Testimonial by Abigail Kizirian Myers

I participated in a four-week Armenian language course at Aspirantum. I am currently pursuing a Masters degree in design history in New York City. I enrolled in the school as an American diasporan Armenian, looking to study Eastern Armenian in an intensive, grammar-focused way so that I can better communicate with contemporary Armenian scholars. I cannot speak highly enough about my experience. The small size of my classes with such experienced instruction helped me catapult my language skills and set me up for productive study beyond the program. Each week’s extracurricular programming was essential for cultural lessons and seeing the sights of Armenia. Excursions to Aragats and Amberd stand out to me as some of the most memorable, but all of the programming illuminated different facets of Armenian culture and history through the lenses of politics, art, food, and architecture. Daily life in Yerevan was defined by the central location of classes. Many days I would walk to the opera house for an evening show after my class, and I got to know the neighborhood well. My time at Aspirantum was a truly immersive experience, and my only issue was that I was not able to stay for a longer amount of time! Khachik is incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and eager to foster a community around the love of languages. I am so grateful for this course, the people I met, and all that I learned in my four short weeks in Yerevan. I sincerely hope to take another course with Aspirantum in the future.