentions (I hope). I'm from South Africa and us Africans are very friendly and approachable, and I assumed that he might have enjoyed just being able to interact with someone who he understands as I also felt that the culture in both Georgia and Armenia was very cold and unfriendly, but was told by a friend I made in Georgia that, the old soviet and caucuses regions are not open minded when it comes to being friendly with strangers and once I came to terms with it I was able to embrace the place better. Anyway loved the video and can't wait to see your new posts.. Peace and happiness from South Africa 🇿🇦✌️
Hi again Natasha. I'm happy you can travel as your videos are always very informative. You receive many comments and compliments and I learn from them also. It surprises me that in Georgia and Armenia people let their dogs roam free. But I kind of like that. In the U.S. it is against the law in most places, ( animal pets must be on a leash.)....✌️🗽
13:58 The cat 😺 is signaling friendship by slow-blinking both eyes. Predatory animals, which cats are, always keep eyes upon each other unless they're friends so its not keeping eyes upon Natasha means that it considers her as a friend.
My son had a cat which he didn't take with him when he grew up and moved into his own apartment so I took care of her. When she was young, my grabbing her tail to get her to turn back to me would elicit an alarming response. Once she became older, she would just turn around and lay down next to me to let me scratch her back. Cats have "culture." My son said that his/our cat was doing something weird: staring at me. He said that it was a very aggressive gesture in predatory animals but she was already "humanized" to observe my moves, apparently with interest.
The street sign at 3:59 caught me by surprise. New Hampshire Avenue? This video sequence seems to be showing a slice of Little Armenia in Los Angeles, California. I know that the country Armenia most likely does not have any palm trees! I enjoy your travel adventures. Keep them coming!
They were referring to the spread of Armenians around the world and that was one of several pictures demonstrating that spread. I believe it began with a picture of Kim Kardashian.
As always, I'm happy about a new video! :) I like your presentation of countries that are almost unknown to me. As a European, the Caucasian countries are somehow not present to me at all, as they hardly ever appear in western media...
13:26, answering your queation. Russia attacked Georgia, that's why it's a taboo to speak Georgian there. Meanwhile in Armenia, as we thought, Russia is the only factor saving us from Turkey and Azerbaijan, also our previous government, which ruled over Armenia for 30 years, was basically Russian pupets. The times have changed, and so are our relationships with Russia, after the 2023 September events.
This was a very good video. I went by train last year and really enjoyed Albania. People were so nice. It was more orderly than Tbilisi. But I love both countries.
If you want to read an Armenian author (2nd generation Californian as a result of the diaspora) I can highly recommend William Saroyan, especially his autobiographical novel “My Name is Aram.” Very enjoyable!
Thank you for these insights into Armenia, a country I don't yet know much about. It's cats and dogs look happy and that says something good about a place!
Love seeing you and Alena together. Thank you for taking us with you on your wonderful adventures. ❤
Thank you Natasha and Alena for taking us on your Armenian trip! We need more of your videos.
I love Natasha and Alena too
I’m Russian and I’ve lived in Yerevan for more than a year now. I LOVE Armenia and Armenian people so much! 🇦🇲
I have never felt not welcome here. Most people here understand what it means to have shitty politicians, they know that you as a person are not defined by whatever your “officials” do. Most people I’ve met here say that no matter what governments do they wouldn’t be able to divide us as people. And even though Russian government betrayed Armenia in recent Artsah war - we still can sit together with Armenians and shit on Russian government together and it makes us even closer. Armenians seem very compassionate. And also so proud of their country that you just can’t not fall in love with it too. People here are always willing to help even if you’re a complete stranger. Neighbours care about each other.
Having lived in Moscow all my life it took some time for me to get used to this relaxed and friendly vibe. It felt strange at first, but in a very good way. People say that it’s easy to spot a Russian who came here for the first time because they are so tense and don’t trust people. But after some time you can just relax, feel at home, trust people. And it feels so good!
YOu make a great point, we should not allow ourselves to be defined by our governments.
Good comment!
Thank you for sharing!
Thank You Sara.
@@waynegouin939 my name is not Sara, but I appreciate it 😁
Natasha, thanks for taking us to Armenia with you. My great grandfather immigrated to the US from there many many years ago. I met him when I was a small child, he was 101 years old and passed away soon after. It was very cool to see a small part of his country.
Wow what a story! You should visit there sometime! Its really great that you do remember the elderly and their heritage!
He immigrated from Turkey, your ancestor has never stepped foot in Armenia I guarantee you. Could you please clarify the town where your ancestor came from?
