Corruption doesn’t exist ???

Was waiting for the English version of this article to appear, but still can’t find it. However quoting and linking to a very interesting article on ”168 zham” weekly, which perfectly reveals the corruption manifestations at educational institutions, particularly at school #68 in Erebuni district. And as someone from that district I can assure that all the allegations made against the headmistress of that school are grounded, as I have witnessed the developments of this outrage. In two words, the headmistress of that school is said to gather money from pupils and teachers to buy a car for herself, and not only, she makes them gather huge amount of money for every occasion – her birthday, March 8, New Year, etc.. So after a complaint made to “168 zham” by a parent of one of the pupils studying at that school, the dismissed teachers mustered up their courage to present the weekly with new, very serious facts about the corrupted headmistress. I’m still waiting to see what measures the Ministry of Education will take regarding this case or it will be again considered as a tiny incident. Personally, I think, that if this corrupted woman continues occupying her current post, instead of being dismissed from it, that will be the last hope for any possible justice in this country.

Article 1

Օրերս «168 Ժամ» թերթի խմբագրությունն ահազանգ էր ստացել այն մասին, որ Էրեբունի համայնքի թիվ 68 դպրոցում զավեշտի հասնող դրամահավաք է սկսվել: Մեզ զանգահարողը նույն դպրոցի աշակերտներից մեկի մայրն էր, ով հասկանալի պատճառներով չցանկացավ իր անունը հրապարակել, սակայն տեղեկացրեց, որ դպրոցում անհավանական իրադարձություններ են տեղի ունենում: Նրա հավաստմամբ` դպրոցի մանկավարժական կազմն ակտիվ կերպով լծվել է յուրաքանչյուր աշակերտից 6000 դրամ գումար ստիպողաբար հավաքելու գործին: Տիկնոջ խոսքերով` երեխաներից գումարը հավաքագրվում է, որպեսզի դպրոցի տնօրենն ավտոմեքենա գնի: Նա նաեւ տեղեկացրեց, որ, քանի որ ինքը չի կարողացել անհրաժեշտ գումարը տալ, ծնողական ժողովի ժամանակ դասղեկն ասել է` «Ի՞նչ եք մտածում գումարի համար, ձեր փոխարեն ես եմ տվել: Փողն անպայման պիտի տաք, որովհետեւ իմ գրպանից եմ այն դրել»: [...]

[...]Մենք կապվեցինք թիվ 68 դպրոցի տնօրեն Սուսաննա Ազիզյանի հետ, ով բավականին բարեհամբույր պատասխանեց մեր հեռախոսազանգին: Սակայն, երբ հարցրեցինք, թե ինչո՞ւ են աշակերտներից փող հավաքում իր համար մեքենա գնելու նպատակով, տիկին Ազիզյանը խիստ զայրացավ: Բացի այդ, նրա վերաբերմունքից ակնհայտ էր, որ այս հարցադրումը նրա համար անակնկալ չէր: «Նախ՝ ես արդեն գնել եմ «Մերսեդես-կուպե» մեքենա: Ես ձեր հարցերին չեմ պատասխանի, մինչեւ որ գրավոր դիմում չներկայացնեք: Օդից վերցրած ահազանգերին պատասխանելը նպատակահարմար չեմ գտնում: Հրաժարվում եմ պատասխանել ձեր հարցին, որովհետեւ ամեն մի անանուն զանգերի պատասխանելու ժամանակ էլ չունեմ»,- բարկացած ասաց նա` սպառնալով, որ ահազանգի մասին հրապարակում տեսնելուն պես դատի կտա հոդվածը գրող լրագրողին: Հարկ է նշել մի կարեւոր հանգամանք՝ տիկին Ազիզյանը մեր զրույցի ընթացքում չհերքեց, որ իր տնօրինության տակ գտնվող դպրոցում դրամ է հավաքվում:[...]

