I arrived back in Boston one month ago. On the 21st, I flew from Tbilisi to Warsaw to Chicago, and then, as I'd feared, I was delayed in Chicago due to weather. Despite my annoyance, it actually worked out. I had had the foresight to ensure my phone would be reactivated prior to my arrival, so the first few hours in Chicago were full of phone calls as I booked a flight for the following day and found a hotel for the evening.
Interestingly, another teacher was on the same flight to Chicago, so we teamed up for the evening and enjoyed our first Americana meal together in the Chicago Airport Hyatt. I understood why he didn't want the cucumber-tomato salad that came with his burger and he understood why I thought the iceberg lettuce wedge with blue cheese was a great way to being my time back in the United States.
The next day, after a great night's sleep, I flew to Boston, was driven to Hull by my parents, and, later that evening, drove into Somerville to attend a friend's party. I'm not sure I recommend that - attending a party a few hours after arriving home after being gone for nine months, but I'm glad I did it. Though I certainly felt a little out of it that evening.
And then there was Christmas. And New Year's. And then... preparing for my next adventure - in Liberia (West Africa). Truth be told, I was hoping that the Liberia departure date would be a little later - like February 1st. But driving from Hull to Quincy to get on the subway (metro) to go into Boston is getting a little old so I might as well get on to Liberia, right?
Showing posts with label Georgia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Georgia. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Irony: Walking up to the elevator
Elevators generally have a few basic purposes.
1. Getting people who can't or don't want to take the stairs from one level to another.
2. Get heavy stuff up and down so that people don't need to carry it.
So, I was amused to find that, in the apartment building I spend several days in, I needed to walk up 23 steps to get to the elevator. And, once I got to my destination level, I needed to head up another half-flight of stairs to the destination apartment. Not particularly useful for people who can't or don't want to take the stairs.
 |
| View up the elevator. There are 7 steps to get to the level I stood on to take the photo. |
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| View from the apartment door down to the elevator. |
But, I thought, maybe they're really only there for heavy loads. Well, not only does someone with, say, a piano, not want to walk up 23 stairs to get to the elevator, but the elevator is also too small to carry large items. Sure, you can put a bag of potatoes in it, but with dimensions that don't exceed four feet square, it cannot carry furniture. In fact, most pieces of furniture wouldn't fit in because the door is extremely narrow, certainly less then 2 feet wide.
The stairs aren't the only challenge. First, there's the light (or lack there of). (In my photos, the flash is helping out.) Normally, it's dark until the motion sensor detects me. Inside the elevator, there is no light at night. And second, the final three steps are *really shallow*. As in, if I stand on the steps, my heels aren't on the step.
Which makes me wonder what the point of the elevator is. I don't know when the building was built, but if it was after the Great Patriot War (aka WWII) I'd think that at least a few veterans could have used an elevator. And parents with baby carriages could use on (and a larger elevator).
Then again, the elevator only works if the electricity works, and that hasn't always been the case.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
How to make a Whiskey Sour in Georgia
I recently had dinner with a Georgian friend in Tbilisi who asked how my housing search was going. In a city where people find apartments by word of mouth and where many landlords have a "no foreigners" policy, finding apartments is difficult. After nearly two weeks of living in dorms at the Police Academy, I was a little tired of the lack of privacy and lack of kitchen. I said this, at dinner.
Her response was as follows: "I'm going to Bulgaria on business. Do you want to stay at my place for four days? I'm sorry I couldn't offer it to you on my prior business trip - a friend was going through a nasty break-up, so he was staying at my place." I wasn't sure what the right response was. I was thinking "YESSSSSS!" But, I also didn't want to accept an offer if she was only being polite. Long story short, I took her up on it.
The afternoon the apartment was free, I ventured over with the spare key. And, like I always do, first inspected the fridge. Okay, that's not true. First I determined there was an actual bath tub. (And wondered if it would be appropriate to fill it up with hot water and scented bath salts. Does she pay alot for hot water? Does the hot water even work?) THEN I inspected the fridge and found that, yes, she never cooks.
