Blog, May 29th, 2015
Hello, My Faithful Readers
I have posted a couple of photographs. The first is a view of Tbilisi (old Tbilisi), you can see the Peace Bridge in the photo. I was at a BBQ one evening and this was taken from the lawn (what an amazing location and view). The second is of the NEW supermarket in Sagarejo. It is the first of its kind here and what a splash this will make when it opens. The third is a photograph of me, of course, one year ago (May, 2014). I was out WEST in Georgia shadowing another PCV at her school. Not only can I feel the weight loss but OMG I can see it. :-)
What an experience I had recently on a marsh ride
back to Sagarejo from Tbilisi. It started just like all marsh rides start. The
driver waited until the marsh was filled with riders and then off we went. Feeling
like a sardine comes to mind when I get into a marsh. The marsh was really old.
I don’t think I have been in this specific marsh before; but, most of the marsh
vehicles seem to be on their last leg (and this marsh was no exception). The ride was smooth as it was a week day and
there was not a lot of traffic. At about
the half way point (between Sagarejo and Tbilisi) something very strange
happened. I watched as the driver was pulling over to the side of the road and
at the same time, as the marsh was still moving, the driver was opening his
door and someone was opening the sliding door of the marsh as well as the door
opposite the driver. I was watching this and wondering why the doors were
opening and we were still moving.
The answer came when I saw the smoke coming out from
under the hood as well as from under the marsh.
As it slowly began to dawn on me that we were in trouble everyone began
climbing over each other to get out of the marsh. My mind was racing and thinking that the car
was going to catch on fire or explode. Everyone was standing so close to the
marsh; so, I thought we needed to get further away if the darn thing was going
to explode. We all just stood and watched the driver and a few men open the
hood. The smoke was pretty heavy. Then, the driver went into the back of the
marsh and pulled out some cardboard that he placed underneath the marsh. I have
no idea what that was about. Another marsh pulled up to see if they could help.
The helper marsh was filled to the rafters with people, so, I thought he was
parked so close to my burning marsh that now another marsh would be in jeopardy
if the darn thing exploded.
Well, the men worked on the marsh for a good 30
minutes. Everyone standing outside the marsh now started to pile back in as it
was hot standing in the sun. I had the
feeling that the local riders (Georgian’s) had been through this before and now
felt safe to get back inside the marsh. As everyone got back inside the marsh
the driver closed the hood and then started the engine. Away we went. I was praying at this point as
I had no idea how they could have fixed whatever was so wrong. I was thinking
that maybe I should get out of the marsh but no one else seemed at all
concerned that we were now moving. I also didn’t know how the heck I would get
home if I got out; but, I tell you I was on pins and needles for the remaining
twenty minutes it took us to get home.
This was my first near death experience (tongue and
cheek here) in a marsh. I have often thought about something like this
happening as so many of the marsh look like they are held together with chewing
gum and bailing wire. I often wonder if they pass inspection; however, I don’t
think those kinds of standards exist here in Georgia. Just another day in the
life! I am usually thrilled when I get out of a marsh as usually my limbs are
so stiff and cramped from feeling like a sardine; I am just thankful to unwind.
However, this experience made it even more thrilling to get out of the marsh as
well as knowing that the darn thing actually made it to Sagarejo.
I’ve noticed that I have been wearing a lot of the
same clothes in the photographs that I have posted. I don’t take a lot of pictures and when I do
I am not really thinking about what I am wearing. Also, I don’t have a lot of
really warm clothes to change into. With the weight loss, it seems – and I am
not complaining – that if I do buy something in a very short time it will be
too big. Heavens, I have NEVER had this problem and it is so interesting. Due to the water situation and washing
facilities we don’t change our clothes very often – so, you get to see the same
things over and over. I am and have never been a fashion/clothes horse – so,
that is my story J
We recently had a major hail/rain storm here in
Sagarejo. Wow, the sky opened up and the ice pellets rained down. I got hit
with a couple and they hurt. It was amazing to watch. However, my grandmother
was so upset about the hail. She started screaming at the rain and hail and
then started to cry. I was trying to calm her down but she was not having any
thoughts of stopping screaming. The ice just covered the ground. This went on
for at least a good five minutes; maybe more. I just sat on the porch in
totally amazement. Maybe this kind of storm is something that either never
happens or rarely happens. We have had so much rain here. I am told that the
amount of rain is a little unusual.
