The Neverending Ticket

From my last post you might be thinking that I'm on my way back to the states. Sadly, you would be terribly wrong.

Getting your ticket from a Georgian travel agency is like trying to solve non-linear equations with your 8th grade math book. The basic skills should theoretically help you at least gain a very general idea of what is happening. Can I, using my skills of traveling in America, gain a general idea of what is happening with my trip home? Nope. It just isn't going to happen. A difficult task has become completely impossible and not the fun impossible of "oh, look I found infinity."

Many, many mouths ago I emailed TLG telling them I would not be extending my contract. I would need to fly home between June 15-17 because I would be assisting a mission trip in Chicago. I did this probably three times all within each new deadline. Two months ago I specifically emailed Alex, the flight coordinator, to make sure he received my email since I hadn't heard anything from them. He said they had. I thought great. I knew I wouldn't get my ticket as early as I might like, but I would at least get it a week before I flew out.

Well, two weeks ago I called Alex again asking about tickets and when he thought they would be sending them out. He was very noncommittal and said in a couple days. I then get worried when last week I still don't have anything after he tells me two days. I call a couple times that week and finally get him to tell me that it will be on the 16th. I don't have anymore information. That at least, thankfully, gave me enough to plan on how to get to Tbilisi on time.

  Tuesday night before leaving for Tbilisi, I check my email for a ticket. No ticket. I take the train (and yes I love foreign trains, too) on Wednesday morning. I get into to Tbilisi and take a taxi to the TLG office to hand in my phone and get my certificate before leaving on Thursday early morning. Only when I get to the office I find out that they are still waiting for my ticket. OK, I'll admit panic sets in a bit. Alex gets my ticket in about an hour from when I arrive. The ticket says I'm leaving on Friday and on a different airline!! Ah this so was not in my back-up plan.

I spend the night in a wonderful hostel called Old Town Hostel . They literally have everything that a nice hotel will have all at a cheaper rate. (Wifi, showers, TV, clean rooms, a common room, great location) They have been great.

Tbilisi Peace Bridge

This morning I woke up obscenely early for Georgian time, 7 AM. I then proceeded to check out all the tourist hotspots before the sun gets hot and people are crowding the walkways. It was wonderful. I'm glad in many ways for the extra time. I didn't get to explore the city much when I was here for training. It has costs me a bit more than I anticipated. I was supposed to be paid the day before leaving. However, even this morning I hadn't been paid for the month of June. It's a good thing I had some savings from each previous month to use for this extra day. I've done a lot of walking and free sites. Yet, food is more expensive in the city and I still have to get to the airport tomorrow.

Now, I've checked my ticket twice today online. The first time today I noticed that I'm back on Turkish Airline. They are who I flew in on and have better luggage requirements than LOT. It's still on the 17th. However, I can't check-in online. It looks like I'm on some sort of wait list for my first flight. I should just go with the flow, but I'm still a bit nervous about the whole thing.

I'll be home, hopefully, late on the 17th. I  am missing family and friends and normal sandwiches and my animals. See you soon. 

The Cliche Good-bye Post

Shannon and I overlooking Kutaisi

Of course, the last two weeks I'm here things have to get super busy. I've had a great deal of intriguing adventures to write about and no time to do so. I went to Kutaisi to see some fossils and a cool cave. There are new volunteers in Poti. I wrote and then re-wrote some final exams about five times per grade level. But, you'll just have to ask me about them when I get home if you want more details. (I still don't have my ticket home, so who knows if I'll actually get home. Just kidding, Mom, I'll get there somehow!) For now I'm going to discuss the ending of my Georgian adventure.Be forewarned, you are about to read many a cliche. (I think, after reading other volunteer blogs, this post is required. I hope that the pictures of me with EXTREMELY frizzy hair will entertain you if you don't like reading about me changing and Georgia changing and yadda yadda)

My 4th Graders: i.e. the Cutest Kids Ever!