@@ireneolsen9037 there was no turkey back then, there was and will always be Western Armenia and Eastern Armenia. Untill they unite
@@ireneolsen9037 he did not immigrate from turkey i can guarantee you, there was no turkey back than, and ottomans were only 30 percent of the entire population of the emoire, there was Armenia and there is Armenia and there will always be Armenia For than there were turks in anatolia, Eastern Armenia And Western Armenia Untill They Unite, plus how can you be so sure they were not from Eastern Armenia?
@@mkryann1587 There was no Armenia, please stop lying to yourself. His ancestor was a Ottoman citizen and immigrated from Turkey, as did almost 96% of Armenians who came in that era. US immigration documents literally have Turkey as place of origin.
Armenia developed "friendly" relations with Russia to survive in a hostile geographic environment. Now, Armenia's diplomacy is slowly but steadily drifting away from Russian influence. And I can surely state that Armenia might be a little more democratic than Georgia in terms of freedom of speech.
Agreed! On both counts
Thank you Armenia to keep us safe and away from war!
it is always funny to hear the statement that the choice of relations with countries somehow affects democracy)))
Armenia will shift back to Russia soon because the current route has not helped and resulted in losing wars to Azerbaijan. Russia could of helped but did not really all because Armenia told Russia it wanted to he independent.
I don't know what you are talking about Mr. Artak. Did you say something in Georgia and police put you in jail? You just want to impress readers that Armenia is better than Georgia ☺
Interesting comments about Armenia. In my home town in the NE of Iran lived several Armenian families. The town’s only movie theater was owned by Mr. Arshak, who also owned the town’s only hotel and liquor shop. Mr. Griygorian owned the town’s cotton ginning plant. Mrs. Haratunian was the head mistress in girl’s high school and her two sons went to the same school as I. And finally Mr. Estepan was a construction and road contractor/engineer. Very good community, respected by everyone.
Armenians and Persians have been neighbors for several millennia 🇦🇲❤️🇮🇷
Much respect for Iran and Iranians. Iran is the ONLY real friend of Armenia and Armenians. I am a third-generation Iranian of Armenian ancestry. I left Iran after the revolution 44 years ago. I live in Canada but I still miss my country terribly. Armenians and Iranians are almost the same people, share a lot of customs, words and traditions. We are just like brothers.
Despite the division of the common state into Armenia and Russia, most Armenians prefer to live in Russia. In St. Petersburg, 90% of the construction and road business belongs to Armenians. I still don't understand why it was necessary to share a common territory?
Iranians always been top people in history we had many stuff going on and once I remember my Iranian two classmates told me that if Iranians know that in region turns will come and rule they would never attack to Armenia as he said official iranian government only trust Armenia and India that's all rest wanted to see Iran Wanished even russia did
Love Iran, been there 5 times. Hello from Yerevan ❤.
I ve already visited Armenia before , and ..... had the time of my life there! So sacred and emotional place.
ok bro
System of a Down is Armenian n they're a epicly, great band. As well there is an equally killer underground black metal scene in Armenia.
Alright, so I love Yerevan and Tbilisi both but in different ways. Yerevan to me feels like a very energetic, dense and bustling city with lots going on, and for that reason it feels like a much bigger city than it actually is - it's also quite a unique place with architecture that you don't find anywhere else and a whole aesthetic that is unmistakable. Tbilisi to me is much calmer, feels much more chill, and gives me the same vibe that I get in many small to mid-size European cities. If I wanted to just relax for a week I'd rather stay in Tbilisi, if I wanted to explore a lot and do a lot of walking I'd rather stay in Yerevan.
Another thing to mention is that Armenians have had very close ties to France and the US for a long time since both of those countries are home to very large Armenian diasporas. Many Armenian families have relatives in Los Angeles or Marseille or Paris, and for me as a French-American it makes it feel comfortable in the same way that it felt comfortable for you as a Russian. Many people speak English of course (which you didn't get to discover since even more people speak your native language 😄) but what's really surprising is the number of people that speak French - my wife is Armenian but we live in France and we speak French with each other and with our son. Almost every day we go out somewhere and we are speaking to each other or our son in French, an Armenian will come up and start speaking to him or to us in French.
It's a very warm feeling, and in general the love that Armenians have for France in particular really makes me feel connected to the people in a way that I feel less in Georgia. I love Georgia for its unique beauty and almost alien language, but the relative lack of cultural ties makes it feel much more foreign to me - and I want to emphasize that I do not mean that as a critique at all - it actually makes Georgia more fascinating in some way, since it feels truly unknown.