In the 6th grade class recently all the
students were working in their workbooks. I do what I normally do and walk
around making sure that they are on the correct page and that they are actually
doing the work. Well, one of the students was just sitting looking at the book.
I asked him why he was not working and he motioned, or at least this is what I
thought he was saying, that he didn’t have anything to write with. So, I went
to my book bag and gave him one of my pencils.
Well, when I gave it to him he just looked at it and
then a few of the students, and the teacher, told me that the student didn’t
need a pencil as he could not write. I was stunned. Are you kidding me? He is
in the 6th grade and he cannot write. One of the explanations given
by the teacher was that he was a transfer from another school and he could not
write when he arrived at my school. I am just so sad about this. I don’t know
how I missed seeing that he could not write and I don’t think anyone is helping
him learn how to write. The students here just need so much help and I feel,
very often, that I am holding back a tidal wave. I wonder if an after school
program could be started to help students. If I missed this student then possibly I
missed other students who cannot write.
Writing formula for the 3rd grade…..I am
so excited about this. I’ll explain in a minute; but, it worked so well for the
3rd grade I expanded it to the 5th grade. I would like to
expand to the higher graders; but, not sure it would work because as we know,
the older kids are way too cool….so we shall see.
The activity goes like this. It is basically a
writing exercise; but without the writing. It fosters creativity and team work
as well as integrating the story into a 3-dimensional scene. There are four
components. Create a character (person); create a location; create a problem
and then solve the problem. I write the categories on the blackboard and then
set the room into teams. Initially the students are very timid in giving life
to the categories; however, once they really get how much fun it is – well, it
is off the charts. The children often get into a huddle and collaborate and
then pick a spokesperson to give their stories. When the story is formed then
the students need to act it out.
I use this activity as either a warm up or a cool
down at the end of class; but, the students don’t want to stop. Sometimes I say
that the person (or character) must be real and other times they can make it
fictional. The place also can be real or imagined. I always loved taking my granddaughters
to the “Imagination-nation” and that is what I feel I am doing with these
students. I would like to eventually get them to write a story as an individual
and then present it to the class. We are not there yet; but, hopefully when we
resume classes next September I can try that.
May 26
Helpful Vocabulary: დამოუკიდებლობის დღე - Independence Day
On Tuesday,
May 26 Georgia celebrates the
Independence
Day/დამოუკიდებლობის დღე. This is one of the most important
celebrations for the Georgians dating back to 1918. The revolution of 1917 in
Russia resulted in the overthrowing of the czar and in splitting up
of the empire. This time a national board was formed that was governing the
country. By the decision of the national board Georgia was declared as
an independent state.
In February 1921, the Red Army invaded Georgia and after a short
war occupied
the country. The Georgian government was forced to flee.
Georgian independence was proclaimed on
April 9, 1991 on the basis of 31 March 1990 nation-wide referendum, during
which nearly whole country’s population voted for leaving the USSR.
დამოუკიდებლობის დღე - Independence Day
გილოცავ(თ) დამოუკიდებლობის დღეს - Congratulations with the Independence
Day
Sagarejo will open a “Supermarket” very
soon. I’ve been watching as workmen have been remodeling one of the buildings
very near the center of town. I thought that it was possibly going to be yet
another gambling location; however, I was very surprised and pleased that it is
going to be a “Supermarket.” It is not
yet open, but I have posted a photograph of it so you can get the sense as to
how big it is. I hope that have some non-traditional Georgian Foods will be available;
but, I doubt it. Folks here don’t have a lot of extra currency to spend so I
doubt whether peanut butter will be sold L.
But, I am encouraged that what appears to be a modern convenience store
will be available.
I do have concern for all the mom and
pop food stores here in Sagarejo. I wonder what they will do as maybe the
“Supermarket” will put them out of business. Well, all that remains to be seen.
