Narineh Abrimian is ushering in an era of dating with intention through Achkt Louys, a matchmaking service for Armenian singles in the United States. While taking certification courses in matchmaking in , Abrimian realized that her communication skills as an educator have prepared her to be a matchmaker.
They always come to me for advice. Abrimian draws on her teaching experience and her years-long interest in psychology and human behavior to determine compatibility, set up matches and guide people through dates. Over Zoom calls, she gets to know her clients intimately, asking them about their professional goals, whether or not they want children and the strengths and weaknesses they bring to a relationship.
Like many, Abrimian feels disillusioned with the failed promise of dating apps to deliver romance. In the era of cursory swiping, she believes matchmaking can be a successful alternative for people seeking committed and meaningful relationships. While working with a matchmaker, clients learn about the qualities and goals of their potential dates before seeing photos of them, thereby eliminating snap judgments. For Abrimian β an active member of her local Armenian community and the Armenian Relief Society and as an Armenian language teacher at St.
Many Armenians traditionally met their spouse through a matchmaker. Abrimian is reviving this tradition, yet not purely for the purpose of creating Armenian matches, but rather creating Armenian matches that will last, founded on compatibility and equality. Achkt Louys adapts old Armenian customs to the needs of the contemporary dating pool. Abrimian has witnessed how, within the Armenian community, being single and eligible are sometimes treated as sufficient qualities to set two people up on a date.
She urges Armenians who want to date within their community to prioritize the fundamental traits and values necessary to build a partnership, alongside identity.