But on the other hand I feel much more comfortable when in Armenia because of those ties, and probably also in large part because of the Indo-European links we share. It's not so hard to pick out familiar words in spoken Armenian. Mother is mayr, moon is lusin, light is luys, bad is vat, cow is kov, dog/chien[fr] is shun, the root for the verb "to bring" is ber-, which is related to the English verb "to bear" or the identical Russian verb stem "ber-" (to take), and so on.
There are even sentences in Armenian that are almost completely intelligible for me as a French speaker without knowing any Armenian - for example, the word for "this" is "sa" (սա) in Armenian, and the verb "to be" conjugated in the third-person singular is "é" (է), which is exactly the same as in French ("ça" for this and "est" for is). And to continue with the verb "to be", the first-person singular conjugation (I am) in Armenian is "em" (եմ) which is pronounced almost the same as "am" in English. All of those little things meant that I was able to start understanding basic context in spoken Armenian in a very short time.
One last thing that I'd like to mention - I was told by many people (Armenians included) before going to Tbilisi that everyone there speaks English and to not speak Russian, but that was not my experience at all... I got MANY blank stares and rather rude responses when trying to speak to people in English, and had a lot more luck using Russian with anyone over the age of like, 30. That happens a lot less in Yerevan in my experience, at least in the city center... almost every shop has a few people who speak English (young and old) and you don't really need to speak Armenian or Russian. To put it in perspective, my mother (who only speaks English) is able to walk around and do basically anything in Yerevan, but when we were in Tbilisi she struggled many times and had to rely on other people to help her. It was a rather funny reminder of how the stories people tell each other can be so different from the reality!!
The similarities with other Indo-European languages end on those simple words. Try saying 'magnifique' in Armenian. Even I, as an Armenian, don't know it. In real Armenian everything is translated. And I mean EVERYTHING, every part of a globally adopted word. Television? Nope, "Herustatsuyts". Bicycle? Nope, "Hetzaniv". Biology? Nope, "kensabanutyun". Democracy - "Joghovrtavarutyun", and so on. Good luck learning Armenian if you ever dare to. I've heard that Georgian is more lenient in that sense. Anyway, it was interesting reading your flattering essay. Btw, to my shame, I've studied French in school and college, but I can't speak it besides "Comment ca va?", although I do understand, like, 20% of a regular French speech.
@@GareginRA yes you’re absolutely right about those words - and it does make things difficult when you actually learn the language at a higher level, which I am doing btw. I don’t find it absurdly difficult though, it’s just learning all that entirely new vocabulary that takes time. The grammar is actually not so bad, definitely not any worse than Russian.
Tbilisi has far more energy than Yerevan. Yerevan feels like what Tbilisi must have been 20 years ago.
@@spm_hcmc that is just completely false. Tbilisi is calm and feels much less hectic.
@@adoberoots I've lived in both and people that move from Tbilisi to Yerevan typically move back to Tbilisi because of how vibrant the arts/nightlife/social scene is. The streets of Tbilisi are packed with people at night and there are hundreds of bars. Yerevan was very quiet. Pleasant, but quiet.
Thank you for your video! I like how you contrast cultural and societal differences between Armenia, Georgia, and Russia. I hope to continue seeing your video tours throughout Central Asia.
Armenia is indeed a nice little country. I would like to point out that your vlog style is really unique, having a nice and calm vibe to it. Also, I like your storytelling. And nice to see Alena again. You two are a great duo.
I agree Aleena and Natasha mesh like the gears of a German machine....perfectly and ideally.
You guys have a simple, uncomplicated, almost matter of fact style that sets your videos apart from the style of those on UA-cam here in America! You have a kind of innocence and down to earth manner that portrays a totally difference of upbringing, unlike most tubers here. Not better, not worse, just different and refreshing. Simple things seem to matter to you, where here, opulence ,braggadocio , and snobbery prevail!
That really is my opinion too. Natasch and her friend seem unaffected and sensitive to the things they see and experience. Sven from Sweden
That's just how they are.
That comes with a lack of responsibility.
We lived in Yerevan for 3 months last fall. We left for Tbilisi because the prices for renting an apartment here are much lower. Tbilisi is an insanely beautiful city and I love it very much, but I miss Yerevan and Armenia a lot. It's somehow more sincere and warmer there. People are more open and friendly. I felt completely safe there. Unfortunately, there is no such feeling in Georgia.
