Blog, November 14^th, 2014

Hello, My Faithful Readers

I've posted two photographs at the bottom of the blog. The first is the bridge - I think it is called the "love bridge" and I have no idea why -  that spans the two sides of Sagarejo. The second is the space that divides Sagarejo. I live on the right hand side of the divide. The road you see (R hand side) is the road that I walk up in order to get home.  There is also a place where cars can cross (I didn't include).

I know I won’t blog, of course after this blog, until after Thanksgiving; so, I want to wish everyone a wonderful holiday. We, in the United States, have so much to be “Thankful” for. I have always known that fact; however, living here In Georgia has intensified just how many comforts we have (I had in the US) and how these comforts fit so seamlessly into our lives. Happy Thanksgiving!

Buy Experiences, NOT things!

Sorry if this is to 'soap box" - just love the thought and need to keep reminding myself!

Since Thanksgiving is not a holiday here in Georgia, I will be spending the day teaching. However, the week before I will be at a four day conference with the Peace Corps. The location is the Bazaleti Resort Lake Hotel. We all spent some time at this location during the past summer and what a treat that was. We had WATER and HOT WATER with REAL bathrooms J.  Also, the food was excellent. There were some Georgian type foods; but, lots of other choices. Food variety is something that does not really exist here in Georgia. Mostly it’s the same old, same old and often what is for lunch is usually what is for dinner  – but at the hotel the buffet had lots of variety. We will double and triple up in the rooms; but the rooms are heated and lovely with a BATHROOM close by.

http://www.bazaletilake.ge

At the conference I know we will have full days of working sessions on various topics (9am – 6pm) and I will also be tested to see if my language proficiency has moved up a level. We will have breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as two coffee breaks during the day. Ah, I cannot wait!!! We will also have a Thanksgiving feast. The PC will provide the “Turkey.” The volunteers have been accumulating other staples of the meal, either by having them sent from home, or bringing them in-country when we arrived back in April. In any event, there will be (86) volunteers and countless other staff, as well as the Ambassador and folks from the embassy will attend the dinner. I’m told that it is a REAL event; one that will always be remembered.

I’ve been home sick with a cold, or flu or bronchitis (sp?). I don’t know but I do know this entity had a grip on me. I still don’t feel 100%; but, I feel better than I did. The PC doctors are just great. When I finally stopped “doctoring” myself and called Dr. T. (Her name is too long to pronounce), I gave her a blow-by-blow of what was happening. Thankfully I didn’t have to go into Tbilisi to see her. I walked to the pharmacy here in Sagarejo and called Dr. T. and she in turn spoke to the pharmacist and all the medicine that I needed appeared. Dr. T said…”go home and go to bed for at least two days.” I didn’t argue. I took a taxi up the mountain and I think I just fell over when I reached my bedroom and my bed. I had to pay for the medicine; however, I took a picture of the receipt and emailed it to the PC. They will reimburse me for whatever I spent out of pocket for medicine or other related items I needed. I’ve gone through two boxes of tissues; I don’t know if that qualifies or not; however, for sure I am being well taken care of.

One of the interesting things around all this being at home sick is that I was totally alone here in the house. Everyone was either at work or school and the grandmother was in Tbilisi having some eye surgery. The doors are never locked and I wondered what would stop someone from coming into the house and taking the few items of value that they have (e.g., big screen TV or laptop computer).  I was sleeping so much I really didn’t spend that much time thinking about it; but as I started to feel better I wondered about it. Mostly everyone here on the road that we live on has closed up their houses for the winter. I guess I still have the “city” mentality. I really don’t think my family would ever consider the possibility that they would be robbed.

So it is GOOD news for me, My Faithful Readers! OpEdNews has published another article that I wrote and I could not be happier. I have always wanted to write and just could never find the words and/or what to write about. Now, it seems that I cannot stop the words from coming! The words just keep spilling out! J

I will be writing a series….and hope to do justice, in words, what I am experiencing here in Georgia. Stay tuned!

Your article titled Marshrutka: Getting Around in Georgia! Peace Corps Volunteer/Georgia

has been accepted and is now published on the OpEdNews website at:

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Marshrutka--Getting-Aroun-by-Catherine-Lawrence-Culture_Travel-141110-318.html

http://www.opednews.com/Series/My-life-as-a-Peace-Corps-V-by-Catherine-Lawrence-141012-160.html It also looks as though this is part of a series of articles you plan to write.

I’ve spoke about the transportation system in previous emails; but, I’ve not spoken so much about the “metro” in Tbilisi. Now, a metro is a metro is a metro, for sure. It is really the same no matter what city you go into. It is underground with lots of noise and people, people, people. The Tbilisi metro stations have a branch of the Bank of Georgia available (teller window and cash machine) in the area before you swipe your metro card to go down to the train platform. They also have a TTC (Tbilisi Transit Company) window and teller available if you need to refill your metro card. It is all very convenient. Some metro stops also have shopping available before you enter the entrance to the metro.  When you swipe your metro card the amount appears on the screen so that you know how much you have left on your card. Well, as I said a metro is a metro; you know what to expect; however, there is one metro stop that just “freaked” me out.

Tbilisi is expanding their metro system so in order to get to the very last metro stop “Vazha-Pshavela” you need to get off at the stop prior “Delisi” and change trains. Now I can understand that, no problem.  However, what comes next “freaked” me. As I got off the train at “Delisi” (along with many other folks who were also going to “Vazha-Pshavela”) was on left the station platform (I was heading West). It got very quiet. We were all just mulling around waiting and waiting. Voices seemed muffled and I for one didn’t have a clue as what was going to happen next.

