Smiley motivation

A little about classes and conversation.....

Each week I see eight different classes - grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, and 11. Some I see twice a week, some three times. I have just over 90 students (learning their names is turning out to be quite a task given that I've never heard of the majority of them!). Every student is a joy! Their smiles and willingness to try motivate me to be the best teacher I can be for them in the short time I am here. In a couple of months some may not be so eager to please me once the novelty of my being here wears off, but for now, every student is working very hard. Some of the boys in the 8th, 9th, and 10th grade classes didn't have their books the first day or two that I was in the classroom. I pointed to them at the end of class and told them to bring their books to class next time! I asked them how they expect to participate in class or learn without their books - they've brought their books and had their homework done.....mostly.....since that day.

Class is not long enough. The press of time is just as strong here in English class as it was in PA in my Spanish classes. Forty-five minutes is just not enough to cover everything as thoroughly as I would like. My fellow-teachers that I team-teach with (Liga and Tea) feel the same way. We'll be in the middle of something in class, and the bell will ring for class to end! We look at each other and wonder how in world class can already be over! Learning a language is hard work and getting the hang of using new words and grammar structures doesn't happen without lots and lots of practice. And the students are still getting used to my American accent. They understand Liga and Tea when they speak English, because they both have a Georgian-English accent. But when I speak, even though I speak - painfully - slowly - and - make - a - distinction - between - each - word, they still have a hard time getting what I am saying. I keep encouraging them to keep listening and keep trying - with time they will understand me!

I also feel that the students don't have enough time to talk in class. There is grammar to cover, vocabulary to explain and translate, exercises to write to check understanding and comprehension, and lots of questions to answer. Most of the students need much more practice speaking. In class they lack the confidence to try using the skills they have been learning. So, I decided to try an idea that I heard a couple of other TLG teachers talk about - having an English conversation club after school. Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-3:45 any student who wants, meets with me in a large classroom to have conversation. My only stipulations are: no books, no notes, and no Georgian! (although they like teaching me new Georgian words, and I certainly need the help!) Today we had our first conversation time. It was great! Around 20 students gathered in the classroom with me and we just talked. I asked them all their names - again - and I think I finally have them down! (20 down, 70 to go!) I asked them who their friends are and what they like to do, and they asked me the same questions. They opened up and everyone joined into the conversation. Only a couple of times did we run up against something that we couldn't understand from one another. In those cases we just shrugged and laughed! Hopefully they will learn that it is okay to make mistakes and possibly not understand something - the important thing is to try! I am confident that this free conversation time will make a world of difference in each of the students' abilities not only to come up with something to say, but also to be able to answer a question and keep a conversation flowing. That skill is one of the most difficult to develop in a new language. They have an eagerness to communicate that drives them to work out their thoughts, and with each other's help, they usually arrive at the right words to use .....not always in the right order, but that's okay! It will come! I think that this conversation time is going to become one of my favorite parts of teaching here.

When we were done with our time together today, the students thanked me over and over again. Beautiful smiles on their faces, joy overflowing from their hearts - they are wonderful people!

A couple of side-notes from other observations today:

Our laundry detergent's brand-name is "Barf" - something I find doubly funny since there is no "f" in the Georgian language.....maybe it's imported from Russia? I'll have to look at the box and see if I can figure that out!

The phrase "til the cows come home" is a real time. They come home every day between 4:30 and 5 p.m. -- In Shamgona, that's rush hour!

About Georgian personal space.....

I wish that I'd had my laptop with me on my little after-school excursion to the city today. I am trying now to remember just how I was feeling and what I was thinking a few hours ago while riding in the marshrutka (the main type of public transportation in Georgia - a mini-bus). But even if I'd had it, there is no way on earth I could have written anything even though I was sitting in a seat! A marshrutka has about 15 or 16 seats for passengers, but I swear the one I was riding in to come home from Zugdidi had at least 30 people in it.....not to mention all the bags and baskets full of purchases from the market! Circus clowns who cram into a VW bug have nothing on Georgians in a marshrutka! I was truly amazed and entertained by the nonchalant way everyone who was standing kept edging back down the aisle, slowly shuffling themselves like live puzzle pieces that fit together just so if they turned a little one way or the other. There was not an inch of free space left in the vehicle when we pulled out of the bus terminal bound for Shamgona - the inside of the mini bus was one solid mass of flesh. My first thought (after I got over how many people we had managed to fit in there - and, by the way, I tried counting, but I couldn't even see everyone! So I counted those in front of me that I could see - that covered about a quarter of the space, and estimated 30 passengers.).....anyway, my first thought was, "Well, if we crash, no one will get very hurt since no one can move anywhere." My second thought was, "How on earth are the people in the back going to get out if we get to their stop before the people in the front get off?" And while pondering those two things, I noticed how no one seems to mind the absolute absence of personal space! Crammed together like sardines, some had their arms linked - which everyone does while walking around or standing together - others were leaning against each other or over the backs of seats to talk to someone a couple of seats up. And even if the person hanging over another is a complete stranger, no one minds. There is no concern for that "personal bubble" that can't be broken that is so common in Western culture. Oftentimes when a Georgian is talking to someone, they lean way in - like the "close-talker" in Seinfeld! My students do it, the friends that I have made do it, people standing around their fences in the yard do it. Just another of those little differences that make this place so different from my "norm!"