Russia is currently occupying 20% of Georgian territory much like in Ukraine. And how do you think Georgians feel when they see Russians in their lands?
@@yo2trader539 Oh, I was in Abkhazia recently, I heard enough about the occupation and an aggressive neighbor
@@yo2trader539 I know it. And I'm not talking with a claim to the locals. I'm talking about my feelings.
I wonder why. LOL
@@johnnysex3230 Russian troll lol
Love to Armenia❤ from 🇷🇴! We owed them everything and will not be forgotten. In Transylvania they preserved Orthodox religion and helped romanians keep our culture.
Спасибо вам милые , что помните❤❤❤❤
Wow ! Can you go deeper on the subject?
Could you please elaborate on that? Or give some reference where I could read on my own? Thank you in advance❤️
In the 18'th century, the Habsburg Empire forced all orthodox in Transilvania to move to catholicism or get hanged. Armenian where good traders in big cities and paid lots of money to the Austrians and obtained a new Church for all orthodox: the Greco-Catholic Church which was keeping all orthodox rituals, just different by the name. In my village there are ruins of an Orthodox Monastery burned to the ground and all nuns hanged. Half of Romanian population from our village in that period was hanged for refusing to move to catholicism.
@@Carnabon wow, how tragic story just shows how Christians and Eastern Orthodox Christians were always opressed, yes Armenian Merchants Were Very rich and powerful its sad we dont learn much about it in School
Natasha, I once again found myself fascinated with your video. Your insights, your interpretations, your observations, your comparisons and contrasting of the various things you see, your noticing of small things like the beauty around you all together make your videos must watch for me. It is good to keep your guard up around strangers. Trust comes with time. Respecting once’s space and privacy is important. You have correctly deduced that certain topics of discussion are indeed red flags. Especially when you are traveling. Thank you for another enjoyable, informative, interesting, and entertaining video. Stay safe.
27:35 I'm so happy to hear that Armenians treat people (including Russians) well. I'm really proud of my people for being kind.
What a great comment, I am in agreement. Great video, inspiring conversation!
Brilliant. As a disillusioned American I watch A LOT of travel vlogs. This is some of the best work I have seen yet.
You two have a pleasing chemistry. You make a good reporting tag-team. Spaceba for giving us a look at current day Armenia.
Thanks Natasha for your very informative and amazing tour of Armenia. I was so surprised how different Armenia and Georgia was in their language. That's another thing I learned today, so thank you and keep safe! Love, from Minnesota, USA.
Caucasus region is famous among linguists as one of the world’s densest hotspots of very different languages.
Alena and you are terrific. Love your content. I wish Alena did more stuff. She’s hilarious and has a terrific dry sense of humor. Shout out from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
I second that!
Great journey! This country must be really interesting to visit mainly for its history and culture, but also for its awesome landscapes. Mont Ararat, seen from the capital, looks so majestic! I am really happy that you and Depressed Russian enjoyed your stay in this wonderful country. Thank you for sharing.
Largest Armenian diaspora after Armenia and Russia is in Glendale, California with a population of 200,000.
California AND the northeast states of the United States (New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts ...). Hye!
@@5.56Media❤️🇦🇲🫶🏻
Glendale is like part of Los Angeles where I am from, and there are many diaspora populated neighborhoods all over the city. Many Iranians, Koreans, and Thai. There is a Russian street with a market and bookstore, and Ethiopian restaurants. Little Tokyo, and Chinatown too. Of course many Spanish-speaking people too. I hope you can visit California someday, everyone will love you.
@@FunwithArty-ld5hlwhere’s the Russian street?
I also live close to Glendale, in Altadena/Pasadena, and my neighborhood is full of Armenian markets and restaurants.
Thanks for taking us along on your journey and sharing your observations with us. Very interesting video! I hope all is well with your family and they are recovering from the flood.
Lovely to see a new video Natasha. And to have Alena with you is extra nice. Thanks for exposing me, once again, to a country and it's culture. I love the street cats and dogs and the way you include history into your videos. Be well.
There are some amazing monasteries to see in Armenia! I want to get there sometime before my life is up
Love seeing so many positive comments about Armenia
So I assume your Armenian ? Correct? SOAD RULES!
My Nephew Dylan Moore was teaching at TUMO.
❤❤
Thanks for this travel information. You often take your viewers on a little adventure. That’s something that we find enjoyable about your channel. We know we won’t be able to get to all of these fantastic countries and learn about their cultures ourselves, so this is type of content is always welcome. Stay
Safe. We look forward to your next video.
