Blog, August 13th, 2014
Hello, My Faithful Readers:
Photographs (somewhere near the end of the blog) are of ME and my 'BUD" JFK at the swearing-in ceremony in Tbilisi, 7/18/14 and a photo of the house here in Sagarejo, including the porch and the steps leading up to where my room is - ENJOY!
All is well here in Sagarejo; however, it had been
really hot. Where I live, up the mountain, it is a little cooler than down
below (the center of Sagarejo). I am told that my elevation is 800 meters; which
is over 2,600 feet. I am not sure of how
high the mountain is overall (as I am I guess about ¾ of the way up); however,
all I know is that this is what I have to walk up and down. The incline is NOT
that steep; so I can manage it. When I get home it is very clear to me that I
have had my exercise J.
I went into Tbilisi this past weekend. I do love
going into the city. People tell me that it will get old; however, for the
moment I love going into the city. Since my fall a couple of weeks ago in
Tbilisi I am extra cautious and I’ve realized that I just cannot let my guard
down in Tbilisi. I thought the terrain was hard in the villages; but, the city
is a challenge in a different way. I must be aware and present at every moment
as some of the sidewalks are broken and most of all there are pieces of
concrete sticking up at very unusual places in the sidewalk. I have no idea
what their purpose is. However, it feels to me like, at times, I am walking
through a “land mine.” I feel that I am mostly just stepping over stuff. I watch other people walk and they have their
heads up and they are looking around. Me, on the other hand, my head it down
and balancing every step that I take. I have made peace with this as I think it
is a small price to pay for the experience of living in Georgia.
In any event, I love traveling by myself. It was
great taking the marsh and then the METRO into the center of Tbilisi. I got off
the METRO at “Station Square” which is the connector stop when both train lines
stop/connect. This was my first venture into a new area of Tbilisi. I wanted to check out one of the malls that
Tbilisi has (I hear they have many malls). I went to the escalator and no
kidding it was a good two minute ride to the surface. This reminded me of the
metro in Moscow and how long it took for the escalator to take you to the
surface. Wow, if we had to walk this it would be really something. I really
didn’t realize how far underground the METRO was. The escalator moved at an
alarming speed. The Moscow metro, I remember, also moved quickly. I imagine if
it went slow it would take more than five minutes to get to the top. I held on
really tight and tried not to feel dizzy looking up as to where we were headed.
I wondered what it was going to be like going back down (stay tuned) J.
I was very surprised to see beggars on the METRO
train traveling from station to station. An older woman, maybe in her 70’s who
BTW was very nicely dressed, went from car to car with her hand out. She was
very steady on a fast moving train without benefit of holding onto the
handrails. People were generous placing coins in her hands as she walked by.
Another younger woman, who BTW was also dressed very nice, was carrying a young
child (maybe 15 months). She was holding the baby in her left hand with his
head on her shoulder and had a cup out in front of her with her right hand. She
just walked straight down the center aisle of the moving train. I was scared
for her as the train was moving to and fro and it is a fast train. Here also
people were putting coins in her cup. I didn’t see the METRO concourse littered
with homeless people as sometimes I see in the cities in America; however, I
did see a couple of men dressed in religious garb on the steps leading up or
down into where you board the train. Just another slice of life here in
Georgia, I’ve just not seen the real underside yet.
I did make it to the top and as I was told the mall
was right in front of me as I exited left from the METRO. In addition, there
was a bazaar to the right as I came out of the METRO. I went into the mall and
honestly, I felt like I was back in the states. It is hard to know that I was
in the 3rd world country in the mall. It was really beautiful. There were many stores but mainly a couple of
types; for example, clothing and shoes stores; appliance and electronic stores,
book stores and jewelry stores. I went into this store that had rows and rows
and rows of tables with all kinds of gold jewelry on them. It was kind-of-like
a small auditorium with buyers walking up and down the aisles. Of course
everything was air conditioned and brand new. There were western style
bathrooms with attendants situated in various locations in the mall. For sure,
this mall rivals anything the United States has to offer.
