Saturday, January 23, 2016
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Hello My Faithful Readers:
Blog: January 13th, 2016
I've posted a few pictures below this blog.
I have safely returned to Georgia after my fabulous
trip. As you know, I have been writing only one blog per month; however, so
much has happened since I last left you in December that one blog won’t be enough
– so I will also blog at the end of January. I will share in this blog my
travel adventures in Switzerland (part 1) and will continue with the Rhine
River Cruise (part 2) in the next blog.
So here we go the beginning of my last six months
here in Georgia as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
To begin, Christmas Day, December 25th,
is not the ONLY day that Christmas is celebrated. This is a strange sensation
for me to have Christmas good wishes offered on a day other than December 25th. The Georgian people celebrate Orthodox
Christmas on January 7th. I have listed the link below which will
provide information on Alilo.
I returned from my travels thinking that I would be
celebrating Christmas with my host family; however, I was surprised to learn
that my family was not at home in Sagarejo. All had gone, with the exception of
the grandmother, to the family of my host mother in Imerti (which is out west
in Georgia). This was a surprise as I had arranged my plans to make sure that I
was home to celebrate their Christmas with them; but, I could understand why
they wanted to go. My host grandmother and I muddled through together; but, it
was really quiet. Food was in limited supply; mostly potatoes and chicken broth
for the next few days. I had come home with a cold; so, it was nice to have a
very peaceful couple of days to recover. Neighbors hollered Christmas greetings
and of course the dogs in the neighbor barked and cried as usual.
So, this time of quiet gave me time to reflect on
the trip I had just returned from…and here is my story J
I arrived in Zurich Switzerland on Christmas Eve,
2015. My flights from Tbilisi to Istanbul and then from Istanbul to Zurich were
flawless. I really like Turkish Airlines and even more so; I know my way around
the Istanbul airport now like the back of my hand. I arranged for
transportation to the hotel and all went like clockwork. The hotel was OK. It
was the Hotel Continental (link below). It was very old world; in fact I thought
at first glance that maybe the keys would be on the board behind the reception
desk. That was not the case; but, I think you get the picture.
They had mulled wine in the lobby along with butter
cookies that I took full advantage of. I’ve never had mulled wine so this was a
new experience for me.
The first thing I wanted to do in Zurich was to open
up a numbered bank account; however, I was told it is not so easy to do that
any longer. The minimum amount to open an account is 100,000 Swiss Francs (as
Switzerland is not part of the EU they don’t use the euro). Since I was a
couple of Swiss Francs short; well, that ended that conversation.
The city was really quiet as it was Christmas. I fell
in love with the city. The tour company arranged a Zurich City walking and bus
tour. Since there was little traffic we got to see a lot of the city. The city
was like a postcard. As all of Switzerland was untouched by WW2; so I could
feel myself drifting back in time absorbing the Limmat River and Lake Zurich.
The weather was excellent; in fact, at times we could have taken our coats off.
No snow, which was disappointing.
The train station, which was within walking distance
of my hotel, was tremendous. I spent a good bit of time there as I so enjoy
being a part of the comings and goings. I was told that the Zurich train station is
the world’s most frequently served railway stations with 2,915 trains every
day. The Christmas market was still in play; so it was a frantic experience
watching the shoppers as well as all the items for sale. I tried to use the
bathroom; however, it cost 2 Swiss Francs (which I thought was a lot). So, I’d
wait until I got back to the hotel J
During our walking tour a question came up that I
have wondered about; and that is, how did Switzerland remain neutral during the
war? According to our tour guide; there is a very simple answer. That is,
Hitler allowed it. The story goes that Hitler knew he could take the country
anytime he wanted. Hitler also thought that Switzerland was like a “safety
deposit box.” When the war was over and he would have access to all the assets
within Switzerland as well as have a country that would have been untouched by
the war. These are the reasons Switzerland was allowed to stay neutral. Now, I
don’t know what if anything I’ve written is true; but that is the way it was
explained…..
On Christmas Day I connected with a local family
that belongs to the SERVAS organization I belong to. What a wonderful
experience that was. A husband and wife picked me up at the hotel and off we
went, via the tram, to Grossmunster Church (link below) for a Christmas
afternoon concert. Full orchestra as well as choir performed for 90 minutes, or
more. The place was packed and since we arrived a little early we had terrific
seats.
