December 5 is the International Volunteer Day, the occasion to dive into the profound reasons for volunteering in the Homeland, especially in these challenging times. Birthright Armenia invites Diasporan Armenians to contribute their time and knowledge to Armenia. One such volunteer is Cal Kevorkian of Michigan, who has never been to Armenia before. He shares his own story the reasons behind his decision below.
By Cal Kevorkian
I’m proud of my unique Armenian culture and my Kevorkian name, but there is still so much I have yet to learn and understand.
My Armenian heritage traces back to Armenia around 1915 when my great-grandfather and great-grandmother both escaped the Genocide. Tragically, they lost their respective families but managed to find their way to New York City, where they worked as hired help in the Upper East Side. It was there that fate brought them together, finding a sense of home and comfort in each other, leading to their marriage. Eventually, they saved enough money to move to Chicago, where they ran a mom-and-pop corner store. It wasn’t until my grandfather Harry decided to go to Cal Berkeley for university that things changed. Visiting the Bay Area with Harry, my great grandfather was immediately reminded of the hillsides of Armenia, prompting the entire family to move west and settle in San Jose. My dad then came along many years later after Harry married an Irish woman named Betty. Fast forward 30-some years, and my older sister and I arrive.
Throughout my life, I’ve grown up eating basturma and boreg, listening to my father recount the infamous story of our family’s journey, and exploring Armenian Catholic Churches wherever I can find them. I take pride in my unique Armenian culture and Kevorkian name, but I acknowledge that there is still much for me to learn and understand.
The reasons behind my desire to volunteer in Armenia seem endless, making the question “What are the reasons for wanting to volunteer” initially challenging to answer. The thought of “Where do I start?” kept popping up in my head. However, I’ll begin with this: immersion. That’s what I seek. I choose immersion because it encompasses so much of what I desire from this experience. It’s more than just travel; it’s about fully experiencing a culture and embracing everything it has to offer.
