Blog, August 26^th, 2014

Hello, My Faithful Readers:

I’ve included a photo of me, my host mother and host sister at the river in Terjola, while we were on vacation out West in Georgia (early August, 2014)!

Today marks four months here in Georgia with the Peace Corps!

In some ways I feel like I have lived here for a very long time and in other ways I feel like I just arrived. It all very mixed; however, here in Sagarejo all is terrific. I am feeling more and more like a member of the community and the host family. When I go into the bazaar some (not all) of the vendors speak to me. I can speak more Georgian now so I can respond (somewhat). They all know who I am and at times I can even understand what they are saying about me. Nice things like “she is the volunteer teacher living here.”  Also, as I am meeting more and more of the neighbors they recognize me as I am walking up or down the mountain. Neighbors driving on the mountain road offer rides which is really great and yet I miss the walking J.  I hope it continues when the weather turns nasty.  But, even now it is great as it is so hot.

Up until now I have been posting twice a week but that is going to change. As events are gearing up I am just not doing to have the time to blog at the same rate. I plan to continue at least one a week. I so enjoy the blogging and many people have told me they are enjoying reading of my adventures (thank you!). I am just so happy to be able to share all this. I also am so surprised at the amount of text I create. When I sit down to write I think that I am not going to have enough to fill one page; and yet, every time I write I reach six pages and then some.

It has been excessively hot here in Sagarejo. The school doctors postponed the start of summer camp (due to begin 8/25) because of the heat. They said it was not healthy to have a camp with the kind of heat we have been having. So, camp will begin weather permitting, on 9/1/14 (which is LABOR DAY).  The Peace Corps does celebrate both American and Georgian holidays as the PC office is closed on all holidays. Other than that, I don’t think I would remember.

My host mother just returned from visiting her parents in Terjola. She came home with a turkey. I immediately thought it was probably alive (like the chickens we brought home); but, alas – the turkey was in a pot ready to cook. All the feathers were gone and so was the head.  It made me sad to look at this turkey as I had met him/her when I visited Terjola a few weeks ago.  The turkey was boiled in a pot on top of the stove. We all had this conversation about how in America we bake the turkey; but, here in Georgia they don’t use the oven that comes with the stove. They have something that looks like a microwave and they use it to bake cakes and such. The turkey was just too big to fit into it.  The turkey is cut into pieces with a tool that looks like an industrial pair of scissors. I watched as the turkey was cut into pieces. Every single part of the turkey was put on the table. There was a little bit of white meat but most of the meat was dark. I missed having stuffing with the meal. I thought because Georgians eat so much bread there would be stuffing, but none was to be had. No cranberry sauce either…I must try and see if I can resolve these items before thanksgiving; but, I am told I won’t be here in Sagarejo for thanksgiving. The Peace Corps schedules an event so that all the volunteers are together and we can celebrate Thanksgiving – location TBD. The last time I was away at Thanksgiving was in 2006, I was in India. At the hotel we were staying at in India they prepared a Indian Thanksgiving. Lots of food swimming in sauces and french fries. I remember it well. J 

I am struck with the fact that at meals there is little if any conversation. People just drift to the table and start eating.  Initially I thought it was strange. They don’t even ask for something to be passed. They just point or try their best to get the plate that the food is on. Sometimes after people are done eating then the conversation starts.  The conversation can go on for an hour or more after the meal but nothing is discussed really during the meal. People are concentrating on just eating. It is all so different than what I am used to. The Georgian people make sure you always have a clean plate. During my first days here when they took my plate away I thought that meant no more food for me; however, they just took the dirty plate away and gave me a clean plate. I am wondering if this habit of not talking is a throw back to the time when the country was more agrarian than it is now. People coming in from the fields were too tired to talk. However, I must say that in my present situation it is always a relief not to have to make small talk at the dinner table. Also, since I mostly don’t know what they are talking about I really cannot contribute.

I must tell you about the corn. If nothing else I would come back next summer for the corn. It is grown in our back garden and it is beyond delicious. As the meal is being prepared we all go back and pick the corn. We husk the corn in the garden and bring the corn into the kitchen for cooking. Georgian’s don’t use butter on the corn. They salt the corn (on the cob) with their fingers (they don’t use salt and pepper shakers either). Actually, they use pepper rarely. It is not routinely placed on the table as salt it.  All the garbage (cobs and everything else) ends up with the pig.  The pig takes care of everything – my Wilber!

