Cultural Connections: McMahon to Armenia

Micaella Balderrama 

PrideTime Reporter

Many may know Anahit Pivazyan as just a chemistry teacher here at McMahon, but there's much more to her than being just a teacher. Most know of her Armenian background, evident in her accent, but a majority of the student body aren’t aware of Pivazyan’s journey from Armenia that brought her to the science hall of McMahon.

Armenia is a democratic nation-state, rich with deep history. Located in Western Asia, just east of Turkey and south of Georgia, Armenia declared its independence in September of 1921. The fight for Armenian independence was a messy one; peaceful protests for independence rapidly escalated into violent shootouts and firefights. It was a time of fear for all Armenians, including the Pivazyan family. This fear, in itself, was what brought a new chemistry teacher to the halls of McMahon some twenty years ago.
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I was terrified. My son had been drafted into the war. But it wasn’t even a war, it was politics. I didn’t want him to fight a war for the politicians.

Khor Virap Monastery

After hearing much about America and its opportunities, the Pivazyans rendered the country a good place to migrate to. With her husband and two children, Pivazyan arrived with some English learned in school.

After studying chemistry in college, Pivazyan wanted to work as a chemist; crazy hair, lab coat and all. However, after her daughter was found to need special attention for an illness, she decided to leave the laboratory to teach in schools.

“I worked as a Chemistry teacher to be close to my daughter and as a professor at a university at night. I didn’t want to be a teacher though,” said Pivazyan.

After coming to America, Pivazyan knew she had to grow accustomed to the language to get back on track with her teaching career. After getting employed at Walmart, within that first year of arrival, she became fluent in English. Not too long afterwards, she was hired as a chemist, but wasn't completely satisfied.

“I worked as a lab scientist, but I had missed teaching. My boss begged me to stay, but I said I must go back to teaching,” she claimed.

When asked if she could change anything about her journey to America, Pivazyan said she would only change one thing: moving here earlier in her life.

“I would liked to have come earlier, for my kids to grow up and go to the universities here. The schools here, especially the universities are great. It would have been nicer to get a job here earlier on too,” Pivazyan expressed.

Even though she had left behind a country full of friends and family, Pivazyan says she wouldn’t have had it any other way. She claims she would have moved to America, regardless. Of course she misses her homeland and those left behind, but America is her home now and she’s proud to be an American.

“I love this country. I’ve been here for twenty years now; it’s my home. It’s where my family is.”