I heard, very quietly, something coming down the track. I thought “if it’s the train it is on the wrong track.” It is on the track going East and I need to go West. Well, after a minute the train pulled into the station. It arrived so slowly and quietly and the train was totally empty of people. OMG, is this the train that will take me to “Vazha-Pshavela?”  The doors open and I thought I was in the middle of one of those horror or sci-fi movies that take people out of reality and into the “twilight zone.” Everyone got on and so did I. The doors closed very quickly and the train headed west (even though it was on the east track). It seemed like we were moving faster than I remembered from previous metro rides. It was an anxious few minutes for me. Finally, we arrived at the “Vazha-Pshavela” station. I guess that the West track has not yet been completed fully which is why we had to change to a different track. It was an experience for sure. I kept looking out the window watching for ghosts figures or maybe “Dorothy and Toto” to fly by as we traveled to the next station.  I’ve made the trip a couple of times since the first encounter and every time I feel like I am heading into parts unknown – “The Twilight Zone.”

Water, Water…ah, we have water off and on and sometimes we now have HOT water (water seems to be a lottery item). However, I’ve noticed something that maybe has been there all along but I’ve not paid attention. There is no water source on the second floor (where the bedrooms are); so, I need to carry water from the outside water source in 3ml containers up to my bedroom. I use the bottle over and over again and noticed sediment at the bottom of the bottle. No matter how many times I rinsed the bottle the sediment remained. I think it (sediment) got embedded into the plastic; so, I have to throw the bottle away and use a fresh one. I started to think about the possibility that the sediment was also going into the water I was drinking. Now, I do boil all the Georgian water that I use; but, maybe not all of it gets boiled out. I still use my water filter that the PC gave me; but, hoping that the sediment only looks gross and won’t impact my health…..ah, another challenge in Georgia!

I’ve  noticed how depressing the news (that gets reported) is listed on the various news sources (internet). I usually check the news once a day to keep up what is going on in the world and I usually end up shaking my head.  Maybe because it is such a struggle here for me every day (and I am sure it is going to get harder with time) that all that is reported (it seems) is sensational, if it bleeds it leads, headlines. This is just an observation from my place on the mountain!

I’ve also noticed also that there are very few, if any, street name signs posted here in Sagarejo and also Tbilisi. I’ve noticed this as more and more I want to get to specific places and the directions call for going on different streets; however, without the benefits of street signs I am usually left unsure how to proceed. I wonder if the signs ever existed or maybe someone took them down.  This is just more about life here in Georgia.

There are white cross walk symbols painted across many of the streets, both in Tbilisi and in Sagarejo; however, the drivers pay absolutely no attention to them.  There are no “stop” or “slow down” signs; let alone a stop light. Trying to cross a street here is almost a suicide wish as I believe that Georgian drivers would be more interested in getting where they were going rather than to stop a minute and let a pedestrian cross. It is almost like pedestrian’s inconvenience drivers by being in their way.

I often times buy my host family various items that I hope will make life more interesting and/or delicious – E.g., tea, peanut butter, chocolate etc. However, since I’ve been buying tissues by the truck load (due to my cold) I bought them a box of tissues also. Well, when I gave them the box of tissues they didn’t know what to do with it. They looked at the box and then looked at me. So, I ripped the top off and started the first tissue so the remainder of the tissues would pop up. They thought they were napkins. So, I pulled one and used it to blow my nose. Very interesting, I thought, that maybe they have never seen a box of tissues. I know they all have the small packets of tissues that we keep in our pockets or handbags; but come to think of it I have never seen boxes of tissues sold here in Sagarejo.

I was part of the leaf gathering team here at my home in Sagarejo. Because we live on a mountain and there are countless numbers of trees; well, that means that we have dead leafs everywhere. While gathering silly me thought we would put them in plastic bags for the trash men to pick-up. Ha, not going to happen. We piled then in the middle of the road and then set them on fire. Once done, everyone walked away but I was afraid with the flames were so high they would burn more than just the pile. I was the only one concerned because eventually the flames did die out and all that was left was the white ash of the burned leaves. This was a new experience for me and I am sure we will repeat this ritual many times before the season changes.

One of the wonderful things to do here is to watch the smoke that comes out of the “pechi” vent. Now you may think that would be mind numbing; however, let me assure you it is fascinating to watch.  Back home all of the fire place chimneys are on the roof, so you don’t get to see how the smoke comes out. Because the vent from the “pechi” is very near the porch I can sit and watch. We have had a couple of nice days so it has been pleasant to sit outside. As I was enjoying the sunshine I noticed the smoke. It comes out intermittently which really surprised me. I thought there would be a steady stream of smoke. When it does comes out it moves in whatever direction the wind is blowing; so, at times I am engulfed in smoke (while sitting on the porch) and at other times the smoke goes up, out or over. The smells are delicious. I don’t know what, if anything, they add to the “pechi” but, the aroma is kind-a like a pipe but better. I can hear my friends saying “this must be like watching paint dry” but, really it is not.

I’ve also noticed, while sitting watching the smoke, how BIG the chickens have gotten and also how beautiful the chickens are. Ok, I can hear you smiling out there saying “OMG, she has gone around the bend”; but, the feathers on the chickens are so beautiful. The colors are so rich and deep and most of the chickens have multiple layers of different colors throughout. A couple of chickens are pure white and some have black mixed in. I wondered how they stay white since they are also scrounging for food in the garden and on the road. Other chickens are beautiful shades of brown. I think about never having this experience of chicken watching if not for this Peace Corps Experience. I am loving this!!!

Thank you for taking the time to read about my adventures!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Best, Catherine Lawrence, G14 – 11/14/14

Peace Corps Volunteer/Georgia

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