I always wondered how Armenia was , thank you and happy to see you safe .
You are doing good.
I always like the two of you together. You get double the sharing, your experiences, funny, serious, interactions, commentary, q and a, fun.
Intro makes me miss walking alongside wild dogs n cats in Romania. They were all so kind and nice both the animals and ppl.
I hope you n "depressed ru."still keep company in your respective courts.
Your a great team Noone will forget. Both you keep making great, educational videos. The world needs this.
Have visited all the places you name in your video.I loved Yerevan.Apart from the days of the USSR,the Russian influence has probably remained thanks to the Nagorno Karabakh situation.Interesting to hear your perspective.
The dogs and cats on the videos, are always (and surely) the best part! 😅
Anyways, I hope that you girls stay safe while exploring the cities and towns all around. And take extra care when strangers get close to talk or whatever, as nowadays, our world is really becoming a real dangerous place...
Besides that, enjoy your trips! Hopefully soon you girls will find a safe place to stay! 😉
i think the guy with the mullet gets offended if you call him a girl..
he is more man then most men you pass on the street, and you cant tell me he is on the bottom..
that not a girl, he gets offended when men gives him compliments..
i would be surpriced if he identified as a female
Cats yes. Dogs no.
I’m sorry you’re feeling any kind of unwelcome anywhere. Thank you for sharing your honest and thought-provoking insights on your travels in different places amongst different peoples.
I learn so much from your vids. I've been watching vids about Armenian, trying to better understand. Thank you.
Very nice video. Even Though i don't agree with any of your opinions about the world, cultures, etc... it's very interesting to see everything you show. Thank you! Regards from Buenos Aires, Argentina
“I thought Armenia is like Georgia changed by AI” 😊. One of the best of your many great observations! Thank you for this and all your wonderful videos. Your outspokenness and inclusiveness are special and so needed in this world. Всего тебе наилучшего из восточноевропейского еврея в Шотландии!
what a great vlog with so much interesting information! and alena's so funny, i love her dry humor
I am from Canada and living in Dubai. Two years ago, I went to both Georgia and Armenia. I love both countries. When it comes to compare the capitals I felt very good in Yerevan (maybe better than Tbilissi) and Armenia in general. Restaurants have a better service in Yerevan. And the people in general. To me Armenia wins. 😊😇
Armenia is fully supported by Russia.
Armenians ale only really friendly and civilized nation in caucassus. If you meet them in europe, they are often more friendly and kind , than european locals. Smart, wise, honest, hardworking people. Opposite of average caucassian.
@@Elatenl The GDP of Armenia is the same that Georgia. They are the same in terms of development.
@@Elatenl mahmud?
Lots of Russian oligarchs in Dubai.
Enjoyed your new adventure ! Thanks for taking us along.
Natasha the Dog Whisperer :) Another great video. I'm so glad that you two awesome ladies have each other to share your travels and lifes experiences with. Try to bear in mind and be comforted by the fact that deep down it's not you they hate; it's Vlad the Mad Putin and his illegal war.
Hi! Glad u had a good time in Armenia. In your conclusion you asked for some feedback from an Armenian, I just wanna say the street signs are like Georgia in English and Armenian mostly not Russian and Armenian altho that exists too. Come back any time
Thank you! Thanks for the correction!
So cool to see you with your friend. It’s easy to tell you two enjoy each other’s company.
Nice to see a pleasant travel video from you and Alena. The Georgian language lesson was very fascinating. Thanks for sharing. Safe travels and best wishes always.
Hello Natasha and Alena. I stumbled onto your channel; it's quite fun watching you both wander around Armenia. Your English is quite good, and funny to me, a native English speaker. Quite charming and clearly shows you're both curious about so many things, including languages. Thanks for all the enlightenment - - and please keep it up.
- Goodbye from New York.
Really enjoying your travel videos.
The dogs and cats are very nice, it is great to see them! There are also many cats in Istanbul and in Israel. I live in Prague and there is very big support of Ukraine here. Lots of Ukraine flags in Prague, so it was interesting to see Ukraine flag on the Czech embassy in Erevan :)
Thanks!
Glad you guys had a safe trip, though it was scary. Armenia has its own beauty and charm. Mt Ararat is majestic. I have a feeling that men in almost every country would appproach pretty girls like you guys for one of three reasons: they really are looking for a girlfriend, they are looking to score, or they are looking to rob you. So you're right to take every precaution. I like wheh you talk about history, Natasha. I'm among those who love to study history, because it helps me to understand and connect with different countries and cultures and people. “History is who we are and why we are the way we are.” …David McCullough, historian.