Next stop, the grocery store. I returned a few hours later with eggs, milk, onions, potatoes, vegetables, spices, nuts and ... whiskey. While out, I decided what I really wanted was a whiskey sour.
Here is how you make a whiskey sour in Georgia.
1. Reflect on whether there is ice in the fridge. If not, consider freezing water in a plastic bag and breaking it up. Thankfully, my host has an ice tray. This isn't standard in Georgian freezers.
2. Go buy whiskey. If you're like me, you'd never be caught with Johnny Walker Red in your personal bar. One starts with JW Black and moves up. But in Georgia, you need to reassess. Go into the store, check out the whisky collection. If you don't know the brand to be legit, don't buy it. Try to read the prices. It's tough as the liquor is at least 7 feet in the air, on a shelf behind the counter. Ask the woman behind the counter the price of the JW Black. That's "Johnny Walker Chorney" (JW Black - in Russian). And, to compare, also ask about the Kraskey (Red). She'll hop up onto a chair, need you to repeat what you want, and start reading prices (printed on small stickers on the bottles). And eventually you select your whiskey. It's okay to buy JW Red - it's 20 lari for a small bottle. Why spend 50 lari for a larger JW Black if you're going back to alcohol-free dorms - and don't want to incriminate yourself by leaving a half-empty bottle of JW Red at your host's place. Besides, you're mixing it. No one will every know you let your standards drop.
2b. Buy a lemon while you're out. You can buy lemons in Tbilisi off-season; you cannot do this in the village.
3. Return to apartment and assess the simple syrup situation. The sugar bowl. How much sugar is there? Simple syrup is 1/2 water, 1/2 sugar. Heat it up in your hot's frying pan. Put it in a tea cup and let it cool in the fridge.
4. Now it's time to assemble: Take a chacha (hard alcohol) shot glass and fill it with whiskey. Put in a glass. Then add a similar amount of simple syrup. And then a bunch of lemon juice. And now to shake... Your host doesn't have a Boston Shaker... What to do?
5. Put the entire mixture, plus ice, into your travel coffee mug. WTF!?! Yes, really. Screw the top on and shake.
6. Take the top off, pour into glass. Be careful to avoid getting lemon seeds into your drink - it's not like the coffee mug people had lemon seeds in mind.
7. Mmmmm...
Her response was as follows: "I'm going to Bulgaria on business. Do you want to stay at my place for four days? I'm sorry I couldn't offer it to you on my prior business trip - a friend was going through a nasty break-up, so he was staying at my place." I wasn't sure what the right response was. I was thinking "YESSSSSS!" But, I also didn't want to accept an offer if she was only being polite. Long story short, I took her up on it.
The afternoon the apartment was free, I ventured over with the spare key. And, like I always do, first inspected the fridge. Okay, that's not true. First I determined there was an actual bath tub. (And wondered if it would be appropriate to fill it up with hot water and scented bath salts. Does she pay alot for hot water? Does the hot water even work?) THEN I inspected the fridge and found that, yes, she never cooks.
Next stop, the grocery store. I returned a few hours later with eggs, milk, onions, potatoes, vegetables, spices, nuts and ... whiskey. While out, I decided what I really wanted was a whiskey sour.
Here is how you make a whiskey sour in Georgia.
1. Reflect on whether there is ice in the fridge. If not, consider freezing water in a plastic bag and breaking it up. Thankfully, my host has an ice tray. This isn't standard in Georgian freezers.
