Eesti
- Introduce yourself briefly.
My name is Arman Nahapetjan. I’m a 22 year old bachelor student in EBS. I’m not sure how to describe myself, but other people seem to like and respect me so I can’t be too bad :).
2. Tell us three facts about yourself.
- I don’t really eat seafood, because when I was 4-6 years old I went fishing a lot and I caught quite a few fish. I felt really bad, that they died because of me. When they were brought on the dinner table, I didn’t even want to look at them. I felt horrible.
- As a kid I won 3rd place in the national chess championships.
- I’m often mistaken to be a very angry person. I have no idea why. I’m actually very friendly, come and see for yourself.
3. How did you find your way to EBS?
I actually ended up in EBS unintentionally. I didn’t really perform well in my high school math exam, so I could not get a free study spot in another university. My best friend at the time recommended me check out EBS. I thought to myself then that if I have to pay for my studies anyway, then it won’t hurt to apply to EBS. So I spontaneously ended up here. I have no regrets and I honestly can’t see myself studying anywhere else or in another field.
4. You are really into cooking. Why don’t you share a great recipe with us and tell us about your favorite dish?
Cooking is one of my passions. It’s very relaxing and soothing. It helps to take my mind of things and focus on something else and of course women love men who cook. I really like to cook Georgian/Armenian cuisine. Since my roots are from the Caucasus, cooking helps me feel connected to that culture. Something quite easy I would recommend for people to try is the kebab. For that you need minced meat. It can be lamb, pork and beef or a mixture of them. The important thing is that the minced meat needs to contain fat so it would stick on the grilling rod and it has to be good quality meat not the commercial rubbish from supermarkets. Into the meat you add cubic pieces of onions, salt, pepper, basil, dill. In addition to that you can use your imagination and add whatever else you feel is to your taste. Then you need to pick up the meat and throw it on something hard like a table. Do it a couple of times. That will make the mixture sticky and it will help it not fall of the grill rod. Leave it in the fridge for an hour (or longer). Then put the mixture on the grill rod (200g at a time). Put over the pre heated coal grill and turn the rod at first after every 30 seconds. It should be on the grill about 8-10 minutes. If you are wondering if that is my favorite food then it’s not.
Mu favorite food is in McDonalds and if I could I would eat Big Macs everyday for the rest of my life.
5. You also do boxing. How did you find this hobbie and why do you love it so much?
My main passion without a doubt is boxing. I’ve been boxing for many years now. Before boxing I did Karate as a child. I ended up beating up another kid in my older sister’s first grade initiation ceremony. After that my parents pulled my away from Karate, because they thought I was bullying the other kid, but we were playing and I just wanted to show him what they are teaching me in Karate – a total misunderstanding. After that, many years went by and two of my classmates started with Thai Boxing and they invited me to join them. I went and I really liked it and became interested in it. I started training every day and ended up competing several times. When I was sixteen I was fighting with adults 26 years of age already balding and I would win. After a few years of Thai boxing I wanted to improve my hand combat so I decided to try boxing. Then It really started to mean something to me. My boxing coach was a 75-year old man and was very motivating. He helped me make the decision of completely switch to Boxing. Thanks to boxing I don’t have any unnecessary aggression, I don’t need to prove to anyone that I am a tough guy, I’m relaxed, confident, and I know how to protect myself and others thanks to the sport. Boxing showed me that putting in the work will reward itself. I recommend boxing to everyone. It is not the violent sport that it is made out to be by people who have never tried it. It improves you physically and empowers you mentally. If you feel like you want to try it, you can always ask me for a gym recommendation.
6. What do you do in your free time?
In my spare time, I really like to watch movies and tv-series. I’m not much of a reader so I have replaced reading with watching films. My favorite movie of all time is definitely Scarface. It talks about the reward of hard work, determination and ambition, but also what happens if you are not careful and lose control by letting money and power get into your head. Then again I believe that money and power does not change you as a person, but it shows who they truly are. Anyway, it’s a great movie. If you have not seen it, then you should, because it’s a classic! In addition to watching films, in my spare time, I enjoy being with my friends and family. People who are close to you help you remind of you are.
7. Who is the biggest inspiration for you?
People who inspire me change quite often. But if I would have to name someone right off the bat, it would probably be Mike Tyson. I admire the fact that he took the ferocity he had and didn’t misplace it, but directed it somewhere where it helped him to succeed and become the best heavyweight boxer of his era.
8. You are hosting a dinner and you can only invite three people, dead or alive. Who would you invite and why?
If I could invite three people to a dinner, they would be friends or family. If I invite someone to dinner, then I usually like to cook myself and I only cook for people who I trust and who I feel close to.
9. What is the craziest thing in your wishlist?
The biggest thing on my bucket list is to get my motorcycle licence and then go on a long journey in South-America. There is a fine amount of excitement and danger to that place. It has beautiful geography and historical sights. The Latin-American people are very open-minded, warm and hospitable and of course the women are very beautiful. I would love to just take a backpack full of clothes, some cash and a camera and live and travel there for a few years with my motorbike.
10. A quote you live by?
’Be careful who you call friends. I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.‘’
Editor: Tea Teesalu
Translator: Marlen Kuusk
