Experiencing Armenia once more

This is a re-post of my recent Armenian trip - a youth training on entrepreneurship and creativity, "Dreamdoland".

Despite the unpredictable March weather, a group of young people gathered to explore Yerevan and learn some more about entrepreneurship and creativity. We have come from Norway, Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria, Russia, Spain and Georgia, and settled in the famous Chess Academy for a week of adventure. Let the fun begin!

 

Here we are - three days in Yerevan, and already learned quite a bit about each other, about the local people and the way they see entrepreneurship (and almost learned how to spell this word, too!). Goal of the week almost reached, some would say - but lets see what is coming next, cause who knows, maybe it is just like with the Caucasian table, which gets better and better with each course?

On the first day of the program we had a chance to see the city and interact with people. Divided into groups, we got a list of tasks for the day: to interview a business owner, to talk to people on the street, to exchange a pen to something more valuable (this one sounded crazy in the beginning!). Wet snow decided to fall exactly that afternoon - but it appears it can be possible to have a good time out even in this weather! No news for the northerners, but quite unusual in the South.

Lady working in the metro was not pleased to see a camera

---

The first surprise came in metro - after being helped to orient on a platform by a kind lady, we later saw her running towards the wagon waving her hands - "No photo! No photo!" It appears, taking photos is not allowed in metro, near police or politicians. Also, some supermarkets will ask you to delete any photos you've taken there, and it seems that many business people we interviewed also didn't want their photos to be put online.

Getting inspiration at a children store

---

Once we got to the center, each group got one street to explore and to make interviews. We visited many small shops, but it wasn't always easy to find the owner himself there. However, most of the groups were kindly surprised, when business owners and managers willingly shared their time with us. One of them even left a meeting to give us interview! It seems, people like to talk about their experience and communicate with foreigners. But we noticed some 'taboo' topics as well - some of them didn't want to talk about how much taxes they have to pay, or to mention anything connected to their boss. Just like one of the groups said during their presentation - it seems that people wanted to tell even more than they did. Even so, from these conversations we could learn quite much about daily life of a business person in Armenia.

Making friends with a bull in front of the cinema

---

One of the most interesting questions of these interviews was to learn what somebody needs to start a business in Armenia. And even though we had five groups, who interviewed completely different people, the result was so similar! It seems, to put your ideas into action and get profit from it in Armenia, you need to have some $$$$ (that won't disturb starting business anywhere!..). But also you need support from the government - or at least to have somebody (uncle, cousin, friend...) who has good relationship with the authorities. It is interesting that many people rely on it a lot - on personal relations, good contacts, networks... Just like a lonely wolf dies without a pack, you cannot make a business in Armenia alone.

Over-excited at a fancy Arabic restaurant!

And finally, we all managed to exchange the pens! I honestly don't know, how much of it was our negotiation skills, and how much - simply kind heart and hospitality of Armenians. We easily convinced to trade those small plastic sticks to things like strawberry tea, memory sticks, souvenir cup and plate, traditional necklace and other warm reminders from this day. Just like Kyle MacDonald, a Canadian blogger who traded his way from a single red paperclip to a house in one year, we managed to achieve something that seemed absolutely crazy and impossible in the beginning, and try one step of actually making business. 

---