So, the people in the back of the marshrutka did have to get out first! Of course! What did they do? --unloaded everyone in the aisle to the point where those who needed to could squeeze out, then they all got back in, and off we went!

And, I didn't get any flowers today! But I didn't have to pay for the marshrutka either way to or from Zugdidi! On my way out of the village, my school director paid my fare, and on my way home, the driver wouldn't take my money! Such generosity!

Sunday in Shamgona

The winter here in Shamgona is very wet, and today started the way most days have since I've been here - with rain. I awoke to the sound of the raindrops on the roof, and since I had nowhere to be, I just lay in bed for a while listening to the rhythm of the drops. I got up a little before 9 and had some breakfast, then caught up on replying to some emails and paying bills. I really wanted to go for a walk, but the rain kept coming down, and walking in the rain here is a bit messier than walking in the rain on paved sidewalks! I read for a bit and talked with Tea. Around 3, the rain finally cleared out. I walked out to one of the rivers that surrounds Shamgona, and followed a road I had not yet been on. It wound around for a while, and I kept expecting it to join up with my road, but after about 15 minutes or so, I decided to turn around and retrace my steps before I ended up lost (although I'm not really sure that's possible here....). Not long after I started heading back, one of the police trucks came by, passed me, then turned around and drove back. They stopped just in front of me, and the driver got out.... with a bunch of red roses! He gave them to me, and said something in Georgian -- I replied (in Georgian) that I know only a very little Georgian, and he said something back while pointing to himself -- I have no idea what he said although I imagine he was probably offering to teach me his language, but I thanked him for the flowers and wished him and the officer still in the truck a good day. With a smile and a wave, they drove back down the road. As I walked along, I was thinking that they must have either picked or bought those flowers and had them in the truck to give me whenever they saw me today. (Shamgona is small enough that I see the police everyday when I am out walking or running.) I am quite amused at the constant showering of flowers....maybe the police have a crush on me! Or maybe they give all blonde visitors roses!?

When I got back to the house, some of Tea's family was over, and a few minutes later, her cousins that I had met a few days ago (Zaza and Maga) drove up. Maga speaks very good English, and asked if I would come over to her house for the evening. I agreed, and then she and Zaza decided that I should see some of the surrounding countryside, as well. We brought Elene along and drove to a friend's house - Alik. He also speaks some English - it is relatively broken, but good enough that I understand him. The five of us drove then around some of the surrounding roads through very rural country until we got to the river that borders Abkhazia. The place that we parked had a ruined railroad track that was in service during the Soviet days, but now sits in rusted disuse. The railroad bridge that spans the river is also rusted, and is twisted and broken from the 2008 conflict when the bridge was bombed. There was a very random group standing on the riverbank - a wedding party and some other people - I don't know if they were refugees or not. The river is very shallow, and they were being ferried across in a horse-drawn cart. The sight was very bizarre! A wedding party, random shoppers with bags, and farmers working their way across the river with the twisted wreck of rusty metal jutting into the sunset overhead. Alik was very uncomfortable being there. He said that the time was so bad in 2008, and being there brings back the fearful feelings from that time, so we left and drove to Maga's house. Little did I know that there was dinner waiting for us - a suphra! I met all kinds of Maga's family - immediate and extended! There was (as always) so much wonderful food, and wine, and toasts and more wine and more toasts and more food! We sat around talking and laughing and eating and drinking for a few hours. The toasts are a picture into the priorities of the Georgians (at least from my perspective) - peace, friends, family, and more peace.

It was a good day.

Reflections and stories from week one in Shamgona

Although I did not have internet access this past week, I wrote anyway and saved my thoughts in a document on my computer so that I could post it all when I got connected. After a trip to Zugdidi where Tea (my wonderful hostess) and I stood in line for over 2 and a half hours in the Magti (an internet/cell service provider) store, I am again connected to the world at large! So here are my thoughts from this first week here in Shamgona - grab a cup of coffee.....they are rather lengthy!

Reflections on the first day of school (Monday, 11/22)

It's hard to know where to begin. It was a good day, and I am emotionally exhausted. I guess I will write about different topics, otherwise I'll just ramble with little cohesion!