I knew that saying good-bye to my classes and teachers would be difficult in some ways and a relief in others. We only have a couple more days of school left. I've already had my last lesson with most of my classes. I told students how much I enjoyed teaching them. I explained that I hoped they would continue to study. Most students have already zoned out and didn't seem to be paying attention. Then I told them that I wouldn't be back in the Fall. A surprisingly heartfelt groan was issued by every single class I had. It made me realize that despite my many frustrations in trying to bridge the cultural and educational gaps, I had actually made some sort of impact. That was my goal but somewhere in the last 2 1/2 months I lost hope for that to be accomplished. You certainly won't see my co-teachers actually writing out lesson plans. There are still many students who refuse to participate most days and can't answer the question "how are you?". Cheating still occurs in most of the classes, too. Yet, students do have better pronunciation. My 4th graders have an almost perfect mid-west accent. They no longer call each other stupid (at least not in school, I'm not that naive). The most exciting change I've seen is their growing courage and confidence. On the street or in a shop students will initiate conversations with me. They don't mind making mistakes, even in front of their parents, because they know that I'll reward their initiative and gently correct without yelling or tattling to their parents. These are good changes that their Georgian and future TLG teachers can improve upon.

Some of my 11th Graders

I'm sure that Georgia has impacted me as well. Besides developing a perfect "teacher look", you know that look teachers give you when you are in trouble that makes you feel more guilty than if you had robbed a bank, I have a better handle on classroom management. If I can keep Georgian kids quiet, I can keep anyone quiet! I'm more patient than I every used to be. I still have some work to do on that front, but I've made some noticeable progress. I'll never be entirely comfortable at a supra, but I've learned the important cultural lesson of how to relax and to just go with the flow. I can now make Katchapuri, which will be quite useful when I get home. I've been told by many Georgians that I would make a fortune if I opened a shop selling Katchapuri in America; they're probably right. I'm not sure this next one is an accomplishment or a sign of a deteriorating character, but I can hold my ChaCha pretty well for an American. Maybe it's a sign I'm more fun? Eh, probably not, I'm still pretty nerdy!

10B: A Class I've Only Had for a Couple Months

Traveling has always been a dream of mine. My passport finally has a stamp in it. A large part of me would like to just continue on traveling and teaching. There are plenty of programs that would satisfy my travel bug and give me some money to make it happen. But most of those programs require a college degree. So, I'll keep my promise and come home to finish my degree. I think I'm ready to focus again. I still don't know if I'm transferring to Madison in the Fall. I won't be going back to Creighton. If need be I'll start working or just taking some basic classes to fill out some general requirements at MATC or something. It doesn't bother me as much as it once did that I didn't know what I'm doing in the next couple months. I'm sure it will all work out. I need to stop trying to do everything at once. The first step is just getting my Bachelor's in physics, in whatever University allows me to do this with the right combination of support and opportunities.
I'll be home in about a week. . . so, Good-bye Georgia. I'm starting the next chapter of my adventure.

Independence Day Protests

So, one more post today about something that is making the news here and in the US. Thursday was Georgia's Independence Day from Russia. Most of my neighbors had supras long into the night or celebrated with family. Many major cities like Tbilisi and Batumi had protests run by the Opposition. They hoped to oust the current President, reunite ties with Russia, and encourage freedom of speech. The last issue seems odd to me. My host family or co-teachers have never complained about not having freedom of speech or feeling restricted by their government. The news found on the TV do not paint the protestors to be very peaceful or searching for civil rights. (Yes, I know this has a strong pro-government bias) I see images on the TV of protestors with large white sticks and even an attack on a car. It's hard for me to support the idea of these protestors when I see first-hand the good that the president's reforms are doing, especially in education.

There were some earlier protests last week and then again this week. The embassy sent out emails warning US citizens to avoid the areas where the protests were taking place. I'm certainly very safe here in Poti and didn't have any plans to travel to those cities during the weekend. I get to instead observe the changes from a safe distance. I've attached some links below about the events. If you're interested I suggest you read the short articles. Each one has a different bias.

TIME
  New York Times
    RT Video (Russia but in English)
      A georgian video to come, when my internet decides to cooperate 
     

Sunshine and Sneezes

Whew! It has been a very busy month. The end of the school year is approaching. This means students are, surprise surprise, even crazier than they have been the last five months. Teachers are working on preparing students for final exams. Classes are going on excursions now that the weather is nice. And, of course, I finally have reached some great levels of communication with my co-teachers inspiring more activities and lessons being led by me. So much to do!