Being the city gal that I am, my SERVAS family gave
me a day pass for the buses and trams. The transportation system is easy, clean
and fast. I just loved being a part of the crowds getting on and off public
transportation.
After the concert we went to a local coffee house to
have coffee and then headed out to their apartment; using first a tram and then
a bus. It took about 30minutes to get to their place. Their view is of the Alps
and they showed me in the distance where I would be the next day, Mount
Pilatus. The day was so clear so we could see for miles and miles. A dinner of
salad, fish and vegetables was served, along with wine and great conversation.
All in all – it was a Christmas I won’t soon forget. I spent about 10 hours
with this couple and it was like the blink of an eye.
I felt so comfortable in Zurich; I felt that I would
be able to navigate myself around without any problem. Most people in Zurich
speak English; so that was easy also. I could spend this entire blog writing
about Zurich; but it is time to move on.
But before I leave Zurich - a couple of items:
People do not use artificial Christmas Trees in
Switzerland, only real trees. Up until five years ago REAL candles were used on
the Christmas tree (how about that!). At the crosswalks all methods of
transportation STOP and allow passengers to cross. What a unique experience
that was as pedestrians are a privilege class in Switzerland (that alone would
make me move here). The church bells ring for 15 solid and continuous minutes
announcing that services will begin when the bells end. I just love hearing the
bells. It reminds me of England when a wedding is going to take place. I am
told that there is really no unemployment in Zurich and it has been ranked as a
city with the highest quality of life in the world.
We board the bus and will now travel to Lucerne,
which is to the south of Zurich.
Lucerne was very nice but didn’t have the impact of
Zurich, at least for me. However there were some tremendous moments.
We arrived in Lucerne by boat. It took about an hour
and I could not tell you where we boarded the boat from; but, when we left the
boat in Lucerne we were only about a five minute walk to our hotel in Lucerne.
It felt like we were in an industrial district as we were close to the water
front as well as to the train station – but the hotel was OK. The boat was covered so we were warm inside
watching as we floated by the houses that were on or near the river banks. The
futuristic Culture and Convention Center (KKL) was nearby the hotel. This
building is a landmark of Lucerne.
It was like a post card, the scenery along the banks
of the Lucerne River. The scenery was pristine and untouched, or so it seemed
from a distance. I love being on the water so I was in heaven, with my bottle
of beer, in the boat on Lake Lucerne.
The “Lion Monument” in Lucerne was discovered
literally as we were leaving the city to head towards Basel. I was just so-so
and complaining, “Why do I need to get off the bus to see this.” However, it
would have been my loss. I have never seen a sculpture convey such pain and
anguish in stone. The pictures don’t do it justice; but, try and get an
up-close view of this sculpture. Truly it is very moving. I wanted to get close
and touch it; but, there was a pool of water that blocked the way. The monument
is carved into the wall; so, it would have been a neat trick (without a ladder)
to get up there.
Another moment, or really a full day, was the trip
to Mount Pilatus. We had a perfect day for visibility and although it was cold
it was manageable. We took a four person gondola to the mid-point on the
mountain and then the aerial cable car (called Dragon Ride) to the top. The
Cable car held over 50 people (maybe more). It was a thrill to watch and feel this
Dragon inch its way to the landing on Mount Pilatus. I was holding on for dear
life; however, nothing really would have saved us if the Dragon decided
otherwise (smiles).
There is a story that goes along with why this
mountain is called Mount Pilatus. It was named for Pontius Pilate, famous for
washing his hands of the death of Jesus Christ. I am not sure I can do the
story justice; but something about no one wanted to have the bones of Pilate in
their land/country. The corpse moved around quite a bit (of course not on its
own) before it settled on Mount Pilatus. Again, something about each Easter he
rises up from the grave and tries to wash the blood from his hands. I wish I
would have written more of the story down, but it could be just a “Tall Tale.”
But, if you are interested do some research….
I could never say enough about being on Mount
Pilatus. It was breathtaking. At almost 7,000 feet elevation our questions were
how they were able to build a hotel and tourist center in this location? There
were many young people parasailing off the mountain. My heart was racing
watching them get air under their parachute and then have to bank left very
hard in order not to crash into the mountain. What a thrill to watch this. We
had a tremendous view of the Alps in the distance as we were told that Mount
Pilatus is not really part of the mountain Alps chain; but, I didn’t care. I
was overwhelmed with experience.