The teachers: My two English colleagues, Tea and Liga are wonderful. They both speak very good English and are eager to better their grasp of the language with my help. It is obvious that they have studied British English, but they understand that I speak American English. We have already found differences in pronunciation and some word order, but nothing that keeps us from understanding one another. All the other teachers were very glad to meet me, and through Liga, asked me all kinds of questions - where I am from, what school is like in the U.S., where I went to college, what I think of Georgia, what I think of Georgian food, am I married, do I want to marry a Georgian (always the follow-up question to my not being married), all about my family - and they end each inquiry with a statement of how glad they are that I am here to help their students learn English. The two directors of the school also wanted to know all about me, and they expressed their gratitude over and over again. Everyone is so kind and curious. Most of the teachers are women - there are probably 20 women - and 2 men. One of the directors is a man, and the other a woman. I have not learned everyone's name yet -- that is going to take a while!

The students: All day long, they kept trying to sneak peeks at me, no matter where I was. They are enthralled with blonde hair, I think! Liga took me into each of the classes to introduce me to them. The grade stays together for each of their classes. There are from 6 to 30 in each class, grades 1-12. They seem very happy to have me here, giggling and smiling when I walk by them or smile at them. I was able to observe three of Liga's English classes today - grades 4, 5, and 8. The kids have a decent base-vocabulary and are very bright. I look forward to getting them to break out of their structured dialogs to have more free conversation! I know they will be shy at first, but in time, I hope they will feel welcome to express themselves. 

The school: Just last week, the president of Georgia came to Shamgona to have a ceremony to open this new school building. It is remarkably nice by Georgian standards. They have a  gym, a library, a cafeteria, a computer lab, a physics lab, and nice classrooms for each of the grades, as well as a teacher's room and director's office. The brand new structure stands in stark contrast next to the old school where they were meeting until last week. The old school is unbelievable! I don't know how any learning happened in there - picture the worst, crumbling, multi-story concrete building you can imagine, and then make it worse. There is no glass in the windows, the concrete is broken, the ceilings are crumbling, and the entire structure is in such bad disrepair, it could never be rebuilt. It is where they had been having school since 1919. The new building is a blessing to this town! 

My feelings: overwhelmed, freaked-out, emotional, privileged, needed, wanted, blessed, incompetent -- that about does it! There were moments today that I felt like I cannot do this. There were other moments that I felt right at home. And there were others still when I felt like I don't deserve to be here. The adults keep expressing to me how thankful they are to have me here to teach their children English. They are so grateful to me for giving them the gift of learning from a native speaker. Over and over again, they thank me for coming - and then ask if I love Georgia! It is a humbling thing to come from a land of remarkable wealth to a place that is so depressed economically. The people here may not have many possessions, but they have each other - they have quality of life in their family and friends and community. I can't imagine what life was like here when the Soviets were still in power - and being just 3 kilometers from where the 2008 Russian occupation took place, the difficult times are not a distant memory - it is all still very fresh. Yet, there is joy in their eyes - maybe no smiles on their faces, but joy is in their eyes. Having lived through such difficult years, they are that much more thankful for the peace and freedom they now have. Their biggest complaint has been that the road needs to be fixed! (A very, very valid complaint!) I can take some lessons from the Georgians in contentment and satisfaction!

A little about my host family and village (Tuesday, 11/23)

I live in "Fiddler on the Roof" with some added computers, cars, and cell phones! The village I live in, Shamgona, is made up of about 500 families and is not on the map. The town sits on an island bordered on all sides by rivers. The river to the west is the border between Georgia and Abkhazia - one of the portions of Georgia that Russia invaded in 2008 and has since seceded from Georgia. The Georgian police patrol adds to the "Fidder on the Roof" feel - along with the cows, water buffalo, pigs, chickens, ducks, turkeys, horses, dogs, and cats that roam freely. Men drive horse-drawn carts filled with sticks or hay or cabbages. Older women walk along behind cows or pigs with long sticks to nudge a wayward animal back the right way. The street is mostly dirt and stones with some broken-up pavement sections here and there. That's the biggest complaint in town - how bad the road is - and it is, indeed a valid complaint! Just walking down the road is an exercise in mobile dexterity - and walking it is just about as fast as driving it! Although Shamgona is mostly flat with a couple of rolling hills by the rivers, in the distance there are snow-capped mountains. They rise up on the horizon like gray and white cut-outs in a backdrop. They are a beautiful backdrop to this rural village - but since they are in Abkhazia, I won't be exploring them! The border is closed. Good thing there are plenty of other mountains throughout the rest of Georgia!

