At some point during my time in Armenia, I must have accepted that having constant back pain was normal. So when a friend posted on Facebook saying there was a cancellation at a local massage studio, I took her up on the available spot without any hesitation. I had heard of the studio before, knew the person running it, and decided I could find out more when I went in nervously for my first ever one-hour intensive full-body massage.
I walked into a cozy and warm office space, and was greeted by Mariam Dilbandyan, the founder of the massage studio. She enthusiastically gave me an introduction to the place and introduced me to my massage therapist, Artur.
The studio is called Seeing Hands, and the massage therapists are men and women who are visually impaired. Mariam had just come back from a day conference where representatives from different countries discussed initiatives for people with disabilities, while comparing different cultural outlooks on disability. Unsurprisingly, formerly Soviet countries like Armenia have quite a poor track record for even the most basic requirements and necessities.
The room had lit candles, soft music, and cozy decorations, and soon I had no choice but to feel calm. A couple of minutes into the massage, Artur asked if I was a runner. He mentioned that he used to run in the mornings as well, before a bicycle accident left him partially blind.
We quickly bonded over running, nutrition, going to shuga s, and him laughing at my knowledge and perhaps pronunciation of six Russian words. Once it was over, I could barely lift myself off of the table. My back felt incredible, and I was in a state of relaxation I had never dreamed possible. As I walked out of the massage room, Mariam greeted me again, poured me a cup of tea, and went over my assessment with Artur as she placed a blanket over me.
