Blog, July 2^nd, 201

Hello My Faithful Readers:

Volunteer - მოხალისე; Mokhalise

I am not officially a “Volunteer” (not until July 18^th); however, my current host grandmother calls me by this name “Mokhalise.” Maybe she has since the day I arrived, but it was not until recently that I recognized the term. Since I’ve been complaining about the language lessons since I arrived, I wanted to balance things by saying that things have improved a little for me. Now, I am still so far behind, but I am beginning to recognize phrases and actually use Georgian -  ქართველი - Kartveli  while I am out and about. Sometimes I even surprise and impress myself; but it is short lived as usually right behind my confidence another situation arises and I am totally clueless J

I think the change may be due to either my old brain is finally catching on; or, maybe because I am in a new Georgian Class. The new teacher is as good as my old teacher; absolutely. However, I think either the classes are a little slower or maybe I can concentrate more. As I said, this new class has LIGHT, so I can see without using the flashlight on my cell phone. Also, I don’t have to worry about managing the bathroom as the new location has indoor facilities almost right outside the classroom. It’s a relief not to have to consider walking down a flight of steps and go outside behind the school to the outhouse. Whatever the reason, it is a little better.

This is not without cost; however. I now have the following schedule:

-The Marsh picks me up on the road in Osiauri and we go to Khashuri

-After class, the Marsh comes back to Khashuri and returns me to Osiauri for lunch

-After lunch, the Marsh comes and takes all (6) of us back to Khashuri for training

-After training, we return to Osiauri.

Whew, at times I wonder where I am. It is not enough that it is a 10+ hour day, but when you throw in the travel – at times I feel like I am operating at warp speed J. The Peace Corps has invested a great deal and I am proud that they think I am worth it. This kind of a schedule is also incorporated for a few other volunteers so I have not been singled out. I know they want us to succeed.  I’ve said all along, “You really have to want being a Peace Corps Volunteer.” This is not an easy gig to get or to maintain. Even if you want it (like me) it takes strength from all the muscles that your body and mind can muster.

I will get off the language, but first I wanted to say that almost the ENTIRE class is now conducted in “Georgian.” I don’t get all of it, but I understand a word here or there and get the “gist” of what she is saying.  Sometimes we learn words that are translated in both Georgian and Russian. Lots of folks speak Russian here. As if, learning one new language was not enough!  Just when I think that I am at capacity; the PC throws another challenge at us and you either sink or swim. So far, I am still swimming. My head is either totally above the water or the water is right near the top of my chin.  I know this will benefit me; however, when I was in Sagarejo nobody really wanted to talk to me in Georgian. They all wanted to speak in English. Now, maybe that is because they knew I really was not fluent or even remedial in the language; but, learning English is so important that the natives will take every opportunity to practice.

The World Cup is really big here. I joke around and ask if this is the sport with the “puck?” I cannot tell you the kinds of looks that I get. I must be careful as they all, including the PC folks, take this very serious and that is all I am going to say J

Please - tu sheidzleba  

Because - იმიტომ, რომ  Imitom rom

I like the above vocabulary, just threw them in for good measure.

I wanted to give you a little more information about my new permanent location. First, a couple of people think I am going to Sarajavo, the capital of  Bosnia. Maybe the Olympics were held here a little while ago? However, that is not where I am going. I will be living in Sagarejo, which is in the EASTERN part of the Republic of Georgia.  

So, yesterday we went to Tbilisi. It was a full day; in that, we left Khashuri on the 8:00am Marsh and didn’t get home last night until 8:00pm. In one world, Tbilisi reminds me of many of the European cities that I have been in.

We started the day by renting a private van. There were (7) of us, so we were able to fill it up. It was a very smooth ride and comfortable (much better than a marsh). The travel time was about 90 minutes. There is very little traffic on the highway. The cars go so fast, passing each other on the left and right. At times one really needs to just close your eye and remember that this is the way it is done in Georgia. J  We arrived at “Didube” which is the Marsh hub for traffic coming into Tbilisi from the East. If one word could describe this location it would “Chaos.” It is a large parking lot, so to speak, that has all kinds of cars, vans and marsh’s lined up in no particular order. As you walk through, it reminds me of an “open flea market”, but install of stalls you have vehicles. Of course, you walk on non-paved roads – so you are dealing with rocks, mud, dirt, water and everything in-between. All the while the drivers are calling out placed that they are traveling to. They are looking for customers as the marsh won’t go until it is filled. They have the name of the destination in the front window of the marsh.  The marsh only goes into the bigger cities and towns. Once in Khashuri I will need to take my local marsh back to Osiauri. However, after the last marsh leave Khashuri at 5:30pm, I would need to take a cab.