My host family is wonderful. The couple, Koba and Tea have two kids, Laben and Elene, and a grandmom lives with them. Koba is out of work - a common malady among the men here in Shamgona. But he takes care of the compact family farm - there are cows, water buffalo,  pigs, ducks, chickens, roosters, turkeys, a garden, grape vines, hazelnut trees, citrus trees, persimmon trees, and corn. Tea teaches English at the school part time, and the rest of the time she works very hard taking care of the house. She milks her buffalo and makes her own cheese and yogurt and bakes bread. I think most of the food we eat is grown and produced here on their own land. Laben is in 6th grade and is a hearty young man. He is very nice and respectful. Elene is in 2nd grade and is very precocious! She always wants to see what I am doing and is helping me learn the right pronunciation of Georgian. She brings her books to me to practice reading in Georgian, too. Then I help her learn some English. She is good student and a strict teacher! The grandmother is very sweet and patient. She told Tea today that she wishes she could talk with me. The only thing I understand that she says to me is, "Tchame! Tchame!" -- which means, "Eat! Eat!" They are all very generous and love to laugh. Tea talks about how difficult times are economically, but how much better they are now compared to the past. No one here seems to mind talking about the Soviet times or the recent conflict. These people have lived through very difficult days. 

Today I went for a run for the first time here in the village. Exercise is not a usual thing in Georgian cities, much less the villages! Everyone who was out stopped to see what in world I was doing! I greeted those that I saw with a smile and "gamarjobat" (hello) and continued down the road, picking my way between the potholes, puddles, and animal droppings. The police patrol greeted me at the end of town and gave me thumbs up - I guess they approve of my odd, non-Georgian behavior! After I got home and showered, Tea told me that a few people had called Koba to say they had seen his foreigner running down the road! A few more morning-sightings, and they will be used to my passing. 

Suphras (don't pronounce the "h") (Wednesday, 11/24)

This is Georgian for "fiesta!" No word in the English language even begins to be synonymous with suphra, and a fiesta is about as close as I can get in my realm of experience. Let's just say that the Georgians know how to throw a party! The suphra is a strong tradition in the culture and there are rules to the way a suphra goes -- but my colleagues like to break the rules - and for me, that's a good thing - otherwise I'd be drunk right now! One of the ladies that teaches at my school threw this party to celebrate the birth of her new granddaughter. We went to her house and gathered in the informal "lower" house to wait until all the guests had arrived. Then we were all escorted to the "upper" house and shown into a large room with a very long table set and overloaded with food. There were so many plates on the table, you couldn't even see the table! Plates of food were packed on one level and then there were others stacked on top of the first layer. There were tall, footed bowls of fruit that had just been picked from their fruit trees - kiwi, mandarin oranges (my favorite), and something I haven't caught the name of yet that is a little like a guava without the crazy seeds. There were bottles of mineral water, soda, home-brewed wine, and home-brewed tcha-tcha (a wicked strong, sweetish vodka). All 20 or so of us women sat down at the table shoulder to shoulder and ate and talked and laughed and then ate some more. Georgian food is so good! I have to learn how to make some of these dishes! One of my favorites (besides katchapuri - cheese bread) is something that is made of pomegranate, cabbage, and walnut paste. It is amazing! When everyone is about done eating, the leader of the suphra (the "tamada") raises a glass and makes a long toast to Peace - this begins the time of toasts, and Peace is always the first toast given. The rule is that when a toast is given, you have to drink an entire glass of whatever drink you have - wine or tcha-tcha! This is the rule that all the ladies break, thank God!! I could just take a sip of my drink instead of throwing back an entire glass! Or I just raised my glass and didn't drink - unless the toast was given to me personally, and there were many of those! Toasts were given to family, friends, health, men, love, and to our school and students. One of the personal toasts that was given to me was very touching (in translation, anyway!). One of my colleagues thanked me for leaving my home and family and coming such a long distance to give their village and their children a chance for a good, successful future. Again I am humbled! The toasting went on for at least an hour and was interspersed with impromptu dances. Two of the ladies pulled me up to show me a Georgian dance, and since I catch on to dances very quickly, they kept me up dancing for every song they danced to! At the beginning of a song that was danceable, the ladies would chant, "Ste-pa-ni! Ste-pa-ni!" (There's no '"f" in the Georgian alphabet, so I am "Stepani.") The style of the traditional dance reminds me very much of "Sevillanas" - traditional Spanish dance. I hope to learn the dances a bit better in the coming months. Since we have school in the morning, the suphra ended much earlier than it would have had in been a weekend! We all left together and started walking down the lane to the main road. The ladies were so funny - giggling and walking arm in arm. Then a mini bus (a "marshrutka") came down the road and we all piled in. The driver took us all to our houses and dropped us off one by one. And even though I am so tired, I wanted to write about the night's events before I forget! I know this will not the be the last suphra I attend….