2. Go buy whiskey. If you're like me, you'd never be caught with Johnny Walker Red in your personal bar. One starts with JW Black and moves up. But in Georgia, you need to reassess. Go into the store, check out the whisky collection. If you don't know the brand to be legit, don't buy it. Try to read the prices. It's tough as the liquor is at least 7 feet in the air, on a shelf behind the counter. Ask the woman behind the counter the price of the JW Black. That's "Johnny Walker Chorney" (JW Black - in Russian). And, to compare, also ask about the Kraskey (Red). She'll hop up onto a chair, need you to repeat what you want, and start reading prices (printed on small stickers on the bottles). And eventually you select your whiskey. It's okay to buy JW Red - it's 20 lari for a small bottle. Why spend 50 lari for a larger JW Black if you're going back to alcohol-free dorms - and don't want to incriminate yourself by leaving a half-empty bottle of JW Red at your host's place. Besides, you're mixing it. No one will every know you let your standards drop.
2b. Buy a lemon while you're out. You can buy lemons in Tbilisi off-season; you cannot do this in the village.
3. Return to apartment and assess the simple syrup situation. The sugar bowl. How much sugar is there? Simple syrup is 1/2 water, 1/2 sugar. Heat it up in your hot's frying pan. Put it in a tea cup and let it cool in the fridge.
4. Now it's time to assemble: Take a chacha (hard alcohol) shot glass and fill it with whiskey. Put in a glass. Then add a similar amount of simple syrup. And then a bunch of lemon juice. And now to shake... Your host doesn't have a Boston Shaker... What to do?
5. Put the entire mixture, plus ice, into your travel coffee mug. WTF!?! Yes, really. Screw the top on and shake.
6. Take the top off, pour into glass. Be careful to avoid getting lemon seeds into your drink - it's not like the coffee mug people had lemon seeds in mind.
7. Mmmmm...
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Services in Georgia (Batumi, Tbilisi, etc.)
Below is a list of services I've stumbled upon while living in Georgia. Please feel free to contact me if you see inconsistencies or things that should be added/updated.
Hair:
Salon Podium. Sergei does a great hair cut for those with short hair (women included).
15 lari (yes, seriously, 15 in July 2012).
locations: There are two locations. I went to the downtown location, not the Vake location.
How to get there: Head down (street), towards the Casino....
Pedicure:
Salon Podium also does pedicures, manicures, etc. Pedicure was 27 lari in July 2012.
Massage:
Thai Massage Center: Tbilisi. Thai massage for 55 lari, relaxation massage for 60 lari. Email them to make a reservation. Thai owned (or so it appears) with English speaking Georgian working the desk. Cash only.
Address: Kostava 75/a
Note that to find them you need to go through an underpass into the residential area and walk back a couple of minutes. See map on backside of card (below).
Another Thai massage location: Next door to the Roman Catholic Church in Tbilisi's Old Town. Details to come.
Relaxation massage (Batumi):
Address: located across the street from the main covered fruit/vegetable market (that is behind the Roman Catholic church).
The Raddison in Batumi also gives massages, but they are very pricey.
Grocery Stores:
Good Will (Tbilisi): Very large superstore - with food and lots of other stuff. Great to know about but there are a bunch of products I was looking for that I couldn't find. Example: there is no baking powder (as opposed to soda), brown rice, soba noodles, tortellini, ... In terms of non-food items, they sell bikes but no helmets. No reflective tape. Didn't have the special battery I needed.
Carrefore (Tbilisi): Located in Tbilisi Mall. Huge and awesome. Probably the best the selection of products in all Georgia. No metro service. Mall is in the north part of the city. Ask a taxi to take you to "Tbilisi mall" or "Tbilisi Mall-i".
Smart Market (Tbilisi): Located on Rustaveli next to Radison Blu. Good selection. Spice section is somewhat limited (and in Spanish).
Good Will (Batumi): Much, much smaller than the Tbilisi store. Has a more extensive line than a traditional Georgian store.
Willmart (Batumi): Better than Batumi's Goodwill. More products, larger store. Apparently prices are also slightly lower. There are a few products (like balsamic vinegar) that, interesting, Willmart doesn't have but Goodwill does.
Address:
How to get there:
Turkish Store (Batumi): Great store if you're looking for spices, chic peas, ayran or other dairy products. Plus a bunch of standard Georgian groceries.