The 12th graders had their
final school day on May 20th. They call the day “Final Bell” as that
is what happens. The “Final Bell” rings for the seniors. It was an exciting day
as all the seniors had on big white shirts (sort of like a man’s dress shirt)
that everyone who was invited wrote messages on the shirts. A couple of students asked me to write and I
was happy to do that. I don’t know why the school was still conducing classes
as very few students showed up in the classroom. Most students were outside in
front of the school signing the white shirts. While all this was going on cars
where riding up and down Sagarejo blowing their horns and waving their white
shirts out of the car windows. It was very total bedlam.
Every class my counter-part teacher and
I went to, well maybe there were two or so students. The Director kept asking
where the students where. I had to scratch my head at the question as it had to
be obvious (from the noise) that they were all outside in front of the school. In
the early afternoon someone brought speakers and music into the entrance hall
and everyone started to dance.
A big autobus arrived and many 12th
graders and their parent (mostly the Mom’s) got on the bus for a trip to
Tbilisi and dinner at a restaurant. I think this maybe a tradition at the
school. I did see the photographs and the restaurant looked lovely. There was
also an outside portion to the restaurant where many students had pictures
taken to mark the occasion. It was way after midnight when my host family
returned to my house and I know that because they woke me up. They did try to
be quiet, but they were very excited. It was a BIG DAY!
I am almost at the half-way mark of the service.
Since we serve for (27) months the mid-point would be 13-1/2. May 26th marks the (13th
month) Anniversary and mid-June would be
the target – so I am very close. I keep asking myself why I am so attached to
marking time this way. I guess it is the
same reason that we mark our birth date each year. It is surely a sign of
accomplishment to see the anniversaries and look back on what we have
accomplished in that period of time.
The reason I need to write on the date of May 26th
is that it is a very special day for me. It was the day that I legally changed
my name (the date of the official court order) making me Catherine Lawrence. On
May 26, 1999 I went before the judge, with my lawyer, and I was re-born. I am
now 16 years old! (HA!) The process took me a year to complete, as after I was
“born” I then had to change all my documents to fit my new identify. The only
thing I didn’t change was my birth certificate (don’t even know if I could have
done that); but it was all a labor of love to do that.
Washing
clothes in Georgia.
I am one of
the lucky PCV’s as my family has an automatic washing machine. I know some
PCV’s that have to wash their clothes by hand and I know that is not easy to
do. So, one of m choices here with my
family is to purchase the soap powder. I always buy “Tide” as the family buys
soap powder from the $1.00 store. They are very happy when the “Tide” is
provided. We all use the “Tide”.
So, I know that “Tide” is a good product but I could
never figure out why my clothes never really looked or felt clean. My host
mother won’t let me use the washer on my own. I load the washer and then she
takes it from there. So, recently I was watching her put the soap powder into
the area e-marked for the detergent and noticed the small amount that she
places in the machine. It has taken me all these months to realize that the
soap powder that is used is just not enough to really get the clothes clean. As
I mentioned before, we don’t change our clothing very often so the majority of
the time the clothes are fairly dirty.
Recently, after I loaded my clothes, I didn’t wait
for my host mother to get the washer started. I took the soap powder and filled
the area for the detergent and I just could not believe the difference – as to
how clean my clothes were. I imagine she wants the box of detergent to go a long
way; however, I will buy an extra box of “Tide” in order to have my clothes
really clean. You know now that I think
on it, I never remember seeing soap suds in the washer as it was going through
the cycles. I guess, with the limited amount of soap, mostly the clothes were
washed with just water. No wonder!
The end of the school year (only 2-weeks) left for
School) is here. I am so happy about this as we have been working now for
almost 5-1/2 months, as compared to the September-December semester which is
about 4 months. After a year in the trenches, I can say that I love teaching;
however, often times here in Georgia it feels more like crowd control rather
than teaching. I am not required to do a summer camp but I will organize a camp
if I can get support from my counter-part teachers. So, that will be a
conversation for another blog.
Take care, my readers….and see you in June.
Best,
Catherine Lawrence, G14
Peace Corps Volunteer – 5/29/15
The
contents of this blog are mine personally and do not reflect any position of
the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.