I had another great experience with another SERVAS
family in Lucerne. These folks (mom, dad and two children – 9 and 11) took me
out to dinner at a local restaurant near the hotel. We talked for hours about
my life, their life, what it is like to live in Switzerland (they are both
Swiss), working in Switzerland and all things pertaining to their children.
There was not an empty moment during dinner. We were all, including the
children, trying to share and ask questions – saying, I’m sorry” for
interrupting (smiles). They all spoke English as most people do in Switzerland.
We talked about how expensive it is to live in Switzerland and how privileged
they felt to live where they do. (They live about an hour outside of Lucerne).
I am so glad that I made prior arrangements to meet them; my experience with
them absolutely made me richer for getting to meet them; as well as, the couple
I met in Zurich.
We did some walking in Lucerne and a group of us had
dinner at a local restaurant. I had a
“rosti” – explanation below. It was OK; but, I was told that there are other
places that make it better.
Rösti
A
flat, hot cake made of grated, cooked jacket or raw potatoes and fried in hot
butter or fat. The dish is bound by nothing apart from the starch contained in
the potatoes.
As we were touring the city a conversation developed
about taxes in Switzerland. Our tour guide said there is a “religious
tax”. You can be catholic, protestant,
or nothing and you pay accordingly. Now, I’ve never heard of something like
that. I asked what would happen if you lied and said nothing (which means you
don’t have any tax to pay). Well, if you lied and then needed the Catholic Church,
say to get married or something, then you would be denied access.
There were many, many churches that I avoided as I
had enough of the ABC tour (Another bloody Church), and shopping and stores
were in abundance - Chocolate, bakeries,
watches, clothing, etc., etc. I am not much for shopping while touring so all
these stores really did nothing for me.
We were surprised to learn of “Carnival” in Lucerne.
Towards the end of winter Carnival breaks out in the streets and squares of old
town. It is an outdoor party where chaos and merriment reign and nothing is as
it normally is. Thousands of bizarrely clad people sign and dance away the
winter….it sure sounds like Mardi Gras…
Another conversation that I found interested was the
distinction between “tourist and traveler.’ Back in the day, people who
traveled were call “Travelers” and today, in modern times we are called
“Tourist.” Is there a difference between the meanings of these words? These are the kinds of mental gymnastics my
head goes into while I sit on buses moving between cities. I will ponder this
some more.
As we left Lucerne and traveled to Basel (as that is
where we would connect with the river boat on the Rhine River), we stopped at a
store on the highway. Interesting way they handle the bathrooms. It seems that
people need to pay 1 Swiss Franc in order to use the facilities. Once paid, the
machine gives you a ticket and you can then use the ticket to decrease the cost
of any items that you are buying. Interesting way to get you to separate from
your money….
We arrived in Basel on the Rhine River. This is
where we were to pickup our River Boat. However, before we did that we had a
walking tour and also some free time to explore the city on our own.
Basel was OK. There were lots of stores as we were
in the old part of the city. My friends and I spotted the hot dog shop. Our
tour guide told us that this was a noted attraction in Basel; so of course, we
had to have one. I didn’t measure the hot dog but it was long and it was
wrapped in a large pretzels. Of course, we had to have the mustard that goes
along with us and then, ta da! We were eating lunch out in the street. I
spotted the chestnut vendor and had to have some, so I made my way over with
the loose Swiss Francs I had and purchased all that my money would buy me. I
have never had such big and evenly cooked chestnuts. It was a moment, at least
for me.
The weather was very mild so it was nice to just sit
and watch people, trams, dogs and tourists walk by. The city again felt like a
post card. I thought that Walt Disney did his homework when he recreated Swiss
architecture in his theme parks. The entire experience was peaceful and calm.
We ended our time in Basel, got on the bus and
headed for the ship. I felt like I was in Switzerland for a long time but we
were all looking forward to going to the ship (AMACERTO) and sail the Rhine
River from Basel to Amsterdam.
My next blog (part 2) will begin as I arrive at the
ship and I’m told that I have been upgraded to a stateroom on the top level. I
had my very own balcony (for the first time).
Thank you, My Faithful Readers for sharing my
adventure. I hope that your New Year celebrations were excellent and look
forward to all that is to come in 2016.
