RIGHT:Community continues to adapt

Armenian family life is changing. The traditional close-knit families are still there, but the roles within the families are increasingly changing to fit the lifestyles individuals have chosen for themselves.

As with most families in America — Armenian or not — women are taking a greater role in establishing themselves within the household.

Women are breaking away from the gender roles assigned to them by society and family relations. Many Armenian women work full-time jobs or attend school on a full-time basis and manage their family lives.

Frequent family visits are prevalent and are encouraged by parents and in-laws, but families are living different lives than before.

And divorce is increasingly becoming a reality in the Armenian community. Before, it was irrelevant and no one ever imagined the idea of ending a marriage and parting ways.

But now, marriage ends in divorce for many Armenian couples for a variety of reasons. There are cases of domestic violence, infidelity and substance abuse that end a marriage.

As the debate about assimilation continues in Glendale, the Armenian community continues to adapt to life in America.

That isn't to say that assimilation and adaptability are the same, but for Armenian immigrants, adaptation comes before assimilation.

Armenians, like other immigrants, have adapted to their new environments. They have adapted for survival. But assimilation continues to be the biggest challenge.

The process of assimilation is a personal one. Some Armenians assimilate better than others, who choose to stick to their Old World ways.

But as the Armenian community continues to adapt to fit ever-changing lifestyles, assimilation becomes a part of the equation.

I am often asked why many Armenian immigrants don't learn to speak English. My response is that people all have their own reasons and special circumstances. But, for the most part, adaptation to their new world is the first concern on their minds.

Immigrants first determine how they can survive in a new place. Assimilation into a new culture and language follow gradually. For some, the process is sooner rather than later.

There is no clear answer as to why assimilation works for some more than others. I don't have the answer myself.

But one thing is for sure, Armenians, like all other immigrants are a people of survival. They have survived and continue to survive.

Maybe the issue of assimilation should be discussed on an individual basis. Every individual has their own personal story of the immigrant experience.