The mall also encompasses the train station. I
thought this was very cool as now I know where to go when I begin traveling the
country. Of course, there is a food court. There are coffee spots sprinkled
throughout the mall. I was not able to get any of the things I was looked for.
For example, I was look for pillows and there was no bed, bath and beyond J. I did find a store with kitchen type items
(dishes, glasses, pots, expresso machines, mixers, etc.) but I was not looking
for those items.
I left the mall and headed to the bazaar. Now, my
eyes lit up as this is really Georgia (at least in my opinion). Wow, tons of
people and all kinds of stores. There was even a Bank of Georgia settled in the
middle of the bazaar. As an aside about the bank, every bank that I’ve been in
has, of course, the MAC machines, at least three tellers and a couple of desks
to sit down with a bank officer. They have a number machine (like they do in
some food stores) so everyone knows who is next in line by the number you have.
The tellers are not behind protective glass. I was surprised at this as in the
states all the bank tellers are behind glass. Here in Georgia you just pass
whatever papers directly to the teller and not slip it under the small opening
at the bottom of the glass. All the banks are air conditioned and again they
rival any bank in the states. One final point, all the banks do have police
officers stationed in the bank. It is all very modern.
Ok, back to the bazaar. I spent hours at the bazaar
as there were so many stores and kiosks along the way. The bazaar featured
everything from fruit and vegetables to clothing (and beyond). There were a
couple of toy stores and I was able to get a frisbee for Otto, my host brother.
(BTW, he was thrilled when I gave it to him, as he didn’t have one). I just loved going in and out of the stores
and examining the items on the kiosk tables. There was a lot of noise and tons
of people throughout the bazaar. Again, I really had to watch my step as there
were the “land mines” embedded in the street and pavements. When I wanted to
look I had to physically “STOP” and then I can really enjoy what was happening
around me.
As I moved through the bazaar I saw the Monte Carlo
Casino, so decided to check it out. Well, when I walked in four BIG men came
over to me as I barely got into the casino. Wow, maybe I was not supposed to go
in? In any event, no one spoke English so I had to wait until they got someone
who spoke English. They wanted to know what I wanted? Are you kidding (I
thought), this is a casino – HA. They told me I was welcome to stay but had to
check my back pack. Also, every machine (lots of slots) and all the tables
(which I didn’t get to see) have a 5Gel minimum. I really didn’t have the funds
to do that, so I left. The casino, or what I saw of it, was again the rival of
anything I’ve seen in Vegas or Atlantic City. I know I will go back at some
point. Maybe this poor (HA) Peace Corps Volunteer will be lucky (although I
feel as though so far I have been very lucky).
Overall, the bazaar was fabulous but I was getting
tired as many hours were spent poking around. I headed back to the METRO for
the 2+ minute ride DOWN the escalator to the trains. Again, the METRO system is
very easy to navigate. Signage is in both Georgian and English so I feel very much
at home. I headed to the Peace Corps Office as I had to pickup stuff in my
“cubby.” All volunteers have a “Cubby” so that both the PC staff and other
volunteers can leave stuff for you. It is a very nice feature.
There is also a volunteer lounge that is open 7 days
a week for about 18 hours a day. No one can sleep in the lounge unless you have
an early flight the next morning. You do need to get permission; however, to do
that. Otherwise, the room belongs to the PCV and it is a haven for us. The PC building
is guarded so it is a safe haven in the event of problems within the country.
You need to be buzzed in, go through an electronic device (like the airport)
and then sign in. Once complete, you are then buzzed into the courtyard that
leads to the PC office. Whew, lots of procedure. They even have that device, a
pole with a mirror on it that you can look under cars with. Safety is taken
very seriously. In addition to the “cubby” there are COMFORTABLE sofas and
chairs (Yeah). There are a gazillon Books (HA) on shelves that surround the
room. There is a research library, a REAL bathroom with toilet and shower. There is a GREAT BEAR water system, coffee
makers and lots of games if you want to kill a couple of hours. The room is air
conditioned and really pleasant. No matter when you go you can always find a
couple of PCV hanging out in the room. There is a lot of great sharing of
information and always able to find people to go have a meal or coffee with. There is also a little side room with “Stuff”
that PCV don’t want or need any more. It is a free room so you just help
yourself if you can use the item. The room has everything from luggage, the
yoga mats, clothing and stationary items, and beyond. You just never know what you are going to
find in the FREE room J.