Mt Ararat isn't in Armenia
I love how you are honest and tell everything - good or bad. Your vlog style is really cool! I like how you tell everything straightforward, and don't overexaggerate. I am so grateful for someone like you to compliment and visit my country. Thank you!
Good to see you and Alena traveling. Be safe!
Really great travel log of your visit to Armenia! Well edited, researched and photographed. Keep up the great work! Glad you are staying safe during your travels.
Natasha , there is one distinctive quality about you and your videos that I respect a lot. By nature , you are not a consumerist person , meaning you do not treat people & things around you to your personal consumption , but you take things as they are. In your travel videos you always observe and allow other cultures to be as they are - good or bad.
I noticed it is quite rare for people from bigger nations ( especially from the ones with the imperialistic history) . Such people tend to always observe in order to criticize with the mindset of '' oh my god ! why are you like this ?!''. May you never loose that quality.
Wish you all the best .
Thank you very much ☺️
@maiaberekashvili1466, You know, I think, Natalya, we are provincials and did not grow up in a metropolis like Petersburg or Moscow. But the worst factor is another factor - the unenlightened village - and these are those who are the electorate of the criminal power in russia.
I myself come from Perm, this is the Urals.
I really enjoyed seeing the differences especially the alphabet, thank you for making interesting comparisons and noting your observations.
another wonderful video
I haven't seen your videos in a long while! It's good to see you're still here on UA-cam! And your friend from Russia has found her way to you too! Happy Travels!
I have visited Yerevan, and absolutely loved it.
Good to see another video from you. I am happy to see you travelling around and getting to see other countries. Take care
Thank you, Natasha. I learned a bit more about Georgia and Armenia. But I will never go to either country, because I am too old.
Greetings from South Africa. Very interesting video. I'm learning of a partof the world we hardle hear of. Thanks!
Hi Natasha. You should never tell a stranger if you or your friend are gay. This can be dangerous because some of the people you may meet on the street may have very different cultures and ideas about gay people (because of politics, religion). Just say you're not interested, nothing more. As a straight man, my family taught me "if a woman says 'no' to you, let her go, respect her choice", but unfortunately not everyone gets the same education. Be safe.
That's good advice. I saw a video where a local man in Tajikistan became upset that two women he met bicycling through the country we're apparently partners, and he went and got some friends and they came back and attacked them with knives. Several in the party were killed. Very scary.
@@timelston4260 Not only there, whether in the Caucasus or Central Asia, but elsewhere in countries like France. This gap between our mentalities is difficult for us to understand, because we naively believe that people coming to our countries agree on all the aspects of our societies, but they don't.
Unfortunately, both options are unsafe, just in different ways :(
Ladies you are very smart to be cautious, You cannot trust a stranger. You can only be wrong once and then it is too late. It is nice to see and hear you again, be safe and please do more programs showing your travels. If you were both in Canada you would blend in like you lived here for ever.
You and Alena make each other smile. It makes me happy to see :)
Heh, that's healthy natural instincts kicking in a situation of an unknown person addressing you. You did exactly what you needed to do and say, polite, courteous, firm. You have nothing to reproach yourself. I too have had this kind of experiences in the Paris metro or out shopping on the streets in cities. Being aware of your situation and surrounding is key to keeping yourself safe. Thank you for sharing about life in Ereván Armenia and Tiblisi Georgia, two places that could be a good place to live for a while .
So good to see this from you two! I'm glad when I get the chance to see and hear a bit from the interesting lives you are living. I like hearing your many varied perspectives. You two have interesting personalities that keep getting more so. I also think it is interesting that leading your very international lives is bringing to you and those of us following you, perspectives on history, present state relationships and the connections to each other we all have in this world.
Great humorous vid. Thanks too again for the dogs n cats.
I once explained to a Russian that England is a bit like Russia in the USSR. Official England is the traditional countries of England and Wales. But official England is not an international country, though it has its own soccer team. The international country is the United Kingdom, of the official Kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Scotland (the King is crowned on a throne also containing the traditional stone of the Scottish kings), and Northern Ireland (because have to keep something from the conquests of the past).
Good to see you again. You are visiting places that most of us will never see, so your videos are always interesting. Your videos are now a little more professional than when you were showing us around Sparsk when you started doing UA-cams. However your straightforward honest way of looking at things is always interesting. I hope your UA-cam payments are getting to you now that you are outside Russia.