Living in a small town - make that, village! (Thursday, 11/25)

Everyone knows everyone. And most are related to somebody in the village. In this kind of place, there are no secrets. Everyone knows everyone else's business and is involved in each other's lives - for good and for bad! Ever since I arrived, the ladies that I teach with have been trying to find a different place for me to live. They don't like that I am living with Tea and Koba because their house is not the nicest one in the village. They don't want me to be in an unheated bedroom nor do they want me to be using an outdoor Turkish toilet. At school when Tea wasn't around, they talked about where to put me - Liga translated for me - but no one else who I could live with in the village speaks English. I asked Liga if there was really that much of a difference between the conditions at Tea's house and anyone else's - I told her that I don't want to elevate myself over anyone regardless of what kind of house and facilities I am used to. Liga said that I should move to a different house even if there is no English-speaker there. So I said that I would think about it. Well, of course, that became a "yes" in everyone else's book! (In Georgia, "maybe" means yes.) So at the suphra last night someone told Tea that I am moving. Grrrrrr. Tea was really upset! She told me that she will do anything, make any changes in my living arrangement in her house to keep me with her. Of course I don't like using an outdoor Turkish toilet and I would prefer to have heat in my room, but I have camped in -15 degrees for the fun of it! And it doesn't even freeze here in the winter. (I am very happy to have hot running water in a shower and to have electricity - most of the time! [Yesterday the power went off for a few hours in the whole village because someone didn't pay their electric bill. When they paid, the power came back on!]) I told her that not having heat is not an issue, and although I would prefer having an indoor toilet, I can deal with the one outside the house. She assured me that she would have Koba make some changes to make me more comfortable - she just wants me to stay. She is so kind and generous and hard working (not to mention an amazing cook)! I want to help her improve her English skills to better her career, and it would be too hard to do that if I wasn't living with her. I told her that I want to stay with her - regardless of any changes in comfort-levels - I can sacrifice comforts to help her. She has given me so much already, and I want to repay her hospitality with knowledge - since I don't have much money! I know the other teachers at school won't like my decision to stay with Tea, but they are going to have to be alright with it! I'm sure they will talk about it more, because that's what happens in tiny villages!

A couple of side-notes:

I am re-thinking what constitutes "dirty" laundry now that I have to wash my clothes by hand, wring them by hand, and hang them out to dry!

Tonight one of Tea's cousins, Zaza, brought over some jars of honey that he extracted from his bee hives. He had a large empty jar as well. He said that he wanted to make some juice for us all. He put a good amount of honey in the empty jar and said he needed two lemons. Koba went out into the yard and picked them off the lemon tree. Zaza cut them in half, squeezed the juice into the jars, threw in the rind, and filled the jar the rest of the way with water. He stirred it until all the honey was dissolved and poured it out for us -- it was delicious! Georgian lemonade!

More hospitality and generosity (Friday, 11/26)

I have never met people whose way of life is so centered on hospitality and generosity. There is nothing a Georgian wouldn't do for someone who has a need. Yesterday I had told Tea that I want to continue living with her and her family. She assured me that Koba would refinish the bathroom for me. I thanked her - and told her that while I certainly appreciated it, the change was not necessary. She disagreed and said that if I would be more comfortable with an indoor facility, she would make it happen. They had recently updated their bathroom with a hot water tank and a shower. Tea said that Koba asked her then if she wanted an indoor toilet, and she didn't think it was necessary at that time -- now she wants to add it! After school yesterday afternoon a couple of men from town came to the house and were looking around out behind the house to see where the pipes would go. And today when I got home from school, they had the trenches for the pipes dug and had all the materials - toilet included - sitting in the bathroom ready to be installed! They worked all day - dug through the spells of rain - and didn't stop until after 11 p.m. I have such mixed feelings about the change - on one hand, I am very glad for a toilet (funny thing to be thankful for…. :)), yet I am humbled that they would go to such lengths - actually changing their house - for me! I want to learn to be so giving and accommodating - with a smile and asking what else I can do. I think the root of this attitude is cultural - the Georgian society is collective, while the American society is individualistic - Americans do things for themselves singly. Georgians do things for the good of the whole. Everything they have is for everyone. Everything they do is for the good of the group. There is little thought for one's individual self or possessions. It is difficult to get past such a base belief and change the way I think. Yet, if I don't, I will not understand why the Georgians do things the way they do. And I like their generosity - I want to be so giving!

A few days ago, Tea and I took a walk around the village and she introduced me to a family who is related to Koba. Their daughter (Koba's cousin) Lika is in college in Zugdidi and she takes English classes. Her parents and Tea told her that she should come and practice her English with me. I agreed, but she shook her head and - in Georgian - said that her English is not good enough. I told her that it didn't matter - she could come over anytime and we could talk. Today she showed up! She came over with her notebook in hand with a conversation she had written for class. At first she was really shy about trying to talk, but Tea read her writing and helped her with a couple of words. Then I asked if I could read it. She sheepishly agreed and slowly handed me her notebook. I sat down with her and slowly read it aloud to her. She had written things very well, but she lacks the confidence to speak. I told her that she did a great job with it, and I would be happy to help her anytime. We talked a little bit more - slowly! She took time to think of how to ask me something, and I answered her questions and then asked her the same ones so that she could answer, too. The more we talked, the more she loosened up. I told her that I was going to take a walk (something no one does here without need). She was getting ready to leave, so I told her that I would walk her home. Along the way we chatted a little more - some in English, some in Georgian - all very broken! In some halting phrases she asked if I wanted to have some mandarins and coffee at her house. Of course I agreed! So when we got there, she and her mom picked a whole bag of mandarin oranges off the tree and put some in a bag and stacked others on a plate. Out came the china and the beautiful coffee cups and saucers. We talked a little more - this time her parents wanted to talk to me, so Lika had to work at translating! She did so well! I could see how proud she was of her ability - and her parents were so happy to hear her speaking English. It makes me feel so good to be helping these wonderful people develop an ability they value so highly! When we were done with our coffee, Lika came outside with me and we picked some roses off a neighbor's rose bush, and with the flowers and bag of oranges in hand, continued our conversation as we walked back down the road. She said that she was so tired from thinking! I know the feeling!!!!