Other Shopping: There is a new Tbilisi mall. It can be reached by taking the Metro to (stop) and then taking a bus. The mall is more empty than full at this point (July 2012) but it currently has a Clarks, Gap, and Banana Republic (if memory serves).
For shopping, also consider crossing into Turkey from Batumi. It's an easy day-trip from Batumi.
Restaurants in Batumi:
Press Cafe: Has wifi. A little pricey. Started by Peace Corps volunteer.
Cafe Literatura: Has wifi. A little pricey. Lobiani is good. A chain with a few locations in Tbilisi.
Piazza - Good Woman Pub
Piazza - other restaurant
Vinyl - next to Iranian embassy.
Blue restaurant on water.
Restaurants in Tbilisi:
Hangar Bar: One of the best sports bars in town. They serve breakfast all day.
Betsy's Hotel Pub: Very popular with Tbilsi's long-term expat community. Located up the hill from Rustaveli Metro. 32-34 Makashvili Street.
Cafe Gallery: Located a few minutes from Rustaveli Metro. Free wifi. Tasty food. Comfortable place to sit with a computer or book for several hours at time.
Tasty treats:
Pastry and baklava store in Turkish area of Batumi.
Trains:
You can purchase train tickets in Batumi at 5 General Mazniashvili St (between Melashvili and Abashidze). Bring a passport, even if it's a domestic train trip. (For train trips, bring your own food and water.)
Batumi Airport:
Warning: if you're ticket is from Hopa, you need to go to Hopa, Turkey to check in. A bus will bring you back to Batumi for the flight.
Bicycle shop:
Batumi - 59 and 61 Pushkin Street. There are two bike shops in Batumi on Pushkin street. I'm not sure which is which - 59 vs 61, but one has lots of spare parts, a few helmets, lights, tires, etc. They do not have reflective tape - I had that sent from home.
English language library:
Batumi library has an American corner. With free wifi. The book collection includes fiction, nonfiction, study guides, and TEFL materials. The DVD collection is mostly kids stuff, but there is some adult stuff also (mostly classics). If you're a local resident, you can get a card. A card allows you to check out books (fiction and nonfiction) and DVDs. Bring a passport to get a card.
How to cross into Turkey at Sarpi:
If you are an American, a visa will cost you $20 (90 day, multiple entry). If you are Canadian, it will cost you $60 USD. Bring your passport to the border at Sarpi, go through the line and eventually you'll be shooed to go purchase your visa (and return to have it inspected). Fairly easy process. The border also has a duty free and a Turkey cafeteria.
Hair:
Salon Podium. Sergei does a great hair cut for those with short hair (women included).
15 lari (yes, seriously, 15 in July 2012).
locations: There are two locations. I went to the downtown location, not the Vake location.
How to get there: Head down (street), towards the Casino....
Pedicure:
Salon Podium also does pedicures, manicures, etc. Pedicure was 27 lari in July 2012.
Massage:
Thai Massage Center: Tbilisi. Thai massage for 55 lari, relaxation massage for 60 lari. Email them to make a reservation. Thai owned (or so it appears) with English speaking Georgian working the desk. Cash only.
Address: Kostava 75/a
Note that to find them you need to go through an underpass into the residential area and walk back a couple of minutes. See map on backside of card (below).
Another Thai massage location: Next door to the Roman Catholic Church in Tbilisi's Old Town. Details to come.
Relaxation massage (Batumi):
Address: located across the street from the main covered fruit/vegetable market (that is behind the Roman Catholic church).
Grocery Stores:
Good Will (Tbilisi): Very large superstore - with food and lots of other stuff. Great to know about but there are a bunch of products I was looking for that I couldn't find. Example: there is no baking powder (as opposed to soda), brown rice, soba noodles, tortellini, ... In terms of non-food items, they sell bikes but no helmets. No reflective tape. Didn't have the special battery I needed.
