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Andranik wanted to go to Italy but ended up in Belgium, Mariam wanted to go to France and after various wanderings she eventually succeeded. Two stories of migrants who left Armenia years ago in search of better living conditions
Longing always combines pain and waiting. Across the world, hundreds of families face the fate of separation every day, seeking new opportunities in a country where dreams, and especially freedom, are closer. Migration not only breaks boundaries but also human relationships, cultures, and lives. But the most grim aspect is the uncertainty that compels a person to leave their homeland, even without the assurance of returning.
Andranik's Story: From Gyumri to Brussels
Andranik was 23 when he decided that he needed to completely change his life. He was born in Armenia's second-largest city, Gyumri, graduated from the University of Economics, and received a good education. He had made some progress in Armenia's labour market, but one day he suddenly decided that he needed to arrange his life outside of the country.
"I had friends living abroad, we often talked on video calls, and they would tell me about their success, how much money they were making. I would share about my life, and after comparing, I realised my life was dull, uninteresting. I decided I should arrange my life in Italy. Later, however, my goals and plans changed."
It has been 10 years since Andranik began taking practical steps to leave the country. Back then, a friend living in Italy shared a secret with him about how he had reached Europe. Andranik says his friend's journey reminded him of a movie—full of fake transactions and rough paths. "It was scary, but the desire to reach the goal outweighed the fear."
"I tried several times to get a visa, but it didn’t work. I paid a large amount of money to a company, hoping they could arrange my transfer, but nothing worked. I spent almost a year working on getting to Italy. Eventually, when I was disappointed and decided not to leave the country, my friend in Brussels helped me."
Instead of heading to Italy, Andranik found himself in Belgium—a country where he had no idea what difficulties awaited him. His friend living there told him that the beginning would be hard, but things would get better later.
However, the beautiful life that he had envisioned did not materialise. In Brussels, he became one of the migrants who could not find work for a long time because of his lack of documents.
"I had a master's degree in economics, but I went to learn car repair. At first, I didn’t know much about the job. I was paid very little, and I constantly worked with fear in my heart, fearing police checks. If they found me, they would send me back. And I couldn’t go back because I was facing serious financial problems at that time."
For the past two years, Andranik has resolved his legal status. Today, he has all the legal grounds to live in Belgium, works as a truck driver, and his wife works as a cleaner for a family. Looking back, he says that if he had been wiser 10 years ago, he would never have come to Europe.
"The best years of my life and all my financial resources were spent to get to Belgium. If I had been a little smarter, I would have spent that money on my education, improved my skills in my profession, and found a good job in my homeland. Now I can be happy that I’m no longer an illegal migrant but a legal resident of Belgium."
To reach Belgium illegally, he spent around 5,000 Euros, most of which was borrowed from friends and relatives.
Mariam's Story: From Yerevan to Paris
Mariam (name changed) was 29 years old when she decided to change her life. She was born in Yerevan, graduated from the faculty of linguistics, and is an English specialist. However, she had always dreamed that one day she would restart her life in Paris. In Armenia, she was known as a promising young specialist—an interpreter—but she felt a lack of stability and progress.
"I always looked at my friends living in France with envy and admiration. I saw how they lived a completely different life—cultural, independent, and very successful. We had the same education, but I couldn’t reach the kind of comfortable life they had. That’s why one day I decided I also had to move to Paris, where everything seemed perfect."
Mariam began searching for cultural and educational programmes that would allow her to legally reach France. However, all her applications were rejected. She shared her dream with a friend living abroad, who suggested a legal way to reach Europe—by obtaining a tourist visa.
"My friend had gone to Europe illegally, lived in fear during the initial phase, and advised me not to consider illegal migration. Following her advice, I applied for a short-term tourist visa. I got it very quickly because my documents were completely in order. I went to Paris as a tourist and, after returning, applied for another tourist visa."
Mariam travelled to Paris several times as a tourist and studied the job market. Eventually, she found a job there and applied to France for legal residence.
"I’ve been living in Paris for 7 years—my dream city. I don’t complain about my life, but it’s a fact that if I had stayed in my homeland, I would have achieved greater success. Now I work in a bookstore and live modestly with the money I earn, while in Armenia, I was earning a lot and could afford a much more comfortable life. Many people ask why I don’t go back, but years have passed. I can’t waste more years to reach some decent stage there. It’s better to spend those years here to achieve a stable life. Migration is like a swamp; once you get in, it’s very difficult to get out," says Mariam, adding that she is satisfied that, unlike other migrants, she doesn’t live in fear.
This article was produced as part of “MigraVoice: Migrant Voices Matter in the European Media”, an editorial project supported by the European Union. The positions contained in this article are the expression of the authors alone and do not necessarily represent the positions of the European Union.