I remember being a student in middle and high school and looking forward to those last few weeks of school. The weather was always really nice. Friends and I would hang out around town after school or after a softball game. I didn't seem to have as much homework. We would just be reviewing for finals. But now I am on the other side of the educational fence. I now hope for rainy days because I know the students will be less likely to shout in class or just want to goof off. Discipline isn't a problem so much as noise level and keeping students focused. The short attention spans of my students have just gotten shorter, which I thought was impossible! lol

I'm helping my co-teachers to also prepare final exams. I'm really excited to be involved with this. Georgian teachers are being asked to find new ways of evaluating students and to be more open to western educational practices. Tests are often just focused on one issues and don't allow for multiple learning styles. I'm hoping that my additions to the finals will allow for a broader assessments (listening, comprehension, writing, grammar, creativity). We'll see how the students do in a couple of weeks.

I've been asked to go on many excursions or field trips. I'm trying to go on as many as possible not just because it's a free trip but because it gives my students a chance to interact with me outside of the classroom and use English in a more practical environment. The problem is that on GMT, Georgian Maybe Time, you never know when you are really leaving or other important details. It's frustrating that tomorrow's trip has been canceled. I said no to another class because my 7th graders asked me first. Now they aren't going until next weekend. Ah well, live and learn, I guess.

The weather is fabulous. It's sunny most of the time. We get a nice breeze off the sea to keep the high 70 to 80 degree weather from becoming overwhelming. I love my walks around Poti even more now. However, it seems that their is some flowering tree somewhere that makes my allergies crazy. I'm taking some Russian Allergy tablets but they don't seem to be working. This new pollen has extended my usual spring misery into a much longer ordeal. I am looking forward to the end of spring here. I'm told summer is only a week or two away. I should be out of the pollen by then. At the same time that's about when I'll be going back to America, too.

Stay safe all my American friends who are dealing with the crazy storms there!

Oh, If Only I had a Calendar!

I'm going to share a quick funny story that happened today. I must first though explain that Thursday we did not have school because it was St. Andrew's Day. On Friday, I also did not have school due to my changed schedule resulting from not working with one teacher anymore. This means that I had a four day weekend.

Now, on to the story.
I woke up late this morning, feeling kinda lazy. It wasn't a big deal since I don't have classes on Monday until 12:20pm. I proceed to take a shower and get dressed. Than I go downstairs and quickly eat lunch before heading off to school. I walk almost all the way to school before I spot a 7th grader who is walking about in street clothes not his uniform when he should be in class. I think that maybe he's skipping for some other event. I don't stop him or talk to him. At the corner street of the school I see a 6th grader helping this elderly woman with some bags. He also should be in class or at least his uniform. He is not. I get to school and realize as I walk through the doors that it's a big quite. I go to my first classroom and realize that it is empty. I'm very confused at this point.
I text my co-teacher and receive no response. I text a fellow volunteer, Shannon, and receive no response. I decide to walk home and see if I can't get a hold of my co-teacher before the lesson for 4th grade are supposed to begin. Maybe the first set of lessons were shortened again? As I'm walking through the market I spot my co-teacher. I ask her if classes have been canceled. She looks a little confused and replied that of course there wasn't class today.

And then it dawned on me. . . Today is Sunday.

That's right folks I went to school on a Sunday for no other reason than I am obviously not intelligent enough to look at a calendar. I guess this just shows how excited I am to be teaching. I just want to teach everyday. lol

The Quest for a Marshutka Proof Bag

Marshutkas are crowed, smelly mini buses. They are the standard form of transportation in every city and between cities here in Georgia. The great thing about them is that they are cheap and easily spotted. The bad thing about them is they are excruciatingly uncomfortable. You get smashed against the windows, or worse two strangers. Most of these strangers do not bathe as frequently as my timid American nose is used to. If you are carrying anything with you from a purse to a luggage bag, you had better hope that it can survive being crushed even more than your body and being thrown around some. Finding a bag that satisfies these requirements and can carry a 17" laptop is a tedious and frustrating journey.