Carrefore (Tbilisi): Located in Tbilisi Mall. Huge and awesome. Probably the best the selection of products in all Georgia. No metro service. Mall is in the north part of the city. Ask a taxi to take you to "Tbilisi mall" or "Tbilisi Mall-i".
Smart Market (Tbilisi): Located on Rustaveli next to Radison Blu. Good selection. Spice section is somewhat limited (and in Spanish).
Good Will (Batumi): Much, much smaller than the Tbilisi store. Has a more extensive line than a traditional Georgian store.
Willmart (Batumi): Better than Batumi's Goodwill. More products, larger store. Apparently prices are also slightly lower. There are a few products (like balsamic vinegar) that, interesting, Willmart doesn't have but Goodwill does.
Address:
How to get there:
Turkish Store (Batumi): Great store if you're looking for spices, chic peas, ayran or other dairy products. Plus a bunch of standard Georgian groceries.
Other Shopping: There is a new Tbilisi mall. It can be reached by taking the Metro to (stop) and then taking a bus. The mall is more empty than full at this point (July 2012) but it currently has a Clarks, Gap, and Banana Republic (if memory serves).
For shopping, also consider crossing into Turkey from Batumi. It's an easy day-trip from Batumi.
Restaurants in Batumi:
Press Cafe: Has wifi. A little pricey. Started by Peace Corps volunteer.
Cafe Literatura: Has wifi. A little pricey. Lobiani is good. A chain with a few locations in Tbilisi.
Piazza - Good Woman Pub
Piazza - other restaurant
Vinyl - next to Iranian embassy.
Blue restaurant on water.
Restaurants in Tbilisi:
Hangar Bar: One of the best sports bars in town. They serve breakfast all day.
Betsy's Hotel Pub: Very popular with Tbilsi's long-term expat community. Located up the hill from Rustaveli Metro. 32-34 Makashvili Street.
Cafe Gallery: Located a few minutes from Rustaveli Metro. Free wifi. Tasty food. Comfortable place to sit with a computer or book for several hours at time.
Tasty treats:
Pastry and baklava store in Turkish area of Batumi.
Trains:
You can purchase train tickets in Batumi at 5 General Mazniashvili St (between Melashvili and Abashidze). Bring a passport, even if it's a domestic train trip. (For train trips, bring your own food and water.)
Batumi Airport:
Warning: if you're ticket is from Hopa, you need to go to Hopa, Turkey to check in. A bus will bring you back to Batumi for the flight.
Bicycle shop:
Batumi - 59 and 61 Pushkin Street. There are two bike shops in Batumi on Pushkin street. I'm not sure which is which - 59 vs 61, but one has lots of spare parts, a few helmets, lights, tires, etc. They do not have reflective tape - I had that sent from home.
English language library:
Batumi library has an American corner. With free wifi. The book collection includes fiction, nonfiction, study guides, and TEFL materials. The DVD collection is mostly kids stuff, but there is some adult stuff also (mostly classics). If you're a local resident, you can get a card. A card allows you to check out books (fiction and nonfiction) and DVDs. Bring a passport to get a card.
How to cross into Turkey at Sarpi:
If you are an American, a visa will cost you $20 (90 day, multiple entry). If you are Canadian, it will cost you $60 USD. Bring your passport to the border at Sarpi, go through the line and eventually you'll be shooed to go purchase your visa (and return to have it inspected). Fairly easy process. The border also has a duty free and a Turkey cafeteria.
Travel Truths I Am Observing In Georgia
- The internet makes being abroad totally different than it was 10 years ago.
- Skype is awesome. Have a problem with your credit card? Call the credit card company and talk to a rep.
- Online banking and other online financial information is super convenient.
- Online stuff means I know what's happening with people at home.
- Internet means any information I want, I can get. Also, I can download movies.
- Technology is great.
- Cafes with wifi are awesome. And worth the higher coffee prices.