A memorable morning run (Saturday, 11/27)

Weekends are still my (relatively) long-run days. This morning I decided to do an hour run and I went out at 8 to run 30 minutes out and then back. On my way out of town, I passed lots of people who were out tending to their animals (mostly by letting them out into the road or putting food into troughs for their pigs ..... that are in the road) and doing other morning chores. The police trucks passed me a few times and they always smile, wave or give me a thumbs up. It was a lovely morning - a bit overcast, but the mountains in the distance were topped with snow from last night's storm. I ran out of town and over the narrow, rusty, mildly scary bridge over the river. (I promise to post pictures of everything soon, but I want to stop being a novelty to everyone first! I want them to be more used to me before I start acting like I'm shooting for National Geographic!) Anyway, when I was on my way back into the village, a lady who was working in her front yard picked a gorgeous long-stemmed rose off her rose bush and handed it to me with a pleasant "dila mshvidobisa" (good morning) and a smile. I greeted her back and thanked her as I took the flower. I felt a little like the winner of some great feat being showered with flowers on return from some quest! I cradled the blossom in my hand and let the thorny stem hand down while I continued running - I still had 20 minutes to go before I'd be back home. One of the police trucks was approaching during the flower exchange, and I saw the truck stop and one of the officers got out, then got back in and they continued toward me. When they were just in front of me, the driver smiled and held out a whole hand full of roses through the open window! Taking the flowers, I laughed and thanked him, and delicately cupped the entire bouquet as I finished my run! I chuckled all the way home thinking how funny I must look - running, for one thing, and running with flowers! These poor people are never going to get over the crazy American! My favorite line so far is, "Your foreigner is running down the road!"

Training week is done....

Have you ever tried drinking from a fire hose? That is how I have felt this week during our training. We had classes every day to teach us Georgian language and culture and about the educational system here. There has been so much vital information given to us in such a concentrated time, my brain soaked up all it could before overflowing after it's saturation point! I wanted to absorb every ounce of language, but after the third hour each day moving into the fourth, I felt my eyes glaze over (a look I know well from my former Spanish students), and I could not remember any more! Even reading the letters became difficult at that point. The TLG staff did an amazing job putting together this training week, and I cannot imagine trying to assimilate myself into this culture without the invaluable training they put together. I know that the language will come with practice and lots of mistakes and questions! I look forward to the day when I can understand even a quarter of what people say to me! And I need to stop mixing up the words for "hello" and "thank you" - gamarjobat = hello and gmadlobt = thank you!

Today is moving day. The rest of my intake-family has already gone off with their respective host families, but mine is coming from a much greater distance, so I am waiting now for them to arrive and take me to Shamgona - a little town outside of Zugdidi. It's a strange thing to sit and wait for someone who is, I'm sure, just as nervous and anxious to meet me as I am to meet them! What time did they have to leave this morning to come to Tbilisi? What will we talk about on the 5-hour drive to my new home? How much English do they speak, and how many language blunders will I make during the trip? (If I know myself, many!!!) What does my house look like? Do they have kids? How will they do with accepting this slightly-nuts, dyed-blonde, divorced, tattooed, athletic, independent woman? We'll all  have some adjusting to do!

I am very excited to meet my students tomorrow! That is why I am here - to teach! Being surrounded by kids who are or are not eager to learn, I want to inspire them to not be afraid to speak. I want them to know that they can make any mistake around me, and I will only help - never criticize! I know that I will make mistakes in Georgian around them, so I hope they will see that it is okay. The only mistake is not trying! The weight of importance of being a teacher feels doubly heavy here. The government's initiative to have everyone speak English is progressive and important for the future of Georgia's development. I have a part in making that happen! How exciting!

Next time I write, the questions I have voiced will be answered....

So far, so good!

So, I've been in Georgia for two and a half days! All my flights were uneventful, and when flying, that's a good thing!! I spent 17 hours in the air! The flight from Sacramento to Chicago took over four hours - Chicago to Amsterdam was over eight hours - and Amsterdam to Tbilisi was also over four hours. The flight to Amsterdam was overnight, and I slept a few hours. On the flight to Tbilisi, no one was in the two seats beside me, so I put up the armrests, lay down across them, and slept most of the way! It was great! I had seen the baggage crew put my bags into the plane while we were waiting to take off, so I slept soundly knowing that my luggage would arrive with me!

