გაძარჯობა!

გაძარჯობა! (Gamarjoba! = Hello!)

Greetings from Georgia!

I have been here for five days now, beginning the next chapter of my life abroad… but how do I even begin to talk about Georgia?

Do I talk about the capital city of Tbilisi?  It has gorgeous rolling hills surrounding every edge, and a river flows right down the center, separating it into the east and west banks.  The buildings are quite a mix, with centuries old churches and forts in the midst of modern buildings and blocky facades from the former Soviet days.  The sky has been terribly blue, the wind has been fierce, and it’s been quite crisply cold, but beautiful nonetheless.

Above - looking down the river towards the main part of Tbilisi, and the view from the walkway near our hotel.
Below - a view towards the cliffs over the river at night.

Or do I talk about the food?  You all know by now how much of a foodie I am.  I haven’t had a chance to try many foods so far, but I will slowly make my way through it.  We’ve sampled some of the national dishes, such as archuli khachapuri – a giant bread boat filled with cheese, a freshly cracked egg, and butter.  I also started sampling the various meats they have, from veal to trout.  The flavors are pretty subtle, nothing like the myriad of tastes available in southern Asia, but they are hearty and comforting.

Above - the archuli khachapuri and trout stuffed with walnuts.
Below - stewed veal, and a view of one of the restaurants we ate at.

And do I talk about the people, my fellow volunteers?  I’ve gotten to know several people, from my big group of 20-some-odd people that I take orientation classes with, to a few select people outside of that ring.  We spend all day and night together, discussing our materials, practicing the Georgian language, and going out at night to enjoy the town and experience our new homeland.

Celebrating at the restaurant next door with some great food and drinks.

All in all, I’m really enjoying it here so far, and I’ve been pretty busy.  Not only am I a teacher with the governmental program, Teach and Learn with Georgia, but I am also the Head Teacher on the ground for WorldTeach.  What exactly does this all mean?

 

Well, I’ll tell you later.  For now… ნახვამდის! (Nakhvamdis! = Goodbye!)