By Meera R Hatangadi, 2026 UT Graduate in International Relations, Global Studies, and Plan II Honors

I went to Armenia knowing (admittedly) barely anything about the nation. I left Armenia with reminiscences of fascinating work, warm colleagues, gorgeous landscapes, beautiful culture, and memories to last a lifetime.

As a part of the Embedded Scholars program, my fellow scholars and I were the first of our program to fellowship with the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Armenia. We had the privilege of not only working alongside intelligence and dedicated NDI employees, but also being able to have unique interactions with democratic institutions in Armenia.

The first of these interactions took place during our first week in Yerevan. The other fellows and I had the opportunity to act as observers for the 2026 National Elections in Armenia, a truly surreal experience. Through the organization Transparency International, we were each paired with local observers and provided with a route to traverse during election day with the purpose of ensuring the integrity of the voting and counting process. Election day was one of the most interesting and educational days during my time in Armenia. Our route took us outside of Yerevan, the capital city, into smaller villages in Armenia. We visited around 10 polling stations throughout the day, observing the voting process. The number of voters in each precinct varied significantly with the smallest number being around 85 and the largest around 2,000 voters. It was fascinating to see the voting process, which was standardized with multiple verifications needed to validate a vote: from an untainted ballot, to a photo verification slip, to a verification stamp.

After observing the various stations, my partner and I were assigned a district in which to observe the counting process. Sitting in the room, keeping my own personal tally of the number of votes for each party was a surreal experience. It was interesting especially to see the procedure of the counting process, where each envelope was opened individually, each ballot was shown clearly to each poll worker and observer, and each party number was verbally called out before being placed into a pile. Above all, election day taught me how valued the tenets of transparency and anti-corruption were in this Armenian election. As observers, we were allowed, even encouraged, to take pictures throughout the day of the voting conditions (barring voters and their personal ballots). Polling stations were even filmed and livestreamed throughout the day for an added level of transparency. The commitment to election integrity, transparency, and fostering public trust was palpable throughout election day.

Following my election observation experience, I was able to work on three distinct projects throughout the rest of my fellowship. The first project involved looking at public opinion polling data from the past nearly 10 years and identifying trends that have emerged over time. It was interesting and encouraging to see how despite undergoing regional turmoil during the time period, especially during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenians consistently had hope for Armenia’s democratic future. The time period also encapsulated sentiments immediately following the 2018 Velvet Revolution, illustrating how values like trust in government, accountability measures, and a free and fair election were of high priority for a modern Armenia. I also had the chance to work on two separate projects in collaboration with partner organizations CyberHub and Unishka. My primary focus was related to tracking foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) and relating results to geopolitics and democratic functioning. Each of the three projects were interesting in their own ways and it was a privilege to work not only with the NDI team on these projects, but also collaborate with other organizations and learn from their knowledgeable staff.

Outside of the projects each of us were working on, the NDI staff was also proactive about inviting us fellows to events of interest. Through a collaboration with the Armenian Assembly of America, we were able to visit the Armenian National Assembly and actually sit in on a parliamentary session. We even had a private session where we heard about current and future Armenian foreign relations and collaborations. I found one of the most impactful events to be a film screening for ‘I Remember Your Voice,’ a documentary about the former residents of Nagorno Karabakh who lost family members, loved ones, and their homes during the 2020 Karabakh war and subsequent cession of their land to Azerbaijan. Watching this film was a particularly emotional experience as we realized the recency of the war, the plight of the people, and how the rippling impact lingers today.

We were later invited to a speaker event where we heard from a human rights defender who was present in Artsakh during the Lachin corridor blockade. Her experience and professional work was a testament to the grassroots efforts in Armenia working towards improving the nation and building a safe and prosperous future together. Following up on the election, we also participated in the NDI Political Leadership Academy Alumni gathering where we heard from professionals who had participated in the elections in different roles, some even having run in the elections, on their experiences and notes for improvement for future elections. The events we attended complimented our individual projects, providing us not only with a greater understanding of the regional context, but also connecting us with knowledgeable professionals.

NDI Fellows at the NDI Political Leadership Academy event.

The third, and in my opinion most transformative, aspect of my experience were the close connections I made. I was able to connect with each NDI Armenia staff member in a unique way and had the opportunity to learn from their experiences and extensive knowledge. I also was able to connect with professionals from collaboration projects, networking events, and even stayed in touch with my election observation partner. Some of my favorite memories from Armenia were spent laughing in the office, chatting over coffee, and embarking on sidequests where strangers became friends. Each individual I talked with had a unique story to tell and a distinct perspective to share, and I found that these snippets of knowledge were the most interesting to me.

Of course, my blog would be incomplete without a mention of all the traveling I was able to do. With a special interest in architecture, nature, and history, I found Armenia was the perfect place for me. Living in Yerevan, a very walkable city, we also explored the nooks and crannies of the city, enjoying its cafe culture, beautiful architecture, and lively nature. The other fellows and I were able to travel to churches, visit museums, and see the beautiful and diverse landscapes outside of Yerevan that Armenia has to offer. We were even able to explore outside Armenia, visiting Georgia and Cyprus when we had free weekends. A fan of dance and the arts, I was also excited to have the opportunity to try traditional Armenian dance, watch local artists sing original songs and even go to the Opera House twice to watch the 2026 Eurovision Young Musician competition (courtesy of an NDI colleague) and Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. I truly enjoyed exploring the rich culture and history (and especially food) of Armenia and the warm people who were gracious enough to share it with us.

As I bring this blog to a close, I want to thank the Embedded Scholars Program for giving me this opportunity to embark on such a transformative experience and the NDI staff for making my time in Armenia one for the books. Thinking back, I am grateful for the diversity of memories I was able to make: from election observation, to professional projects, to personal traveling. While my time in Armenia has come to an end, I hope it will live on in the work I have been inspired to pursue, and the lifelong connections made.