Best,
Catherine Lawrence, G14
Peace Corps Volunteer/Georgia – 1/13/16
The
contents of this blog are mine personally and do not reflect any position of
the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.
Sunday, December 20, 2015
Blog, December 20, 2015
20
Months Served/7 Months Remaining
Merry
Christmas and Happy New Year, 2016!
Hello, My Faithful Readers:
Here I am writing my last blog of 2015. I imagine I
could write about all the happenings of this past year of Peace Corps Service;
but, I have already done that in my 2015 blogs. It has been a tremendous year;
actually one of my best. As hard and challenging as my life has been I would
not trade it. So, let me catch you up on what has been happening and what my
plans are to celebrate the holidays.
On December 23rd I will go to Tbilisi to
catch a flight to Zurich, Switzerland. Once in Switzerland I connect with the
River Boat cruise line that I sailed the Danube River last Christmas/NY and I
also sailed the Makong River this past summer. I so enjoy the river cruises as
I feel so taken care of traveling in this way. After four months of living in Sagarejo
and attending and teaching grades 1st to 12th; I really
need to be taken care of. J
I will spend time in Zurich, Lucerne and then travel
to Basel to pick-up the river boat for a sail on the Rhine River. We will
travel through France, Germany and end the tour in Amsterdam. I fly home to
Tbilisi at that point. I am very excited about this trip as I have never been
to any of the cities we will visit. I have posted a copy of the map so you can
see the route the tour will take. Of course, I will give an account of my
adventures when I return in January, 2016.
I’ve also connected with a few SERVAS members in
Zurich and Lucerne and I will be hosted for dinner on the 25th, 26th,
and 27th by different host families. This will be a terrific
experience for me. Not only Christmas in Switzerland (with sailing on Lake
Lucerne, a trip to Mt. Rigi “the Queen of the Swiss Mountains” and/or Mt.
Pilatus (which alleges the mountain is the resting place of Pontius Pilate) –
including views of the Alps (among other adventures); but getting to meet local
SERVAS folks in both Zurich and Lucerne. Life is good, sports fans’J.
All of this even before I board the river boat…..
Before I move onto life as it is at present; I must
say that I am a little sad with missing another Christmas in Philadelphia. I
miss my family as Christmas celebration is really a very special time. I will
survive; but I sure miss celebrating with everyone back home!
Ok, back to Georgia….As part of the new English
Cabinet SPA grant; the school wanted a map of the United States. I had to order
one from Amazon as I could not get one here in Tbilisi (which I thought was
kind of odd). In any event, it is a large map that is laminated so that it will
stand the test of time and students. The
students are always asking me questions about the map; so, I have started to
give little mini-lectures on various states. The students ask me to tell them
about Washington, DC., Philadelphia; LA; Chicago and so on…one-by-one I am
covering each of the states. I am thrilled with this as I feel that I have
their attention. They don’t talk around me or over me; they listen. It has
really been fun for me as I do the research on the States they want to know
about and then share it with the students.
I’ve also been giving mini-lecture on Idioms and
Slang words in English. This has also been lots of fun for both me and the
students. Again, for some reason I am holding their interest. Of course, the
sessions only last about fifteen minutes as the real lesson has to be
accomplished; but, I think in that time the students get a taste of something
new and unfamiliar.
Georgia is not on daylight savings time and that is
a problem for me. Reason being is that when I get up in the morning at 7:00am
or so; it feels like the middle of the night. It is not until almost 8:00am
that there is some light. I have to make my way down to the bathroom using my
flashlight; and towel, toothbrush/paste and of course my chamber pot. It is a
tricky path as trying to balance all this with the steps slippery from the frost
– well, just to say I wish they had daylight savings time. It is still like to
almost 6:00pm; but, what good does that do me.
The Georgian schools don’t have anything on the
order of parent/teacher meetings. I don’t know why I didn’t pick up on this
last year; but then last year I think I was so numb I didn’t realize a lot of
things. In any event, I’m told, that some parents have never stepped inside the
school. They have no idea what their child/children are or have done in the
classroom. The parents of the younger students often times stand around all day
waiting for their children to be finished with school. As with most ideas that I bring up to the
teachers; the idea of instituting parent/teacher night does not gain any
traction and then it just dies a natural death.