Leaving my journey in and around Tbilisi for a
moment, I want to try and understand how a people and a country that is so
welcoming and warm and generous turn into I don’t know what when they drive. I
am just amazed at how insensitive and not courteous drivers are in Georgia. I
saw a woman who was actually pushing a baby carriage get cut off by a car. I
was scared to death for this woman with the baby as if she had not stopped and
pushed herself back I think the driver would have ran into her. I don’t
understand this although we were told almost as soon as we landed in Georgia
that we should watch for the cars as the cars won’t watch for us. Wow, is that
true and I see if more and more every day. I walked on the road in Sagarejo as
the sidewalks are terrible, the road is somewhat smoother (not by much). In any
event, when I hear a car now I stop and move onto the pavement as I’ve been
like a deer in the headlights at times watching cars come at me. I think “they
will move over as I know they see me”; however, I never now given them the
benefit as I am really not sure if they will go out of their way to avoid me. I
am just shaking my head in disbelief.
My host family seems like they are a beacon for
people to come and visit and often stay for days at a time. My host mother just
makes you feel so welcome and whatever they have to eat is just shared with
whoever shows up. Another reason I am
told is the location here on the mountain. Its cooler, I’m told, so many people
come when it is really hot (down below in Sagarejo). Of course, it seems that
my host family is related to most of the folks in Sagarejo. Many older women,
contemporaries of the grandmother, live nearby and I don’t think they have a
water source wherever they live. Every day they come to get water in buckets
and also in very large old beer bottles that they fill and then return home.
Also, my host mother often invited them to sit down and eat. I’ve never seen
any of these women with other family members. Also, I don’t know when the last time
they had a shower or changed their clothes. No one helps them carry the water
back to where they go. I am sorry to see this unfold; but then, I really don’t
know what the story is behind any of this. Everyone seems comfortable with
these happening.
Well, here is a blast from my past. People here are
getting ready for winter and I was watching my host family gather goose down
from an unknown source. Through charades (HA) I found out that it was for a
blanket. I said, off the top of my head “ PIEZYNA” and they all looked at me
shocked and said YES (of course in Georgian). How did I know of the PIEZYNA? My
grandmother was polish and I have so many fond memories of sleeping under the
PIEZYNA. Wow, I have not thought of that word in decades (maybe more). The
family bought a new piece of cloth, BIG Piece, that the goose down will be
stuffed into and - Ta Da! The PIEZYNA is
born. I found some information, of course on the internet, and that is how I
found the spelling. I can say it; however, had no idea how it was spelled.
From the Internet: Polish spelling ... The way that I remember a Goose
down blanket was
A PIEZYNA.
My blog would not be
complete without the mention of the “marsh.” I am becoming very comfortable
with the transportations systems here in Sagarejo. There is a “marsh” hub here
in Sagarejo that has a number of marshes going to various locations. At the
moment I on
I will close for now
and say that I am having a wonderful time here. I know events and schedules are
going to change once we get closer to the start of school; but, this period has
been a wonderful entrance into my life here in Sagarejo and Georgia. It has
given me time to catch my breath and really get into how the community exists.
There is so much more to discover…like
I can’t wait to meet
the man with the donkey on the road to my house. Every time he sees me he just
stops dead in his tracks and watches me move by. I am not allowed to greet men,
so I just keep my head down and walk by. I am hoping that at some point I will
be with a member of my host family when I see him and I can be introduced. The
scene with him and the donkey looks like a scene from a time long gone by.
All the best, My
Faithful Readers.
Catherine Lawrence,
G14 – 8/13/14
The contents of this blog are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.
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