Five things about “marshutkas” – vans

Well, actually I like traveling to any place by marshutkas and I take a taxi on rare occasions and also I don’t want to drive, especially in this manic city, though had the opportunity when some years ago my dad asked to look from the window to find there a cute car he was about to buy for me. You may think it’s stupid, but I didn’t accept that present. Yeah, I know, marshutkas are not that safe, some people call them “100-dram-killers”. However, I don’t mind other people around me, I rather prefer it, especially when so funny incidents and conversations happen in them. And but for several things, marshutkas would be my adorable means of transportation.

1. After the accident when several years ago two or three marshutkas crashed and several people died, kind of a rule was set that marshutkas shouldn’t take more people than the number of sits in the vehicle. As a result the drivers rebelled and increased the charge from 50 to 100 drams. However, less than a month later marshutkas were packed again and even the operation of new buses didn’t save the situation. So up to now as they drive by, one can see some bums smashed over the door windows, while people inside resemble canned fishes, and when someone from the back sit wants to get off, half of the marshutka gets off along with him to give him way out. Oh, and I don’t talk about the smell, especially in summer and especially when Armenian men do not have the habit of using antiperspirant and think that without taking shower and simply scenting with perfume they’ll get rid of the stink.

Diversity…!!!???

You know, I have always been and still am of the opinion that Armenians are talented people, creative, original, ingenious, resourceful, and I’m not talking about our scientists who were outstanding figures indeed, I refer to our cultural, artistic talent as we have brilliant representatives of each branch of art, not mentioning the people selling their handworks in “Vernisaj”, each of which is a unique work of art.

However, I will never stop wondering why out of all those talented people only the talentless ones get the chance to appear on TV!! Moreover, someone told them that they are ace, so they keep on giving blunt speeches and ungiftedly shaking their bodies on all channels. And I have to bear this when willy-nilly I turn on the TV just to find nothing interesting and rather irritating and turn it off, or when have to bear the sound when my folks are watching it.

So my brother switched to “Nor Aliq” music channel and asked whether I had seen Sirusho’s new video. Wow, that’s really incredible! This time onwards I stop “bad-mouthing” Hayko and Kristine Pepelyan, as a new subject of mockery is right there. I knew that this girl likes copying everything and everyone, but this last video was on the verge of fantastic, as she revealed all her disabilities in it.

More bread, please…

It is late now and as far as we didn’t have bread at home and the nearest kiosk was closed, I had to have my dinner without bread. That was a nightmare, in fact, I am still hungry! Everything seems tasteless to me without bread. And I swear I cannot understand people who do not use bread while eating!!! Though I admit that the dough used for baking bread is not healthy at all. However, I even remember how in Slovakia the waitress got surprised when I asked for a loaf of bread and I had to wait for some 20 minutes before she brought it, by the time when my other colleagues mostly from European countries finished their lunch doing well without bread.

They say bread is fattening, then how come that I’m the slimmest person in this world??!! Whereas bread and cheese with tomatoes is my favorite food for the whole day. No, I can’t do without bread, guess that’s an Armenian thing. Gotto get one now from some bakery

Everlasting problem

Nice scene, ain’t it? That’s what I witness every day leaving home and returning. Our neighbors’ windows are right above this scene. The garbage area was being scavenged in the morning, when I was leaving. I took the picture at about 5p.m the same day, when I returned. See how much garbage they managed to pile!

I took this other picture the next day. The garbage will remain there and will be cumulated by our neighbors for the following 5 days, unless the garbage track arrives again and picks it up.

Imagine the stench, especially in a summer heat!

I got a new mobile phone!!!

My poor Siemens SL 55 got tortured in my hands during all these 3 and half years and though I liked it a lot, I decided to change it before it died one day, especially when sometimes it would get turned off in the middle of a conversation.

My brother suggested going to “Petak” trade center in search of a new mobile. I was looking around, didn’t know what to buy, wanted something cute and with a nice design. And finally. This phone caught my eye from the first glance. However, unfortunately I didn’t manage to find out much about it as this conversation happened between the salesgirl and me: