Tbilisi.

Seven days have come and gone since I arrived in Georgia.  As always, it feels like it has been not so long and also forever.  In this time I have been squeezing in my first glimpses of Tbilisi amongst the busy schedule we have kept during training.  Upon arriving at the hotel at 5:30 am after 36-straight hours of traveling, we hit the ground running and have been busy with Georgian, teaching methodology, and intercultural classes, as well as informational sessions on logistical issues such as banking and health insurance.  It is amazing how much information can be crammed into such a short period of time, but somehow the TLG coordinators manage to make the process almost seamless.  I am super impressed by TLG as an organization.  It is very obvious that they have developed tremendously since their foundation, and I already see how their work is making a difference in Georgia.  I am proud to be associated with them and working as a part of their inititative to help my kids learn English.

From the second I stepped off the airplane I began comparing Georgia with Russia.  I guess I can't help it because I don't really know anything else, but all the same I'm trying to restrain my judgment a bit so that this country can impress itself on me in its own terms.  Georgia is no doubt post-Soviet, but for every similarity with Russia, there are just as many differences and peculiarities of its own.  Georgia has a ridiculously long and rich history, and its time under Soviet rule, as recent its fall and as lingering the effects may be, is only a tiny portion of the history in whole.  Making sense of the Soviet Union's impact on Georgian society and it's role in the current trajectory of the country will keep me busy, for sure.  Most of the other volunteers have no connection to the FSU (only 2-3 out of 109 are Russian speakers), so I love seeing the reactions of other volunteers to things that I long ago deemed normal (riding in a marshutka, being stared at on the street, getting hit on by older men, etc).  Since we barely know any Georgian, and English is not very common, I am constantly forced to take the lead when we are out and about to negotiate cabs, order food, and ask directions in Russian.  Even though it strange for me to be in a country where I can barely read street signs and don't understand the conversations of those around me, I already see how very valuable my Russian will be over the course of my time here.  All the same, I hope to learn Georgian and use it as much as I can.  It truly is a fascinating language both linguistically and historically, though I doubt I will be able to string all those consonants together or pronounce the sound 'qkh' any time soon (or ever).  

Tbilisi is a gorgeous city that is just as beautiful in the daylight as it is lit up at night.  Walking into the city-center for the first time was magical.  The juxtaposition of buildings that are centuries and centuries old with modern architecture and the majesty of the mountains towering nearby perfectly illustrates the overall feel of the city and the country.  It is so old and rooted in tradition, but at the same time things are changing very rapidly as a new generation looks forward, innovating a new future.  One highlight of the week was Tbilisoba, a festival celebrating Tbilisi, which was celebrated over the weekend.  Even though we were busy with training, we still got out in the evenings to enjoy a little bit of the festivities.  Nothing is better than strolling around a city with crowds of locals who are out doing the same.  Tbilisi is just the jumping off point for this adventure, but I'm glad to take it in before heading on to the next place, wherever that may be.  

Old Tbilisi.

Old meets new. 

Inner-city vineyard.

Election leftovers.

Georgian Dreams.