Hospitality it said to be a hallmark of Georgia. The
people of Georgia have overall prided themselves in the hospitality that they
offer; however, sometimes I am left to question just exactly what that means. Most
times when people visit hospitality is offered in the form of food or drink;
and that is nice. But, there have been times when I have been walking in the
rain/snow/slush/sunshine when I have seen neighbors and or extended family
members wave to me and ride by in their cars. When I arrive home I see their
cars very close by where I live – so, I question where the hospitality is in
those kinds of actions. I just scratch my head.
I have a new name at the school; as the English
Teachers now call me their angel. I know this is because of the grant and the
money it has provided; but, it is not my money. It is provided by the US
government; but, since I was the go-between I am getting the credit. The grant
was a lot of work and initially I was not very happy to dedicate the time and
energy to prepare it. I did complain a lot (to myself and my friends) and
probably would not have followed through on it if I had known it was not a
requirement of service. I spent almost two months writing and fine tuning the
requirements of the grant as well as working with the school to determine what
they wanted to spend the money on. The
bottom line in all this is that everyone in the school, teachers, students,
parents and me are just thrilled with how it all turned out. We are still
putting the finishing touches on it and many teachers are actually buying
little things to add to the room. In addition to English the Russian teacher is
now also using the room.
I do hope that the new equipment and new
configuration of the room will put to rest the “Broken Window” theory. Below is
a link that will provide information if you are not aware of it. As I Combat this theory in the English Room
it seems to be working. I realize that the desks, chairs and other items in the
room already have been vandalized; however, with my continuous attention of not
allowing further vandalism – the students seem to be avoiding making matters
worse than they already are. I am not sure if anyone has ever told the students
“no, don’t do that!” When I say it, they look at me like I have snakes crawling
out of my hair. Their faces are a mold of “why not?” I am continuously working
to combat this theory. The students pull the heating units away from the wall
and as a result some of the units don’t provide heat any longer. They pull the
black molding around the window away so that the windows don’t close properly.
I could go on; but I am hoping that the English Room will be an example as to
taking ownership of their school to make it the best possible.
We have received books from many donors and I bet we
have about 300 English books which focus on all grades. We also have CD’s and
DVD’s including “Pirates of the Caribbean.” One of the private schools in
Tbilisi has donated old used text books on topics that range from Chemistry to
Literature and everything in-between. PCV’s can take as many books as we can
carry back to our site; so, we now also have lots of reference books (all in
English). I can just sit and look at the books on the shelf. We do have to keep
them locked up as we are concerned that they may just walk away without our
knowledge.
The popup books are such a great hit with the
children. They don’t expect, when I turn the page, for a picture to come at
them in 3D. I don’t know if they have ever seen books like this. I can tell you
that even the older students, Grade 7, oohhh and ahhh as I bring the story to
life; however, the little guys are just frozen watching for what comes next in
the story. I just love being a part of this. Most times the students want me to
read it a second time and then to read it again the next day. It does not seem
to matter that they have read the story before. They love the 3D aspect (and so
do I).
I noticed that when the teacher returns the test
papers to the students the students do not get to keep their test papers. I’m
told that if a student requests to keep their test paper (and that is rare) the
teacher will Xerox a copy for them. Again, I didn’t pick up on this last year.
I’m told that the test papers are required so that the teacher can back up the
grade that she gives the student. But, I question all of this as there is so
much cheating going on I really don’t know what the value of the grade would
be? It makes me very sad watching the cheating and the students are not even
hiding it. They boldly take another student’s paper and copy verbatim what the
other student has written. The teacher usually has her head down doing
something else in the roll call book. I am watching; but, they don’t care. They
smile at me and just keep on cheating. The disrespect is horrible and this also
makes me sad. I sometimes think they don’t even realize that they are doing
something wrong by cheating.
It snowed for the first time in early December. The
ground was covered with a white coating that made me wonder what kind of winter
we will have. Last year it was cold and we had some snow; but, overall you would
consider the winter last year fairly mild. I hope that is the cast this year;
so we shall see.
Water, Water is another BIG topic in winter. I’ve
heard from some PCV’s that they don’t have water at their site. No one knows
really why that is or why it comes back on; it just does. Here at my site I
have water; however, it is SO COLD I can barely brush my teeth and wash my
face. It is like ICE. One day I just said “no way” I am just going to go to
school with a dirty face; just too cold to wash. It feels like ice coming out
of the spigot. I don’t know why the hot water heater is not working. I will ask
my host family but I don’t expect a comprehensive answer. Most times what I get
in response is “Georgia!” and they shrug their shoulders.