In Tbilisi, the wonderful staff from Teach and Learn with Georgia (TLG) was waiting for us - eight of us arrived together on the flight from Amsterdam - the smallest intake-group so far (I like having a small group so we can get to know each other better!). There were news cameras and reporters there, too, wanting to interview some of us to find out why we decided to come to Georgia to teach.  Although I had slept, the time change (a 12-hour difference) and amount of travel lay on my eyes heavily. It was difficult to appreciate all the newness surrounding us. We exchanged money at the airport, loaded our bags and ourselves into two vans, and drove into the city. It was dark, so we couldn't see too much, but what we could see was really cool -- the Mtkvari River runs through the center of the city. Along the river we saw part of the old section of the city that I definitely have to go back to explore! There are sulphur baths and wonderful cathedrals and mosques. But sight-seeing is not on the agenda yet!

At our hotel we checked in and then had dinner together - we've had all our meals at the hotel so far, and have been very happy with the food. How can one go wrong with cheese-filled bread? There is fresh fruit and vegetables at every meal, too!  And olives…… Two of the guys got some local wine to share at dinner tonight - it was pretty good, especially for less than $3 per bottle! I guess it should be good since Georgia is the birthplace of wine!

Starting Tuesday morning at 9, we have been immersed into Georgian language and culture classes as well some teaching methodology. I have to say that I don't have a headache from learning……yet! I do feel for all my Spanish students, though! Four hours of new language each morning is almost more than the brain can absorb! Thankfully I had learned the alphabet and basic numbers before coming - it is really paying off! Reading is still a lot of work, but it is coming more easily to me than to some of my fellow-teachers! I feel like we have covered a quarter's-worth of language class in two days! At the end of class today, I felt like my brain had turned to stone, and the new words were just bouncing off! It will sink in as soon as I have to start using it on a daily basis!

We started cultural training this afternoon, and it is going to be so helpful! Today we talked about culture shock, it's stages, and how to deal with it. I have experienced culture shock several times in my life, and I know i will experience it here. Knowing what the stages are and how best to deal with each is going to help me this time around! Recognizing that the wonderful newness of everything is going to turn into annoyance and irritability with everything puts perspective on the "honeymoon" stage (the initial one). And after the annoyance phase, one starts to adjust to the new way of life. Even though this phase begins largely unnoticed, knowing that the annoyance phase has an end will make getting through it much easier! And with adjustment comes acceptance and assimilation into the new culture. I think being aware of the specific stages will help me to temper the negative portion more quickly -- at least, I hope it does!

Kargad!

Musings from an Airport

A few musings about airports during my 6-hour layover in Chicago….

Sitting in an airport, I always see people who look like people I know. Every other person reminds me of a friend or acquaintance, with just one little difference in look or manner. Why do I notice this? How do I see similarities in perfect strangers? I have heard that artists tend to be some of the few people who can identify what it is about a person that makes them unique and identifiable. I don't know if we artists can actually SEE the differences or just have more success than non-artists in describing those differences. Regardless, I see not only the differences that make people look unique, but I also see the similarities that make people look the same - especially at a distance. I have actually stared down an approaching person who I absolutely knew was someone I know - the closer they get, the more sure I am - yes, it is  - it has to be them …. or not! It's usually not the person I thought it was - except for one occasion. I really did run into someone I knew in the Denver airport about 11 or 12 years ago. Ever since then, I have looked for someone else that I know. One of these days it will be the person I think it is on approach!

It's also the place that I very often have deja vu. Might the deja vu be the result of such similar experiences from one airport-stay to the next? Each time I am at the airport, I am on my way somewhere - obviously! - I am always carrying too much, but I walk around as much as I can, knowing that soon enough I will not be able to walk around at leisure - I always have a book with me, and find places to sit and read while waiting - I watch people, sometimes getting into the same first-layer conversation of the "single-serving friend" (Fight Club). The experience of being in the airport is usually the same - just take the template of events and overlay it onto the specified airport: Philadelphia, Boston, Houston, Chicago, Dublin, Guatemala City, Madrid, San Juan, Rome - anywhere but Miami; every time I am in Miami, something goes wrong and the air conditioning is broken! The conversations or a pause and glance up from my book are the two times that most often generate the deja vu moment. Maybe I am not actually remembering this very instance happening, but the feeling of the moment is the same. A glance up from reading a book (usually something not too deep that will keep me from having to think too hard but will entertain me throughout the hours and hours of waiting), reveals a river of humanity flowing by me. Have I encountered this very river before? Have I waded into it and been touched by the same drops of water at another place? I like to think that I have!