- Mini computers can be your primary computer.
- Even if your smart phone doesn't work as a phone, it's great for wifi.
- The Massachusetts library networks are incredible. Reserving and downloading ebooks to an ereader is easy, fast and cheap. Highly awesome when there's free time aplenty!
- Russian is a super useful skill in some places. Like Georgia. And Armenia. Honestly, I don't know how people can get around in some places without it.
- Smoking is gross. I don't like breathing poisonous air, and it annoys (actually, angers) me when I don't have a choice.
- The comforts of home aren't necessary.
- Wear the same two or three shirts and pants all the time is a little boring, but it makes getting dressed in the morning easy as there are so few choices.
- Once can have a comfortable bathing experience with 3 litres of hot water.
- When hard water and shampoo don't mix, try baking soda.
- One can dry ones self with a wash cloth. Just wring it out.
- Who says you cannot make something like filter coffee with a Turkish grind and a pot on the stove?
- Bottled water is over-rated. Even if you're outside the US.
- The hardest part of a trip is the "planning and get going part". Once you're on the train, it's easy.
- Host country nationals are similar in many ways. It seems that...
- Everyone thinks their country has delicious food. Sometimes it's not so delicious. But it would be rude to say that.
- Everyone thinks that a particular dish is "ours". Like Georgian host-mother who was surprised I'd had dolma before; she didn't realize the Greeks and Turks also make them - and sell them all over the world in their restaurants. (Also, the Armenians and other make them, too.)
- Everyone thinks that getting an "English speaker" to talk to me is going to helpful. But sometimes the "English speaker" has skills that are so limited, it's not worth the effort. This is particularly true when people get their grandchildren who are "studying English in school".
- No one seems to understand that an ice coffee is filter coffee poured over ice. Why am I being asked about ice cream!?! Also, an Americano and filter coffee are not the same thing.
- Everyone thinks that tea is caffeine free.
- Sometime people kill what could be perfectly tasty food.
- Mayonaise should never be added to pizza in lieu of cheese.
- Hot dogs are not a food product and shouldn't be added to anything.
- Boiling vegetables to death is a horrible way for a vegetable to die.
- Be prepared.
- Bring your own Swiss Army knife.
- It's not cheating to bring your own vegetable peeler.
- Nyquil, Dayquil, Immodium.
- Ear plugs, eye mask
- There's no need to always go with the cheapest option.
- Yes, I continue to buy extra virgin olive oil. And balsamic vinegar. It's tasty.
- Sometimes the best way to get somewhere is to hail a cab. Especially if you've got luggage.
- Just because Georgians seem to consume 80% of their calories in the form of khachepuri (cheesy bread) and sliced bread doesn't mean I need to.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
"Making Good"
I have never been a blogger. In fact, I don’t read blogs. But given that I feel “a picture is worth a thousand words” and there was also quite a bit of interest in my move to Georgia, I thought I’d look into blogging in order to share photos and impressions.
When I started considering a blog the name “Making Good” immediately came to mind. More specifically, the phrase “Making good on a threat” popped into my head. For several years now I have been joking that “one day I am going to pack up my things, put them in my parents’ basement, and fly off somewhere”. Just before Christmas 2011 I was pretty sure I was going to do it. When I bought that large package of dental floss at BJs two days after Christmas, I knew I had made my decision. This winter I enrolled in a TEFL certification course, submitted an application, and made a bunch of medical appointments. Several months later, guess where all my stuff is currently. Yup - my parents’ basement. So, I’m making good on that threat.
But “Making Good” has other connotations. Like making good of a bad situation. Namely using where I was in 2011 to get me here.
Or simply going out there and working to make some good in the world.
After many years in Boston, it was time to get overseas again. Flying into Tbilisi, looking down on snow capped mountains and green forests, I was reminded of how much I enjoy going to new places. Upon seeing Tbilisi for the first time, my thought was “Why didn’t I do this years ago!?!”