Thanks for posting your adventure!
Thanks for including some maps, history, explanation of your perspective... etc. in your vlog!
Well I'm Georgian and despite me standing with Ukraine I think you made the right decision! I wish freedom to Georgian, Ukrainian, Armenian and Russian people and all the other countries that are not yet free ! 💙💛
Georgian, NATO is not freedom if it poses threat to other country. If your politicians understood that at the time you would not lose 30% of your territory. NATO as per definition is a terrorist organization (not defending force) attacking weaker countries for the purpose of stealing other nations natural resources and supporting ju-z interests. Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya....
Thanks for another great video, with loads of insightful commentary and fun shout-outs of quirky scenes. I wanted to chime in about feeling guarded when random men approach - don't regret feeling awkward. You are right to be on-guard, and I am glad you and Alena were together. I read a tip about traveling that makes a lot of sense: people are good and friendly and safe if you approach THEM to ask a question or start a conversation. However, if a stranger comes up to YOU, be on guard. Period. Take care and best wishes for feeling comfortable wherever you go.
You and Alena consistently present an authenticity, a courageous genuineness, that I cannot easily turn away from. I find myself viewing to the end, unusual for me on UA-cam.
BTW, you look Irish to me.
13:00 I'm surprised to read that Armenia is not hostile to Russia, given the Kremlin's recognition of Artsakh/Nagorna-Karabakh as a part of Azerbaijan. Also, democracy doesn't have a direct co-relation to any country's relationship w/ Moscow
A lot of things aren't really true, we were recently in Georgia and we had hard times finding people that could speak proper English, like not just two words but like a fluent level. In Armenia, on the other hand, we had no problem with that. Lots of texts in Armenia are available in English. Judging democracy level by "just because, feels like" is also not good idea, Armenia has the highest democracy rating in the whole region and Georgia is consistently below it. If Armenians are friendly to Russians, they are not democratic. They are very open to internationals and don't have prejudices towards Russians.
Well said !
Антонелла, цаватанем ахчи !
Alena could do stand up comedy, she is naturally humorous and funny. I'll never visit these places, you've done a great job as a travelogue narrator.
Thank you for the excellent and diverse culture tour to countries that I have always wondered about. 💙💛
In São Paulo (biggest Brazilian city) there are a lot of Armenians, we even have a metro station called "Armenia"
That’s amazing bro. Love to Brazil from Armenia ❤❤❤🇧🇷🇦🇲
@@MaaanMaanMan Greetings from Brazil... :)
Thank you both for such an interesting insight into Armenia - here in UK we really don't see anything about this.
Same here in America. Occasionally I will hear about conflicts between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but other than that I first heard of Armenia because I read about the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem.
Natasha and Alina, i lovee your vlogs together! pls make more🥺
Never noticed many strays in Yerevan when I was there, strangely. Just a couple of cats. Probably because I was there in the summer when it was 100 degrees fahrenheit multiple days in a row and the strays were hiding in the shade somewhere.
Loved Armenia a lot when I traveled there. Gorgeous country and really nice people. If you go back to Armenia sometime, I recommend that you check out Gyumri (the "cultural capital" of Armenia) and some of the beautiful old monasteries
Great video, Thanks for being my tour guide. Stay safe on your travels!
the answer to your question on why georgia is less connected with russia must be the 2008 war
Sounds reasonable! 😉
It's a bit more than that 😅
excited to see this, as I wanted to visit Yerevan when I was living in Tbilisi as a digital nomad in 2021, but my Covid test did not arrive in time and there was no way to test whatever driver I got. So I went to Baku instead. But I would like to see Yerevan one day!
So much work and thoughts put into this vlog! Language, culture, cuisine, street animals, history and politics...This video is a labour of love. Thank you for this. On a side note, seems like Alena is kind of ashamed of being Russian? I remembered she once also said "I don't want to speak this terrible language" (meaning Russian) maybe she was joking. If so I hope one day she makes peace with her culture, which, despite all the tragedies, has so much to offer.
Thank you! I don’t think she’s ashamed, it’s just irony
Great video, I enjoy you honesty and heartfelt expressions of your experiences. You also have great talent and your English is absolutely GREAT! You should be so very PROUD of yourself!
I am an American living in Georgia (in the USA). My wife and I have been to Armenia and really enjoy it there. We think, based on your story, that you would be far happier if you moved from Georgia to Armenia. Trust me, I know you would be (happier).
