Life of Vahe Keushguerian
- Vahe Keushguerian was born in Syria and moved to Beirut, Lebanon at the age of 3, where he lived in West Beirut until he joined the army voluntarily, one year before he was supposed to be drafted, to fight in a war that was not his own 1m6s.
- In Lebanon, military service was mandatory after finishing high school, but Vahe chose to join the army early, seeking a new adventure and experience 1m45s.
- During his one-year military service, Vahe was part of the music department, despite not knowing music, and was responsible for tasks such as making food for thousands of soldiers and rotating sandbag duty 2m44s.
- Vahe exchanged his barrack duty for making food and hummus, as the barrack duty was considered dangerous due to its location between a Muslim and Christian neighborhood 3m39s.
Moving to Italy and the US
- After his military service, Vahe went to Italy, where he picked up the language and developed a deep connection with Italian culture, which has become a significant part of his life 4m41s.
- A person's father decided to move them from their Muslim neighborhood after seeing them in military clothing, and they applied for US and UK visas but were unsuccessful, eventually receiving a scholarship to study in Italy through a contact at the Italian Embassy 5m0s.
- The person went to Urbino, Italy to study graphic arts and the language, which was a huge opening and a new cultural experience 5m33s.
- After Italy, the person went to the US to finish their college degree and had to work to make a living, taking a job at a donut shop making donuts on the graveyard shift 6m8s.
- The person later worked as a waiter and bartender in Washington, making more money, and then saw an announcement for an Italian restaurant in LA looking for a captain, a position that involved taking orders and giving them to the waiter 6m52s.
- The person got the job at the Italian restaurant after speaking Italian during the interview and was given a tuxedo to wear, eventually blending in and becoming comfortable in the role 7m16s.
- The person's name at the restaurant was Franco, which was given to them by the owner, and they kept the name as they moved to different restaurants, eventually becoming known as Franco 8m3s.
Resilience and Starting Over
- The ability to take whatever life throws at you and make something beautiful out of it is unique 8m50s.
- The ability to face difficulties and rise from them is crucial, as demonstrated by the experience of starting from zero not once, but three times, and managing to recover from bankruptcy 9m4s.
- The first instance of starting from zero was a choice, leaving a restaurant to import Italian wine, and then moving to Tuscany to pursue a new opportunity 10m7s.
- In Tuscany, a winery was leased, and wine was made in various locations, including Australia, but this led to overextension and an inevitable crash, resulting in bankruptcy 11m14s.
- After bankruptcy, there were two options: working for someone else or trying to start again, and the decision was made to start again, utilizing old contacts and clients to rebuild the business 11m51s.
- This experience taught valuable lessons about managing cash and not overextending, and after six or seven months, the business was back on track 12m30s.
Armenian and Iranian Wine
- The wine industry has had a significant impact on Armenian culture, bringing people together and facilitating conversations, and Armenian wine has become a source of pride and a way to introduce the country to the world 12m55s.
- Research on neighboring countries, including Iran, revealed a historic wine-making culture, and the potential for Armenian wine to be exported and recognized globally 13m49s.
- Iran is one of the oldest wine-producing countries, with a history dating back 13,000 years, but over 200 wineries were closed overnight in 1979 due to the revolution, making drinking illegal 14m2s.
- Despite the challenges, there is a rich culture of wine in Iran, and making Iranian wine or wine from Iranian grapes has given thousands of Iranians living in the diaspora the opportunity to connect with their heritage 15m7s.
- The value of a bottle of wine can evoke memories and emotions, allowing people to remember their cultural roots, and many Iranians have written to express their desire to find Iranian wine to celebrate special occasions 15m26s.
- It is believed that within 5 to 10 years, wine will be made in Iran again, and efforts to promote Iranian wine can help start a conversation and motivate people to take action 15m59s.
Pursuing Passions and True Love
- Having a hopeless romanticism and not quitting can lead to achieving goals and pursuing passions, as seen in the story of making Iranian wine despite the challenges 16m38s.
- Not quitting and pursuing one's goals can lead to success and fulfillment, and it is essential to ignore negative opinions and focus on making things happen 17m28s.
- True love is not just a concept found in novels or movies, and it is possible to experience it in real life, as seen in personal experiences and relationships 17m48s.
- Sharing life with someone and experiencing the ups and downs together can be a wonderful feeling, and it is essential to appreciate and nurture relationships 18m48s.
Appreciating Life's Beauty
- Growing up, the idea of being an astronaut was exciting, and it can be a wonderful career for those who are young at heart, excited, and always learning new things 19m12s.
- If there's one key takeaway from an incredible journey, it would be to do whatever you do passionately, as loving what you're doing makes it feel like you're always on vacation 19m54s.
- Passion drives people and brings beauty into life, which can be found in many things, not just in art galleries, but in everyday life 20m16s.
- It's essential to stop, listen, and use your senses to appreciate the beauty in life, as these senses are something everyone already possesses and just needs to utilize 20m40s.
- Ultimately, life is beautiful, and people should live it to the fullest and appreciate its beauty 20m52s.