This will be my second winter here. I can say that
with the gas heater on the 2nd floor (where I sleep) and my little
electric heater I am in pretty good shape. Some PCV’s have to sleep on the
floor near the Pechie; so, I am grateful that I can sleep in my bed and be nice
and toasty. Although the temperature has not dipped down into the teens or
below; so, it all remains to be seen. However, everyday that I am warm is
something to write home about.
My back often is sore here (both at my home and the
school). I think that is because I always seem to be bending over as there is
not a lot of space to place stuff on that would be of waist height. Of course,
Georgian’s don’t have as much stuff as Americans; so for them it does not seem
to be an issue. What limited table top space there is just does not accommodate
packages; items needed for daily use – so I need to place these items on the
floor and then I am always bending over/down to get the item I need. I often
use Advil to combat this.
I was in Tbilisi to have some blood work done
(routine) and finally was able to get to the Chinese ”take-out” store. It is
called “Fire Wok”. I was in heaven….had
chicken and noodles and also rice and vegetables. It was served in the traditional
Chinese take-out box….(I could have also eaten the box) - J.
The downside to this is that I usually end up with a stomach ache as I am just
not used to eating large portions. As much as my eyes want to eat it; but
stomach is in revolt; but, since I can do this so irregularly I let my eyes
take the lead as I rarely look forward to eating the food here; so, when I am
drooling over what is being cooked in the wok; nothing will stand in my
way!!!!!!
Some news about Georgia:
Christmas Tree seeds now main export product from
Georgia. An artificial insemination laboratory for beekeeping has been opened
in Tbilisi. Georgia’s first “Crowne Plaza” hotel opened in Borjomi and new
regulations to promote road safety will come into force on January 1st,
2016.
The above are just some of the things
(non-political) happening here in Georgia. I’ve list the link below for the
source “Georgia Today” if you would like to read further on these and other
topics.
The IWA – International Women’s Association had a
terrific Christmas Bazaar at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Tbilisi - early
December. It was terrific to see so many handmade items by Georgians as well as
other nationalities that live here in Tbilisi. I did buy some English novels at
the American Corner as well as a little stained glass Christmas stocking that I
place in my window. When the sun hits it – well, it shines so bright. I hope
that Santa sees it and will bring me (or better yet) to continue to bring me
lots of good stuff….
2016 is right around the corner and with the new
coming year my service with the Peace Corps will end. I often feel that I have
been here a lifetime; and then at other times it feels like a blink of an eye.
I have many decisions to make in the New Year.
I have had a new thought recently about the possibility of continuing
with Peace Corps in their Response Program. This is a program for PCV’s who
have completed their initial service and still want to continue to serve. These
positions are for a shorter period than the initial 27 months. The Response
Program can include a 4, 8 or 12 months commitment. These positions are not
only in Georgia; they are all over the world and since this is what I want to
do (work and travel) this may be an option for me. We shall see……Stay tuned.
So, my final paragraph on 2015 will be a
confession….ready for this, I am In-Love. His name is George and he is in the 2nd
grade. I have been watching this little boy now since I arrived at the school.
I have felt so sad for this child for a number of reasons (that I won’t all go
into). But I have watched him sit in the back of room and purposely sit all by
himself. He never participated in any of the classroom activities, never wrote
in his copy book (not that he had one) and never opened his text book. I tried
on many occasions to sit him with other students; however, little George would
just end up by himself sometimes putting his head down on the desk.
I am not sure what changed or exactly when it
changed; but, little-by-little - me and
the classroom teacher started to see some life come into this child. Of course
he never had a copy book but when he looked like he wanted to write the
vocabulary words we gave him blank paper and he began writing the words. We
watched as he moved away from the back row and also purposely sat beside
another student. He has been sitting in
the front row and gets to the room early so that he can claim his seat. To me,
this is all a Christmas present. He is now reading out loud and participating
with the class. He goes to the black board and does the matching game. When I
see this transformation, I am just overwhelmed.
My counter-part teacher is very kind and says that
my attention to this child, along with giving a sticker for participation, has
given him what he needed to try and do the work. I give my attention to all the
children and give stickers to all the children, but little George is special. I
know that my presence in the classroom helps as the counter-parts teachers just
cannot do it all alone. The extra attention the children get is worth my being
here.