Here in Georgia when a girl marries she goes to live with her husband and his family. I’ve listened to a few Georgian women who are not happy with this tradition (or maybe more cultural than traditional). The women end up living with their mother-in-law. As a new bride they come into the home of the husband’s family and they have to adjust to their way of living. I have many opinions as to why this is done; but, I would think my readers could also think of reasons. However, I don’t think the younger generation is going to take to this. The internet has changed the world. The young women see how other people live and work and they want what they see on TV and the internet. Going to live with their mother-in-law is not high on the list. Because salaries are so low for women some women are forced to stay and live with their parents. They don’t think they will ever be able to live on their own. I know I will hear and see more about this as time goes forward.

There is a lot of drinking (alcohol) here in Georgia. Most meals include wine, beer or cha-cha. I was taken back when during a meal the 2-year old we had staying with us was given a glass of beer. They bribed the youngster to the table with the incentive that there was “piva” – Russian for beer. The little tot sat and drank the entire glass and wanted more.  I am not permitted to say anything about things I see that I don’t like. However, everyone at the table gave him high-fives for finishing the beer. The men in Georgia give a toast every time they take a drink of wine or cha-cha. It almost sounds like they are praying. The men bow their heads and mumble (it seems to me). I can tell that they are really feeling what they are toasting. The toast can go on for 30-45 seconds, all the while everyone is holding their glass waiting to clink glasses. They toast everything; but, mostly people who are not hear any longer. Glasses are refilled many, many times during the meal. Again, I have lots of opinions about what I think about this that I will keep to myself.

I’ve been busy preparing the lesson plans that the Peace Corps requires. I also have so much homework to supplement the language classes that I am enrolled in. I spend hours at the computer thinking and planning (and school has not even started yet). Many people of the Peace Corps staff (and really most of Georgia) are on vacation in August. The PC requires everyone to have a backup, so we volunteers do have people to reach out to with questions and help to solve problems.  The PC really does have their act together.

We got another HUGH bucket of walnuts from the trees. I thought all of that was done, but no way. We sat for hours hitting the walnuts with hammers and then sifting through the shells in order to separate the nut. While we were sitting around doing this someone (or a few someones) started singing (in the background). I am not sure where in the neighborhood they were located, but it was so quiet we could hear them. It was lovely. Their voices drifted into our garden and gave us a concert as we were cracking nuts. There were no musical instruments, just voices. All of this just makes up the fabric of my experience.

Most of the visitors have left, but I’m told they will be back. Because, Thursday, 8/28 is a religious holiday here and the Peace Corps celebrates BOTH American and Georgian Holidays. This day commemorates the "falling asleep" or death of Mary”, the mother of Jesus. I am told that we are doing something on Thursday, but don’t know quite what it is? (Language is still a challenge). But, I am sure whatever it is will be unique and interesting for me from a cultural aspect.

მარიამობა - Saint Mary’s Day

Also, I just realized that Monday, September 1^st is LABOR DAY. I forget about the American Holidays living here in Georgia.

All is well here for me in Georgia. On many levels I feel very much at peace here and so taken care of; however, there is also a level of anxiety as I anticipate the approaching school year (I've never taught consistently in a classroom) and the upcoming winter season (as well as just general anticipation of living life in another culture). I wonder what it will be like to live in the “cold.” Heating here, I am told is marginal. Even if there is heat there is not much of it. I am trying to put all that aside as (at the moment) it is SO HOT; and try not to get too far ahead of myself. I have found over the last four months that I have met every challenge and will continue to do so. The PCV say that the second winter is harder than the first because right now I don’t know what to expect. The second winter I know what is coming. I just hope that maybe we will have a mild winter. In any event, it is going to be whatever “mother nature” is going to throw at us – so, no use worrying about something I cannot do anything about. I hope that the host family has the heating system that was promised (for my room) and I can always buy additional heaters.

Ok, I will close for now and wish everyone a GREAT week as we approach the official end of summer in America.

Best, Catherine Lawrence, G14 – 8/26/14

Peace Corps Volunteer – Republic of Georgia

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