Shushanik Kostandyan

I am a linguist, an English language specialist. Since childhood, I have had a dream to grow up and travel all over the world. After graduation, I chose a profession that would allow me to travel a lot. First of all, I wanted to explore all the hidden corners of my country, then travel abroad. This was one of the main reasons I became a tour guide. Also, I’m a very communicative and like to meet people of different cultures to learn more about the world. I love interacting with people, and that makes my job attractive. Another thing is exploring my country, which I love very much. 

I guide tours and also specialize in the historical and cultural geography of Armenia and the broader Caucasus region. I lead detailed tours to places like Noravank Monastery, the ancient cave dwellings of Khndzoresk, and the lesser-known medieval bridges in Lori Province. These places each hold stories that are often missing from typical guidebooks. They reveal Armenia’s long and complex past, shaped by Urartian, Persian, Byzantine, and Soviet influences.

My approach also focuses on linguistic anthropology. I often introduce travelers to endangered dialects spoken in highland villages like Khnatsakh and Shatin. These dialects show how much variation exists within the Armenian language. The Homshetsi dialect, spoken by Hamshen Armenians, shows a strong link between language and cultural survival. Many Armenians don’t know this dialect exists.

I would love to share a funny story from my trips. Once, I had a group of 40 from the USA. A priest led them. Very nice group with a good sense of humor. The day we were driving to the city of Jermuk, the priest badly needed a toilet and asked for a bus stop in a field where there were just several dried trees. So we stopped and then continued our driving. The next day, when we were passing by the same road, the priest asked me to pass him a microphone and he said:” You see, I’m a holy man. Yesterday, when I asked for a bus stop, the tree was dry, and today it is green. I gave life to it.” Yes it was a green tree))) And the whole group was laughing in tears.