There's something else about being in an airport - the hunger. There is a type of hunger that is specific to my airport experiences. After getting only a couple hours of sleep, getting up in the middle of the night, and spending hours in flight, the moment I step out of the jetway into the airport I this kind of hunger strikes. It's a shaky, bleary, psuedo-hung-over kind of hunger that only one thing will satisfy: lots of pizza!!! Thank God for pizza!! There is something about the warm, melty cheese and crust that soothes the soul and assuages that crazy hunger.

Now if I could only sleep....

I want to go.... don't I?

I am reading Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck right now. It is a record of his experience traveling with his dog across the U.S. for three months. At the beginning of Part 2, he writes, "In long-range planning for a trip, I think there is a private conviction that it won't happen. As the day approached, my warm bed and comfortable house grew increasingly desirable and my dear wife incalculably precious. To give these up for three months for the terrors of the uncomfortable and unknown seemed crazy. I didn't want to go. Something had to happen to forbid my going, but it didn't."

This is so very, very true! As I am now down to three days to go before I leave, I am having the same misgivings about leaving. Of course, I really do want to go - but I am having a hard time leaving. Why is this? It could be because I have such a wonderful family who doesn't want me to leave. Of course they want me to be happy and to do what I feel I should do, but they like having me around -- or, so they've said! Maybe I am having a hard time leaving because I am comfortable and content where I am. As much as I love adventure, I'm awfully happy being surrounded by love. Maybe my doubts stem from the emotions that I am still learning how to deal with -- emotions that I had locked away for a long, long time, not allowing myself to feel -- anger, fear, and sadness. Now that my therapist (a wonderful, wonderful person!!) has helped me to realize that experiencing these emotions is healthy, I am still learning how to deal with them. I am not used to feeling fear. I don't like it. But as the day of my departure draws ever-closer, I am feeling a bit afraid of the unknown. I don't like being sad, and I am sad at leaving the people I love. Maybe my reason for not wanting to leave includes all of these things. I can certainly identify with Steinbeck -- and that makes me feel better! Knowing that I am not the only one who has felt this way -- I will not be the last -- it helps knowing that I am in good company!

Steinbeck had an amazing trip. He learned about himself and about humanity in general. Those "terrors of the uncomfortable and unknown" weren't as bad as he feared. That's very encouraging!

So as I sift through my belongings that I have in three piles -- definitely taking -- not taking -- and will take if there is room -- I am talking myself into being courageous and looking forward to this time -- after all, it's only temporary!

I'll be there in a week...

In one week I will be in Georgia! Now that time is getting closer, I am having a hard time believing that I am really going half way around the world for several months! Sunday morning my flight leaves Sacramento at 6:15! I have two layovers -- Chicago and Amsterdam -- before landing in Tbilisi, Georgia at 6 p.m. (Georgian time) on Monday. That is going to be a long trip! I am praying that the weather is good in Chicago on Sunday! My layover in Chicago is a few hours, so I will probably do some writing then to entertain myself while waiting! I wish my layover in Amsterdam was long enough to see some of the city, but it is only an hour long! Here's a question: if I am only in the airport, can I add the Netherlands to the places that I have been? :)

Today while I was running, I was thinking about Georgia -- actually I was thinking about Georgian -- the numbers were going through my mind. I have 1-8 down, but I couldn't remember 9 or 10! Then I skip to the twenties. Oh dear, I have studying to do.... When I got back to my bro's house, the kids were doing their homework, and of course Auntie Steffi had to help! My 5-year-old nephew was working at his homework: writing the letter "F" in capital and lower case over, and over, and over..... That is exactly how I feel trying to learn Georgian -- like I'm back in kindergarden, struggling to form the symbols and attach to them a sound. Then I have to combine those sounds to make a word. Reading a word takes me several seconds, and then I'm not really sure that I am pronouncing the word correctly! The words tend to have a 5:1 consonant:vowel ratio! How exactly does one pronounce "tskhrv-"?

The other thing I thought about on my run was this blog. I do not want it to be merely a daily diary of what I did, what I ate, and where I went. I want to have substance to what I share. I would like to share things that have relevance to everyone's life regardless of where one might be. There are several themes that I am sure will come up in my experiences on a regular basis: the need for flexibility, social groups and "norms," language, and the evolving self. I will, of course share my experiences, but I hope to do it in light of a greater truth about the human condition. If anyone has any suggestions of themes, please let me know!

Now, what do I pack??!!

It's official...

I got the call this morning - I am really going to Georgia to teach! All my paperwork has been received and approved, and I have been officially accepted to the program. I don't know yet if I'll be flying out on November 12th or 13th or 14th or 15th or 16th or 17th.... whenever the Teach and Learn in Georgia (TLG) staff can book my flight from Sacramento. I have a feeling this is going to be the norm for operations for the next months - and I will be flexible! I am anticipating new things at every turn - and although I have lived through culture shock before, this trip has the potential to be the toughest culture shock yet - as extensively as I have traveled, I have never before been in a place where I did not speak one of the main languages. Not only will I be teaching language, I will also be learning it!