Keep up doing your great videos, I just happen to come accross your channel and both my wife and I enjoy it ! Now that I have subscribed (I’ll also be joining your channel) We will be following you. Stay safe and stay happy, you are very intelligent and talented!
Fred
Yerevan appears to be a very clean city.
I think you are both brave traveling on your own. This is a fascinating travelogue. I didn't know much about these countries. It's nice to understand the differences between Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Your curiosity is wonderful.
Going to Georiga in December! Thanks to you
Another excellent video & very informative. Thank you, because it is not so easy for some of us to ever see these places. Thanks again to both of you.
What a cool trip you guys had. Cats dogs and good food! What’s not to like about it?😂
Thank you so much for this great video I'm going to visit Armenia for the first time this summer (I live in Los Angeles) and this video was so helpful for me
Thank you and I think your English and vocabulary are perfect
Awesome videos! Very educational, I learned so much, thanks Natasha!
Great video, I visited both Tbilisi and Yerevan 3 months ago. Although Yerevan was interesting, I would choose Tbilisi instead. Just with regards to your encounter with the guy from Nigeria, i'm sure it was not with any bad intentions (I hope). I'm from South Africa and us Africans are very friendly and approachable, and I assumed that he might have enjoyed just being able to interact with someone who he understands as I also felt that the culture in both Georgia and Armenia was very cold and unfriendly, but was told by a friend I made in Georgia that, the old soviet and caucuses regions are not open minded when it comes to being friendly with strangers and once I came to terms with it I was able to embrace the place better.
Anyway loved the video and can't wait to see your new posts..
Peace and happiness from South Africa 🇿🇦✌️
Hi again Natasha. I'm happy you can travel as your videos are always very informative. You receive many comments and compliments and I learn from them also. It surprises me that in Georgia and Armenia people let their dogs roam free. But I kind of like that. In the U.S. it is against the law in most places, ( animal pets must be on a leash.)....✌️🗽
Their dogs seem to be pretty friendly, not very territorial, or defensive at people. Maybe it's due to their social upbringings.
13:58 The cat 😺 is signaling friendship by slow-blinking both eyes. Predatory animals, which cats are, always keep eyes upon each other unless they're friends so its not keeping eyes upon Natasha means that it considers her as a friend.
My son had a cat which he didn't take with him when he grew up and moved into his own apartment so I took care of her.
When she was young, my grabbing her tail to get her to turn back to me would elicit an alarming response. Once she became older, she would just turn around and lay down next to me to let me scratch her back. Cats have "culture."
My son said that his/our cat was doing something weird: staring at me. He said that it was a very aggressive gesture in predatory animals but she was already "humanized" to observe my moves, apparently with interest.
The street sign at 3:59 caught me by surprise. New Hampshire Avenue? This video sequence seems to be showing a slice of Little Armenia in Los Angeles, California. I know that the country Armenia most likely does not have any palm trees! I enjoy your travel adventures. Keep them coming!
They were referring to the spread of Armenians around the world and that was one of several pictures demonstrating that spread. I believe it began with a picture of Kim Kardashian.
Armenia with no palms? Then how do they grow dates and celebrate Palm Sunday?
As always, I'm happy about a new video! :)
I like your presentation of countries that are almost unknown to me. As a European, the Caucasian countries are somehow not present to me at all, as they hardly ever appear in western media...
Right? There was hardly any news about the developments to the Azerbaijani -Armenian conflict over the past 45-60 days, & alot definitely happened!
13:26, answering your queation.
Russia attacked Georgia, that's why it's a taboo to speak Georgian there.
Meanwhile in Armenia, as we thought, Russia is the only factor saving us from Turkey and Azerbaijan, also our previous government, which ruled over Armenia for 30 years, was basically Russian pupets. The times have changed, and so are our relationships with Russia, after the 2023 September events.
My guess about Georgia was invaded by Russia so maybe that's the animosity towards the language and culture etc.
One of many reasons 😅
This was a very good video. I went by train last year and really enjoyed Albania. People were so nice. It was more orderly than Tbilisi. But I love both countries.
If you want to read an Armenian author (2nd generation Californian as a result of the diaspora) I can highly recommend William Saroyan, especially his autobiographical novel “My Name is Aram.” Very enjoyable!
Tracy's Tiger, Not Dying ...I cannot believe how little known Saroyan is in the USA. Great writer.
Thank you for these insights into Armenia, a country I don't yet know much about. It's cats and dogs look happy and that says something good about a place!
Stray cats and dogs everywhere just says how backward a country is.