Michael Flanagan, an AGBU AVC e-learner from Philadelphia, USA, began his journey of learning Armenian in 2018 with just a few flashcards and an Armenian flag in his room. Little did he know that a few years later, he would be well on his way to fluency in Eastern Armenian at the AGBU Armenian Virtual College.
Ironically, Michael’s first attempt to learn Armenian ended in frustration. “The language felt too intimidating,” he recalls thinking when he first saw the word “shaganakaguyn” (շագանակագույն - brown) written on one of his flashcards. “The script was difficult, and the long words seemed impossible to memorize.” For a while, he stayed connected to Armenia in other ways—keeping up with Armenian-American celebrities and displaying an Armenian flag in his room.
However, in 2020, protests in his city brought his attention to Artsakh—a place Michael had never heard of—and sparked his desire to learn more about Armenia and its culture “I realized how little I knew about Armenia,” he says. “I spent time learning about holidays like Vardavar, preparing dishes like tolma, and wondering when my city will have “pulpulaks”. But learning about the culture felt incomplete without understanding the language.”
When Michael turned to online resources, he discovered the Armenian Virtual College. “I signed up for the Beginner Eastern Armenian course immediately,” he says. “The class was especially helpful for someone starting from scratch like me. It included transliteration, which made the language more approachable in the early stages.”
Although Michael initially struggled with the Armenian script and lengthy words, AVC’s supportive and engaging environment helped him persist. “AVC knows how to keep their students motivated and on the right path,” he says.
Now that he is enrolled in the Pre-Advanced Eastern Armenian course, Michael enjoys the flexibility of working through lessons at his own pace combined with weekly Zoom sessions with AGBU AVC Online Instructor Mariam Harutyunyan to practice speaking and listening. “Learning is not instantaneous - it takes curiosity and consistency from students with support from excellent teachers,” he explains.
Mariam Harutyunyan describes Michael as a very conscientious student. “He has never missed a meeting and he always shows up well-prepared and with good questions. Michael is very ambitious, and in a very short time, he already speaks and understands Armenian so well,” she says.
While being fluent remains Michael’s long-term goal, he takes pride in his incremental achievements. “I measure my success by how often I need Mariam to pause mid-conversation to translate words into English. Thanks to AGBU AVC, I know I will have a rich and fulfilling experience when I am able to visit Armenia. I am grateful for AGBU AVC. They offer high-quality, structured content for free. Anyone interested in Armenia should explore their curriculum,” Michael says.