Khashuri (Georgian: ხაშური) 

The “Didube” metro entrance was very near where the van arrived. We walked through the mass of vehicles, many that were moving through the crowd and lots people walking around selling everything from underwear to fruit.  Arriving at the entrance to the metro we found our way to the ticket counter where we put money on our metro card.  There is a cost for the card; however, a couple of the G12’s who were leaving the country gave me their old cards (and some even had money on it). The metro station is modern. I felt like I was in any big city, both in USA and abroad, that has a metro system. The sounds of the metro almost reminded me of Washington, DC. I was really starting to feel at home. The metro system is not big.  http://metroscheme.com/img/tbilisi.gif

We had to take one train line and then transfer to the other train line. It was very

Confusing as the signage was mostly in Georgian, but one of the volunteers with us had done this before so she was somewhat familiar. As part of the Tbilisi trip we had to find the Peace Corps Office and we did! After you get off at the Medical Center stop, you have to walk about 5 long blocks. The street that the PC office is on reminds me of New York. I don’t know how many car lanes there are really, as at times it looks like there are At least five cars, vans or marsh’s driving along the road that spans from sidewalk to sidewalk.   Of course they are all going so fast and people are actually trying to get across the street in-between all this traffic. It is a REAL city, and I love it.

The Peace Corps Office is really nice. You do have to go through a metal detector and sign in. You also have to go through three doors to enter. It seems very secure.  The office houses all the PC Georgia staff and supporting departments. It is so bright and cheerful. There is a room for volunteers (a lounge) and there is a table with all kinds of things that volunteers don’t want or need anymore. So, you get to take FREE stuff. I took a small brush to clean MR. MUD from my shoes, a container of Ben Gay (Yeah, someone else here is hurting) and some other odds and ends that I cannot remember.  There is also a library with PAPER books that PC volunteers have left for volunteers still in-country. We didn’t have much time to look around the library; but, they did have a bowl of Hershey Kisses (wow, that was nice)! 

After we toured the office, we started off to visit ETAG (English Teachers’ Association of Georgia). www.etag.ge    It was a difficult cab ride to find the office, but when we finally arrived it was at the State University of Tbilisi. We met with the Manager and the Training Coordinator.  They were both lovely women who were full of information to share with us. In addition to the Tbilisi main office, ETAG has eight branches all over Georgia. They provide training programs and research assistance for members. I will consider membership as they have a branch in Telavi which is in the same region I am in. At that point, we got on a BUS. I was so excited. Had no clue as to how much, but the woman at ETAG told us to get on the #88, and so we did. We jumped off when we noticed there was a

WENDY’s out our window. We had lunch (the food WAS GREAT), and then back onto another bus to get back to the PC office. At this point we realized that we were lost. I was so excited, as I like getting lost in new cities, but some of the other volunteers were not happy about it. If it was up to me I would just jump in a cab and get un-lost, but some of the volunteers didn’t have money for a cab. So, we did it the hard way.  (I am just too old to do it the hard way any longer). It was very hot and we were exhausted by the time we got back to the PC office. I was ready to go, but I didn’t want to travel back by myself. I just didn’t have my bearing within the city, so I connected with some volunteers who were going to have a bite to eat before traveling back on the marsh.  We ended up sitting outside and enjoying the city as it unfolded before us and around us. It was a lovely end to the day. We negotiated a cab (as that is how you get a cab in Georgia). You must set the price before you get into the cab. We piled in and headed back to “Didube” to get the marsh back to Khashuri.

It was a full day and I am sure I left many interesting things out, but my Faithful Readers you will be hearing more about Tbilisi as time goes forward. I will only be about 40 minutes away (by marsh) from Tbilisi, so I plan to visit the city as often as I can. My sense of the city is that it is BIG and I am not even sure that I got into the heart of the city.

We are getting ready for the 4^th of July picnic. I am really looking forward to that.  I wanted to let you know, if case you were wondering, that here in Georgia it is time to harvest the garlic. I have about 40 dozen, maybe more, cloves of garlic outside my window. I was wondering why my eyes were watering and then I found the garlic. The first day was bad, but now it seems to have eased a little. I’ve seen the garlic at other houses in the village. So, I am thinking everyone is doing the same. I wonder what they do with it so that they can have it all winter. I am just so not farm material. Oh, Well…..I am a city gal.

More over the weekend…hope you enjoyed my initial travels in Tbilisi.

I was able to post a picture of the G14 Peace Corps, Yipee. I am very proud of myself. I Have some pictures I will post as soon as I can figure out how to download from my camera. Patience....I am trying to come into the 20th century :-)

Best, Catherine, G14 – 7/2/14

Note: The contents of this blog are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.