So, here I sit. In Tbilisi, in a country that most Americans know nothing about, a place that was inaccessible until two decades ago, listening to music coming in the open window from a restaurant that reminds me of one on the hills of Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria (where I studied in 1997). Today I used my Russian to communicate with taxi drivers and shopkeepers, bought baked goods and pears and the largest fruit roll up in the world (apricot), saw kids (possibly Roma - aka Gypsy) begging, and was reminded that it’s time for making good.
Georgia FAQs
Where are you?
I’m currently in the Republic of Georgia - which borders the Black Sea, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia.
Wait... not the state of Georgia? Isn’t Georgia part of Russia?
No. While Georgia was part of the USSR, Georgia is its own country.
What are you doing in Georgia?
I’m here with the Georgian government’s program to increase the level of English language in Georgia.
Why Georgia?
I’ve been interested in traveling to Georgia since my time teaching in Russia. I figured I’d get a better view of the country if I was around for more than a few weeks. ;) So, inspired by a friend who did the program last year, I decided to sign up. I started the application process in January and left Boston on the 17th of April.
For how long?
I’m here from mid-April until December. Eight months feels both long and short. I was in Russia for 24 months, so my time in Georgia will be 1/3 that period of time. Also, I have an interest in traveling throughout Georgia as well as visiting Armenia, Azerbaijan and Eastern Turkey, so I have lots I want to see in the coming months.
What’s are you doing there?
I will be teaching English to elementary school kids in a location to be determined in the coming days. I will be working with local English language teachers. I enjoyed the two years I spent teaching in Saratov, Russia and thought it would be a fun way to get overseas again.
Are you there alone?
No, there are 15 people in my groups. And a new groups comes over every two weeks.
What language do they speak in Georgia?
Georgian is the language spoken here. Many people speak some Russian and there are also Armenian and Azerbaijani communities. I've found Russian to be helpful when speaking to people (especially those over 40) in the capital of Tbilisi. I will see how useful Russian is elsewhere. Interestingly, signage is often not in Russian (clearly the old signs have been removed over the past 20 years).
What does it look like?
The capital reminds me a bit of Bulgaria and also Russia. Photos will be posted. So far it has been warm, sunny, and the people are friendly.
I’m currently in the Republic of Georgia - which borders the Black Sea, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia.
Wait... not the state of Georgia? Isn’t Georgia part of Russia?
No. While Georgia was part of the USSR, Georgia is its own country.
What are you doing in Georgia?
I’m here with the Georgian government’s program to increase the level of English language in Georgia.
Why Georgia?
I’ve been interested in traveling to Georgia since my time teaching in Russia. I figured I’d get a better view of the country if I was around for more than a few weeks. ;) So, inspired by a friend who did the program last year, I decided to sign up. I started the application process in January and left Boston on the 17th of April.
For how long?
I’m here from mid-April until December. Eight months feels both long and short. I was in Russia for 24 months, so my time in Georgia will be 1/3 that period of time. Also, I have an interest in traveling throughout Georgia as well as visiting Armenia, Azerbaijan and Eastern Turkey, so I have lots I want to see in the coming months.
What’s are you doing there?
I will be teaching English to elementary school kids in a location to be determined in the coming days. I will be working with local English language teachers. I enjoyed the two years I spent teaching in Saratov, Russia and thought it would be a fun way to get overseas again.
Are you there alone?
No, there are 15 people in my groups. And a new groups comes over every two weeks.
What language do they speak in Georgia?
Georgian is the language spoken here. Many people speak some Russian and there are also Armenian and Azerbaijani communities. I've found Russian to be helpful when speaking to people (especially those over 40) in the capital of Tbilisi. I will see how useful Russian is elsewhere. Interestingly, signage is often not in Russian (clearly the old signs have been removed over the past 20 years).
What does it look like?
The capital reminds me a bit of Bulgaria and also Russia. Photos will be posted. So far it has been warm, sunny, and the people are friendly.
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