So, my Faithful Readers, I will close now for 2015.
It has been an amazing rollercoaster ride. I have so many ideas for 2016 and of
course will share and write about them as the New Year unfolds.
I wish everyone Happy Holidays and a terrific 2016!
Best,
Catherine Lawrence, G14
Peace Corps Volunteer/Georgia
The contents of this blog are mine
personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace
Corps.
Monday, November 23, 2015
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Blog, November 23, 2015
Hello, My Faithful Readers: HAPPY
THANKSGIVING!
19
Months Served/8 Remaining*
*(I
will keep it at 8 months remaining; however, since I plan to COS (close of
service) at the end of June,2016 it is
really 7 months remaining – but who is counting (smiles).
Today is St. George’s Day here in Georgia; so, we
have a day off! Schools are closed and what a blessing that is. I’ve not had a
long weekend in sometime now; so, I am enjoying being home writing my blog.
My life here has worked into a routine. Hard to
believe, but it is true. As winter approaches and school is back in full bloom;
my days and nights are pretty much the same (day-by-day). Not much to share
with you, My Faithful Readers - so I will blog only once this month. Of course,
there is always something happening; but some of it you have heard before. My
challenges with the school and teaching; the never ending struggles with
getting enough food and taking a shower; the language; relationships with my host
family, and on and on – all in a day as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Some things have changed and I’ve written
about it within the blog.
However, I do want to say during this time of
Thanksgiving how much I have to be “Thankful” for. I am healthy and skinny J.
I have made some great friendships here in Georgia and my son and his family
are happy and healthy. I really do like it here in Georgia being a member of
the Peace Corps. The rollercoaster continues………
Time does seem to be moving faster. The holidays are
upon us and I will write more when I blog in December. I will be attending two different
Thanksgiving Celebrations that I’ve been invited to. I cannot wait; it will be
lots of fun! One celebration will be with about 25 PCV’s at a location in Gori,
Georgia. The second will be with some ex-pat friends in Tbilisi, Georgia. So, I
will be traveling on back-to-back weekends.
Three friends and I spent last Friday evening at the
sulphur baths in Tbilisi. This was a first for me and it was awesome. We rented
a private room so it did cost a little more than going into the public area;
but, it was worth it. The hot water was to die for. Hot water here in Sagarejo is limited
and most often tepid; but, it is better than no heat at all. We all soaked in
the hot sulphur bath and then dunked into the cold pool. We showered and washed
out hair countless time and then….the best part (although it was all pretty
terrific) we arranged to have a scrub.We could of also had a massage (again for 10 GEL) but my body could not take all that attention.
A Georgian woman came in with her scrub glove and
for 10-12 minutes she scrubbed me from head to ankles. She did not scrub face,
hair and feet; but that was OK. Having my back scrubbed was worth the 10Gel (I
think that is like $4USD.) I have not been this clean since I left the states
back in April, 2014.
After the bath experience my friends and I went out
for a beer/conversation as with all the water running in the bath house you
really cannot talk very well. The beer and having been in such a hot room made
for a sleeping experience that was peaceful and dreamy….I will do the baths
again!!!
The weather has been wonderful and also awful during
the past couple of weeks. I guess that is to be expected as we leave summer
behind and head into winter. The awful days are filled with rain and the rain
makes the temperature feel even colder. The heat has not been on in the school;
so, the floors and walls in the school are like ice. Actually, one day as I was
walking to school in the rain and it did feel like ice pelts hitting my
umbrella. I know that the heat will be turned on soon (usually mid-November) is
what I’ve been told. Some good news is that on occasion the teachers/parents
and some students actually close the doors when they come into the school. I
still do most of the closing of doors; but, other folks are also doing it. I
hope this continues as with the doors closed we can keep in any heat that is
already in the school. Really, every
little bit helps.
The good news is that my host family has been using
the gas heater on the second floor. This gas heater makes my bedroom so
comfortable. Of course I still need to wear layers of clothing; but I can be
comfortable in my bedroom without snuggling under the sleeping bag and
blankets/hot water bottle. The pechi has been installed in the family room on
the 1st floor. I am hoping that the family will still use the gas
heater on the 2nd floor now that the pechi is in operation. We shall
see. The only down side to the gas heater is that prior to its operation I was
the only occupant on the second floor sleeping. Now that there is heat the
family sleeps on the 2nd floor. The problem being that I go to sleep
early (say 10pm or so) and the family does not go to sleep until 1:00 am or so.
