This is my 4th return to the Soviet Hotel in Metsamor. Entering the Hotel reception look more like you're entering an abandoned barn. The hotel facilities are abandoned. But, looks like the gov in Armenia found it useful to offer shelter for its internally displaced people due to the armed conflict with Azerbaijan in the disputed region of Nagorno Karabakh. The hotel might be comfortable to be living there for a couple of days as a tourist, but not that easy when you're set to temporarily but somehow permanently live there and have got nowhere to go. As soon as you enter the suite where IDPs are sheltered there's a tiny toilet and bathroom on your left or right-hand side, and then you're straight onto the bedroom, which you might as well turn into an uncomfortable living room. Walls are painted in a malt colour, which is pretty much a paled yellow colour, which slowly lurks into dark brown. Dishes, food supplies, and other kitchen-related appliances lay everywhere around the living, sleeping and resting room. In general, the Soviet Hotel interior environment gives a gloomy impression with mould in the corridors and water flowing pretty much everywhere. "It does impact our mental wellbeing" Lena reacted when I asked how does the environment make them feel. "It feels like another warfare within" she added laying down her eyes as she sighs. "But it is not all that bad, we've got relatives who visit us" Valery intervened while he was listening to the conversation and flipping through his Maths book. They say that they get to be visited by relatives that live in Armenia, although they miss their interactive family gathering weekends because now, they live in a one-room compared to a few rooms spacious house they lived in before the war and family gatherings are no longer possible. However, considering that now it is possible that their daughter will attend school, they said that it is better here, and for the time being they spend a lot of time talking to their relative loved ones on the telephone. But, for Valery, if there is an improvement of conditions back in Martakert, they’d return in the first light, but for now, their home in Martakert is by the frontline bordering Azerbaijan armed forces who captured most of the territory of the self-proclaimed republic of Artsakh, and they are afraid of safety. Valery is 73 years of age and Lena is 69, they are Parents to one daughter 14 years of age. They're from Martakert, which is a town de facto in the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh as the administrative capital of its Martakert Province, but de jure in the Tartar District of Azerbaijan. The town has an ethnic Armenian-majority population, and also had an Armenian majority in 1989. But now, as is the case with Valery and Lena, many others like them were forced to flee and conditioned to live as Internally Displaced due to the September 2020 44 days of war over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Vardan, a 41 years of age, Armenian, father of a step-daughter 12, and expecting a girl with his wife Arevik 31, who is pregnant. Vardan from Stepanavan, which is a town in the Lori Province of Armenia. 139 km north of the capital Yerevan. This is 5th year since they live in Soviet Hotel facilities. Vardan is unable to work following an airstrike that hurt him in his shoulder and it complicated his physical wellbeing. He joined the army from 1997 to 1999, meanwhile in 2020 after leaving, he voluntarily rejoined the Armenian armed forces. Both of his parents died when he was young. At the age of 8, Vardan lost his father, nine years down the line he also lost his Mom. Vardan is the brother of another who is five years older and lives in Russia. Vardan's wife Arevik is from the Kalbajar district of the disputed region in Nagorno Karabakh near Vardenis, which is a town located in the southeastern part of the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia, in the valley of the Masrik River. Arevik married Vardan eight months ago, she is to be the mother of another daughter and already is excited that Vardan agreed to be the father of daughter 12yrs, she had with an ex-husband. Living in Soviet Hotel facilities for the family of two children is easy they say. They don’t pay any rent here and they are here because prior to marrying Vardan, Arevik lived in Kalbajar district that is now taken by the Azerbaijanis in the 44 days of the September/October 2020 war. Vardan said that they arrived here a week ago and they're both unemployed. They said they're feeling alright and that government provides them with food and medical care.