Artsakh is a place both at war and at peace. Though threatened from the outside, internally it is without tension or quarrel. Though the Artsakhtsi face great adversity, they are not a divided people.
Individually the Artsakhtsi might differ in many of their beliefs, but they are tied together by history, ancient traditions, and, most importantly, by certain deeper truths, such as the importance of family and friends, the sanctity of freedom, and a devout commitment to the truth. These fundamentals unify the Artsakhtsi and are in every way related to their Armenian-Apostolic faith. From their faith the fruits are apparent. They are a people with a genuine love for one another. The are a good community, a growing rarity in the world today.
I believe this program is significant on two fronts. It serves to nurture what is already inherent to the community in Artsakh. Through education, CINF provides the Artsakhtsi the skills they need to be themselves and develop their community as Artsakhtsi. The tools we give the Artsakhtsi are for them to use to change themselves, their lives, and their society for the better. This is an endeavor they must lead themselves, and being a hard-working people, they are not afraid of the challenge. We do not seek to impose change upon the Artsakhtsi, but rather to aid them to grow freely, as all good things must.
When I teach, my goal is not only to teach English, but also to prepare my students to use the language practically. As a native English speaker, my primary aim is to persuade them to speak and interact with me. This summer, in my children’s classes, this meant playing games together. In my University classes my tactic was reading English literature, such as Harry Potter, The Hobbit, and Wuthering Heights, which we would then discuss in class. The challenge was more than simply linguistic. Most Artsakhtsi also have a habitual shyness and lack of confidence, which prevents them building the conversational skills they need. The trick is to shift their focus from themselves to some other inquiry or task. Give them something to love and ponder with you, a game or a book, and they will suddenly open up. Seeing this change in my students, as they come into themselves, grow confident and willing to make mistakes and learn from them, is the most rewarding part of teaching.
I think this focus in the classroom is unique to CINF. My work for the foundation has also put me in touch with many officials from organizations with similar programs, and I am yet to discover one with the same approach.
The second point of significance I know quite personally: The program positively affects us, the volunteers, as well as the Artsakhtsi. This was my third summer teaching in Artsakh. Clearly, I keep coming back for a reason.
It is always a humbling experience, living in Artsakh for two to three months. Preoccupied with all my petty, Western problems, I come to live in a country where such little issues are the furthest from the everyday mind. Instead the people focus on those essential things: God, tradition, family, friends, freedom, and truth. To live in such a community for so long works like medicine to a deep poison. Over time I have seen my priorities slowly (sometimes painfully) set themselves right, (like a “broken bone going back into place,” as Prof. Nash-Marshall always says) and this change in me has everything to do with living with the Artsakhtsi. Every day I think, “I want to live like that. I want to be good like them.” When I go home to America, I bring this change back with me, and I am stronger and better prepared for the real challenges that await me.
Inherently unique to CINF is its focus on teamwork. By bringing differing individuals together to achieve a common goal, we all prosper from the endeavor. I know the people I am working with and for. I know my students, my fellow CINF teachers, the Artsakhtsi educators and government officials – they are my friends and family. By working together, we achieve more than we could alone, and at the same time each of us also grows individually from the experience. In this way, CINF facilitates real and natural learning in all of its participants while simultaneously effecting long-term change. I don’t believe there is any other organization quite like this.
Now CINF is looking to broaden to facilitate vocational courses in addition to the language and philosophy courses we have offered previously. This is a program the Artsakhtsi need desperately, so that they can rebuild their homes and infrastructure as well as develop economically. This year, in our English and Italian courses, we taught more than 300 students and it’s clear that the current program will only continue to grow exponentially. CINF is planning and preparing for this also. I hope and pray these plans will come to fruition, both for the sake of the Artsakhtsi and future volunteers like me.
My sincerest thanks to CINF and the Artsakhtsi, whom are now like family.
Stephanie Havens
08.13.2019