I first attempted to find a large black purse in the Poti market that would fit my English books and laptop. Most Georgian women walk around all stylish and posh with a large metal studded, fake leather purse. My purse just didn't fit the requirements of Georgian streets even if it did fit all my books; which it didn't. (For the record, I never buy any bag unless it can fit at least one standard paperback book ;) Not always the easiest thing to achieve.)I bought two different bags that fit the requirements and had both break and be torn apart in one week. The continual rain and tribulations of riding in marshutkas did them in. I gave up on style at that point and just wanted to find a sturdy bag that would fit all my stuff. Weeks of searching yielding nothing. I even recruited volunteers in other cities to help me search.

Finally, I ordered ThinkGeek.com's "Bag of Holding". My dearest parents then shipped that and my kindle (New purse requirement: must fit kindle. Who knew life could be so easy!) over here to Georgia. I was told that the service I used, usa2georgia.com, would provide courier service to Poti. They did not. I can't complain, though, since it only cost me 45 GEL to ship a medium sized package to Georgia. That's a steal compared to the $300 with USPS or FedEx. The problem remained on how to get the package from Tbilisi, the capital, six hours away.

Yesterday, I braved the mountain roads by boarding a marshutka in the morning headed to Tbilisi. This one was crowded but not terribly so. I could keep to myself with my MP3 player. It was a long ride, six hours. None of the marshutkas have new or comfortable seats. Eventually, your but will hurt from sitting so long. Mine did.

When I got to Tbilisi, I met Ana in a taxi. She helped me translate to the driver where I needed to go. I picked up the package at the station from a super nice and English speaking woman. TLG or ex-patriots in Georgia, www.usa2georgia.com is definitely the way to get supplies from the states. They were awesome. After that we stopped at McDonalds for a hamburger. I'm not a fan at home in the states, but seeing those golden arches did make me smile a bit. The food is mostly the same. The menus just don't have prices, are written in Georgian, and don't feature any value meals or the dollar menu. In another taxi, I headed to the bus station again. All of this took a little over an hour. Perfect timing! I managed to get on the last bus headed back to Poti by five o'clock.

The marshutka going back was even more crowded than the first. I was squished in the back seat. I sat next to a very nice and friendly Georgian man from Telavi. The only problem was that I could tell that he distinctly was not wearing deodorant. It was kinda gross!

I can though, say that my new bag is marshutka proof. It was all worth the effort. I have triumphed over evil, righted wrongs, and proven my worth. . . as a marshutka passenger.

East Traditions

I first want to mention that I spent last weekend in Zugdidi with some other TLG volunteers. The volunteers in this city were hosting a Karaoke Night for the schools in Japan to help rebuild from the earthquakes. There were many volunteers that showed up. Together we raised over 300 GEL! We had some drinks around town and spent the night at a great new hostel. The owner, Regina, opened early for the event. She is a past TLG volunteer and amazing. The place was really nice even though they were still working on remodeling it. If you ever find yourself in Zugdidi, Georgia, stop there for a night. It's well worth the reasonable amount of 20 GEL. It was a blast.

I also spent some time walking aro und the Palace on Palm Sunday. The small church is next to the palace. Women were all over the gardens selling small baskets of palms. These aren't the palms that we use in the states. Instead they use a small bush that grows faster for the day. The church was so crowed that people were waiting outside in large groups waiting to catch part of the services.


This is a picture of the church next to the Palace.

I stayed home for our long break. Nino and Gocha's kids came to Poti. Their two sons and the oldest's wife are here until Monday. The house is filled with a gigantic amount of food. It doesn't even fit in the fridge. We have two regular cakes and five Pacas or Easter Cake (it's essentially hot cross buns done in a cake form) It's a good thing, too, since there seems to be some new friend or family member at every meal. Lots of people going in and out. Everyone is just talking and eating and enjoying each other's company. It's nice but awkward at the same time. I only understand half of the conversations. I also feel like I'm invading into something I shouldn't be. Nino and Gocha don't get to see their kids much anymore. I try to give them space to talk without worrying about entertaining me. It's an interesting balance for managing my time spent with the family and alone.

The really great tradition here that is similar to the states is dying eggs! They only use red dye to symbolize the blood of Christ being shed. My family then put plastic pictures around the eggs for added decoration. During lent many families have been growing wheatgrass for this weekend. They put the eggs in the grass or around it. It's a nice reminder of the greenhouses at home.

It's an exciting weekend filled with people and food, a perfect way to celebrate spring and Christ rising. Happy Easter!