Your Bio
I was born in house #40 in Tehran, Iran. I drove around the U.S. for 40 Days starting on the first day of summer (Summer Solstice) year 2007. In my journey, the first motel I stayed in was room #40 in Crescent City, California. Coincidentally, I attended 40th anniversary of Summerfest, a music festival in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. At the end of my journey, I took I-40 (Interstate Highway) to return sweet home california. A year later, I attended 40th Anniversary of HAIR (a broadway muiscal production) in Hollywood, California. And a year later, March 28th, 2009 we all gathered to celebrate 40th Reunion of Gulbenkian Scouts. Special Thanks to those who put effortless time and pour their hearts into organizing a memorable reunion that would last a lifetime… To name a few of these remarkable members are Rafik, Mukuch, Vanik, Varouzh, Edik, Armine, Stella, Edna, Adrine, and last but not the least, My brother Ara, and sister-in-law Janet. Please feel free to add the names that I have missed... Thanks to those who were there and the rest who were there in the spirit!!!
Hello World,
Welcome to 40 DAY USA, a site powered by Smugmug, whose outstanding staff work around the clock to answer all of my questions and help me to create a site like this. My name is Vazgen Khankaldyyan (please do not even try to pronounce it as you may get a tongue-twist). I am an enthusiast photographer and videographer. My goal is to visit 34 surrounding states within the U.S. starting June 21, 2007 (Summer Solstice Day) in a Pontiac Solstice GXP, pictured at the top of the web page. I invite you all along this journey wherever and however far you may be thanks to the power of the Internet.
I will be making a documentary of this journey and taking a lot of pictures. I will be asking one question to the people that I meet along the way as I drive and capture their individual responses.
It has been quite a Journey to plan 40 DAY USA with the help of a few friends, family members, and new acquaintances. I wish I could say I have done it all by myself, but in reality it’s been a universal collaboration from technology to people to literature and the great sounds of music. And with no weapons, no alcohol, and no drugs except medicine for allergies, I hope to carry out this adventurous journey and capture worldwide audience’s attention as well as the global media.
Literary Inspirations:
Following the Equator by Mark Twain
Mack Bolan THE EXECUTIONER 40 Double Crossfire by Don Pendleton
A Search for Meaning from the Surface of a Small Planet by Don Pendleton
Whispers From the Soul by Don Pendleton
Ghost Rider Travels On The Healing Road by Neil Peart
Traveling Music The Soundtrack to My Life and Times by Neil Peart
Edgar Cayce on the Akashic Records by Kevin J. Todeschi
Musical Inspirations:
Pink Floyd from A to Z…
Here I Go Again by Whitesnake
Road To Zen by Corey Stevens (outstanding blues artist)
Soul Street by Denny Freeman (another outstanding blues artist)
Travelin’ Man by Bob Seger and the Bullet Band
Bezan Berim by Mansour (a Persian Song)
Age Ye Rouz by Faramarz Aslani (Another Persian Song)
Antsa Gnatsi lyrics by honorary Armenian Poet P. Sevak and sang by Andre
And many more…
And here is my background:
I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and minored in Spanish from the University of California, Santa Barbara in June of 1998. Afterward graduating, I moved to Philadelphia to become an Americorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) to participate in a literary program known as Service Learning in education to coordinate reading programs between elementary and middle school students. Passion for kids landed me a temporary job as a Mad Scientist when I returned to California. Eventually, with the help of a dear friend’s fiancé (at the time, now a wife with beautiful two daughters), I focused my knowledge and energy to find a job as a research specialist for Brain Tumors at the Children Hospital of Los Angeles. After 5 years in Brain Tumors, I switched to Leukemia where I have been for the past two years. With the supervision and guidance of great Medical Doctors and colleagues in the Field of Pediatric Cancer Research, I have been able to grow and broaden my knowledge, to strengthen my skills, and to build confidence to carry out challenges in the field of cancer and as well as my own personal life. I am grateful to many people including friends, family, colleagues, co-workers, and without them 40 DAY USA would not have been possible to dream about first and then strive to achieve it. Thanks to all of you.
Vazgen
Hello World,
Welcome to 40 DAY USA, a site powered by Smugmug, whose outstanding staff work around the clock to answer all of my questions and help me to create a site like this. My name is Vazgen Khankaldyyan (please do not even try to pronounce it as you may get a tongue-twist). I am an enthusiast photographer and videographer. My goal is to visit 34 surrounding states within the U.S. starting June 21, 2007 (Summer Solstice Day) in a Pontiac Solstice GXP, pictured at the top of the web page. I invite you all along this journey wherever and however far you may be thanks to the power of the Internet.
I will be making a documentary of this journey and taking a lot of pictures. I will be asking one question to the people that I meet along the way as I drive and capture their individual responses.
It has been quite a Journey to plan 40 DAY USA with the help of a few friends, family members, and new acquaintances. I wish I could say I have done it all by myself, but in reality it’s been a universal collaboration from technology to people to literature and the great sounds of music. And with no weapons, no alcohol, and no drugs except medicine for allergies, I hope to carry out this adventurous journey and capture worldwide audience’s attention as well as the global media.
Literary Inspirations:
Following the Equator by Mark Twain
Mack Bolan THE EXECUTIONER 40 Double Crossfire by Don Pendleton
A Search for Meaning from the Surface of a Small Planet by Don Pendleton
Whispers From the Soul by Don Pendleton
Ghost Rider Travels On The Healing Road by Neil Peart
Traveling Music The Soundtrack to My Life and Times by Neil Peart
Edgar Cayce on the Akashic Records by Kevin J. Todeschi
Musical Inspirations:
Pink Floyd from A to Z…
Here I Go Again by Whitesnake
Road To Zen by Corey Stevens (outstanding blues artist)
Soul Street by Denny Freeman (another outstanding blues artist)
Travelin’ Man by Bob Seger and the Bullet Band
Bezan Berim by Mansour (a Persian Song)
Age Ye Rouz by Faramarz Aslani (Another Persian Song)
Antsa Gnatsi lyrics by honorary Armenian Poet P. Sevak and sang by Andre
And many more…
And here is my background:
I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and minored in Spanish from the University of California, Santa Barbara in June of 1998. Afterward graduating, I moved to Philadelphia to become an Americorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) to participate in a literary program known as Service Learning in education to coordinate reading programs between elementary and middle school students. Passion for kids landed me a temporary job as a Mad Scientist when I returned to California. Eventually, with the help of a dear friend’s fiancé (at the time, now a wife with beautiful two daughters), I focused my knowledge and energy to find a job as a research specialist for Brain Tumors at the Children Hospital of Los Angeles. After 5 years in Brain Tumors, I switched to Leukemia where I have been for the past two years. With the supervision and guidance of great Medical Doctors and colleagues in the Field of Pediatric Cancer Research, I have been able to grow and broaden my knowledge, to strengthen my skills, and to build confidence to carry out challenges in the field of cancer and as well as my own personal life. I am grateful to many people including friends, family, colleagues, co-workers, and without them 40 DAY USA would not have been possible to dream about first and then strive to achieve it. Thanks to all of you.
Vazgen