When they come up they talk like it’s the middle of the day. I think maybe they
forget that I am already asleep. Because we need to keep all the doors open so
that the heat circulates; there is no buffer to the noise. I do eventually go
back to sleep; but, this is a different experience than last year.
This past weekend I had to laugh at what a “Jet
Setter” – tongue and cheek here people – I am. On Friday, I woke up in
Sagarejo, On Saturday I woke up in Tbilisi and on Sunday I woke up in Gori and
Monday I woke up in Sagarejo…..It was lots of fun; but, I really have to keep
my wits about me as sometimes I really don’t know where I am…..no surprise
there!
I had a food experience recently that was a
surprise. As I was eating, what I thought was beef, I mistakenly asked what I
was eating as it was not familiar. My host mother smiled and said I was eating
the “heart of the pig.” Needless to say, I was a little taken-a-back. I had
already eaten a chunk of the meat and it was not that bad; but the thought of
eating the heart was not to my liking. The family smiled and said it was good
for me. Of course, it absolutely may be; but, it is not something that I look
forward to. I know people eat liver and other parts of the animal; but, not for
me.
I was recently home on a school day as I was having
stomach issues. It was a mild day (maybe in the 60’s degrees); and the sun was
shining. I was sleeping off and on and didn’t realize that my grandmother was
doing yard work. Now, this is something that is very foreign to me. That is, raking
leaves and cleaning out gutters, etc. When I saw the smoke coming past my
window I knew she was also burning the leaves. This is an event that I just
love. I don’t know what it is about the smell of burning leaves but to me this
is what the fall season is all about.
My
grandmother and I worked for a couple of hours gathering hundreds of leaves. We
piled them into little mounds and started the burn (this activity even made me
forget my stomach issues). I just love to watch this and the smell is so pleasing
to me. Ah, maybe I’ve become a country gal (I doubt it); but the end product is
just wonderful. When the walkways are clear of leaves it looks great. We can
sit on the porch and view our handwork with a cup of coffee. It was so great
that I was home to share this experience with my grandmother. Next year at this
time I won’t be here; so, this will be a memory that I will take with me.
I just don’t know what is living in the ceiling in
my bedroom. The last time I wrote I thought it was mice; however, I am told its
not mice. I still don’t know what it/they are; but, I do know they are getting
louder and bolder. One night they were so loud they once again woke me up. Then
the rolling started. I think they are bringing in walnuts from outside and then
rolling them around in the ceiling. I was up all night and as a result could
not go to school the next day.
I see on my ceiling stain marks where I believe
whatever has taken occupancy of my room maybe decomposing (that is after eating
the “mouse medicine” that my host father has left for them). I looked in the
other bedrooms on the 2nd floor and I don’t see any stain marks on
the ceiling; so, it is my luck that for some reason they have set up camp in my
room. The family does not seem to be bothered by all this. I imagine that
living here for decades they are used to these types of situations; but, I am
not. I lay in bed waiting for the noise that will surely come. I try and force
myself to go to sleep so I don’t have to be party to all these activities; and
yet, the harder I try to do that the more difficult it is.
I have asked that the family to secure the house as
I am sure that the “visitors” leave during the day to get food and whatever and
then return at night. They must have an access; however, I cannot find it. I am
upset about all this and as much as I don’t want to leave where I am living I
am struggling with the thought of dealing with this situation for the upcoming
months. I don’t remember this happening last year; but, maybe I was so shell
shocked my first winter that I was not fully tuned into what was happening.
Stay tuned…..
I read a book recently that spoke about food. Items
such as:
Home made Fettuccine Porcini – mushroom sauce; sole
in parsley lemon sauce, Italian rice. I could go on; however, even as I am
writing this my mouth is watering. Ordinarily I would have stopped reading this
book because visualizing these fabulous foods makes me so hungry and sad.
However, the book was too good to put down…but, did want to mention it here in
my blog. (I've lost a few more pounds - but then with the holidays coming; its OK).
So, my Faithful Readers I will close for now. All is good
and I am looking forward to my upcoming trip over Christmas and New Year. I
will write more about that when I blog in December.
All the Best,
Catherine Lawrence, G14
Peace Corps Volunteer/Georgia – 11/23/15
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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