The roads that lead to TUMO vary. Many students don’t have to travel far; they simply attend a local TUMO Box in their village center or take public transport to the nearest center. But some students have to cross mountains and valleys to get to TUMO. (We previously shared a story about one such journey here).

The two-month closure of “Kievyan” — Yerevan’s largest bridge, which spans the Hrazdan River and serves as one of the main arteries to TUMO — along with the resulting traffic jams, was a major source of frustration for locals. Yet, the stoppage vehicular traffic didn’t stop TUMO students at all. Many jumped on mopeds and bicycles, or simply started walking to TUMO.

For Artur, a TUMO Football athlete and student, and his teammates, the trek to TUMO begins near the Komitas Market. The students walk down toward the Barekamutyun metro station, cross the Kievyan Bridge, and turn into Tumanyan Park, where they participate in weekly TUMO Football training sessions.

“When you’re walking with friends, it’s not tiring at all,” says Artur, anticipating my question. “In any case, it doesn’t interfere with our football training whatsoever.”

Unlike many who were forced to cross Kievyan on foot out of necessity, Artur preferred walking purely for the fun of it. Along the way, the friends naturally drift into talking about football and their TUMO sessions. Without even noticing, the journey flies by, and before long, TUMO Park and the main building come into view.

However, in order to reach TUMO’s landscaped park over the last few months, students first had to navigate the Kievyan Bridge while it was undergoing renovation, which only offered a narrow pedestrian strip for foot traffic.

“The construction on Kievyan didn’t bother us much. It just took up a lot of time. It’s a good thing they reopened it ahead of schedule,” Artur notes.

The bridge’s repair and reopening were so momentous and long-awaited for the entire city that they even found their way into the students’ creative projects. During Areg Kozmoyan’s two-week “Documentary With Your Phone Camera” Alt July learning lab, students Angelina and Marieta filmed a documentary capturing the bridge’s construction and the human moments unfolding around it.

Leaving behind the dusty, noisy construction site of the bridge, the students step into the green oasis of TUMO Park to catch their breath. They have plenty of memories associated with this space. Artur immediately recalls an argument with an opposing team over a play during a game, a conflict that, in classic storybook fashion, eventually turned them into close friends.

Artur and his friends don’t tire of the journey and never complain. Their only real wish is to be able to take the same workshops and learning labs together, which doesn’t always happen due to conflicting schedules and interests: Artur registered for a web development course, while his friends opted for robotics. Still, they consistently come together on the field, united by a shared love for football that gives them an extra push to keep coming to TUMO.

Countless TUMO students travel incredibly interesting, adventurous, and sometimes challenging paths to reach TUMO. Ultimately, that might be what TUMO is really about: finding the inner motivation that gives you the strength to walk any road and overcome any obstacle.

If you also have an interesting story to share about your commute to TUMO, send us your story on our page. We’d love to read it!

If you’re an active student at TUMO Yerevan, you can join our TUMO Football training sessions via this link: tumo.org/sh/docsgooglecomformsd