This is the good country to live in. Salbi’s story

For customers of a restaurant in Alepo where lahmajo is served, the presence of a female employee is quite a surprise, thus they used to look at Salbi Chapanghchuryan somewhat strangely.

 According to Syrian unwritten law,  women should primarily take care of the children and household. But Salbi has to combine work and family in order to support her husband who suffers from heart disease.

–         I was the only woman in Aleppo to work with my husband. Goqor used to work from 6 am, and I used to work from 9 am. First my female friends used to tell me that it is not my deal, that I should sit at home and take care of my children, but nobody knew about my husband’s disease, and that I was working in order to help him. I managed to overcome those conversations  since they were not important to me. Gradually, my female friends started to encourage me, they were very much surprised how I could discuss business with men, who treated me like their sister, as they understood that if Goqor’s wife works it means that it is necessary, – says Salbi.

For hard-working and enthusiastic Salbi it was difficult to work at a bakery, as feminine softness and tenderness seemed to get lost. However, ignoring all this, as she says, she went against tide”.

After seeing after  her daughter and son and preparing food, Salbi   rushed to their pandok. In order to prepare high-quality lahmajo, skilled and agile master’s hands are much necessary; thus, lahmajo by Grigor and Salbi Chapaghjuryans was very popular in Aleppo.

Like many other families, when the war began, Salbi’s family was forced to migrate to Armenia.. In 2012, Salbi’s son, Kaycak, came  to Armenia to pay a visit to her sister who was a volunteer. When the situation in Siyria became more acute, their family joined them as well. After 6 months of unemployment, the family decided to restart their business seeing that the demand for their lahmajo was the same as in Aleppo.  At first, they worked   on Abovyan Street and then moved to Nalbandyan Street.

It has been two years now that costumers rush to Nalbandyan 5 because they prefer Salbi’s unique recipe.  Salbi’s place is also unique due to its slogan that reads  «This is the country to live in».

– When we came and started our business, many people told us: – Why  did you come? Why are you staying here? It is not  a country to live in. But when we settled here, when we were talking to each other in the evenings, my children were wondering why these people  were not satisfied, everything is beautiful, the sky is blue, and hard-working people can survive. We love our homeland; thus, we decided to write on the wall of out pandok –   “This is the country to live in” , – says Salbi.

According to her, people like to interfere in other people’s life, while everybody should deal with their own affairs. Her job is  to prepare lahmajo and she does it with love and devotion. In Syria. Salbi used to daydream about the future, and then war erupted.   “Who knew that there would be war in Syria or I  would lose my husband. Today I live in Armenia and enjoy my life and homeland”.

Salbi’s 27-year-old son likes Armenia too and has no intention to leave. . He has been working with his father since the age of 13 and now he is a master at  his job. He believes that people should adapt to any situation, and be able to overcome all difficulties; he agrees with her mother that one should live in the present, and see what the future brings in.

“I would  love to have a  family of my own too, but we will see when that happens . Now I  am focused on  business. They often ask me which girls are better – Syrians or Armenians.  I would like to say that there is no difference between girls  in Syria and Armenia, it is the 21st century, the world is just one piece”, – says Kaycak. He does not think about leaving Armenia. Why would they go somewhere else when they have their house,  work, and friends here. Even if the war ends in Syria, they will not go back . Armenia is their homeland, here is  his father’s tomb and, in general, their family’s life and future.

Anush Nersisyan