Gamarjoba,
I'm now in Tbilisi. We are staying in a hotel called the "Countryside Hotel" in the affluent parts outside the capital. We got in on Wednesday afternoon and were greeted by our country director, the U.S. Ambassador to Georgia, and the Georgian Minister of Education. We were also all hounded by the media that were taking pictures and interviewing volunteers. There were also some G-9's that greeted us. We went to a restaurant to have a traditional "supra" (minus the wine) and Georgian food is AMAZING. There's this cheesy bread that is amazing!
Yesterday we woke up early and had breakfast then meetings ALLLLLL day. We also had our first language class where I learned some simple phrases. I have to practice rolling my r's and just about everything else. After dinner we took a walk down our hill to a "grocery store" and I decided to buy some Georgian beer to practice my "Gamarjoba", "ra ghirs", and "madloba" (Hello, How much is it, and Thanks you). Back at the hotel we played backgammon, checkers, spit, asshole and just hung out. A couple of us were up until 1AM practicing our Georgian with the hotel staff and sounding like silly Americans.
I have ALOT of pictures, and have essentially become to unofficial picture taker here. This title has also earned me the current front runner in the bet on who will get bit by a dog first (because I'm always running around getting good angles).
Anyway more meetings are in order. I'll write more later.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Staging
Hello. Now I have finally given away my blog address in a mass e-mail, so I assume I have at least... five followers (Mum, Dad, Cat, Jason, Vasav). Okay, I bet more of you might be reading, but oh well.
I'm at staging in Philadelphia right now. All I have to say, I'm SO happy I'm here right now. Everyone has been so amazing and awesome thus far. I have a room to myself, but so does the guy next door (his name is John), so we opened our doors and made a monster suite. John is a really cool guy who speaks Russian. He's offered to help me learn. Very cool indeed.
So Mum made me some popovers this morning, and then I had some last minute rearranging to do. Then a lot of sadness, a goodbye to my kitty, and a final time in my own room and bathroom. We drove to Philly and ate at a Chili's in King of Prussia before heading over to the Radisson. I went through registration to officially be a Peace Corps Trainee. Then we had 5 hours of meetings. At the end of all that a group of us went out for dinner and drinks at the Cheesecake Factory.
Tomorrow we get on the plane. The adventure begins...
I'm at staging in Philadelphia right now. All I have to say, I'm SO happy I'm here right now. Everyone has been so amazing and awesome thus far. I have a room to myself, but so does the guy next door (his name is John), so we opened our doors and made a monster suite. John is a really cool guy who speaks Russian. He's offered to help me learn. Very cool indeed.
So Mum made me some popovers this morning, and then I had some last minute rearranging to do. Then a lot of sadness, a goodbye to my kitty, and a final time in my own room and bathroom. We drove to Philly and ate at a Chili's in King of Prussia before heading over to the Radisson. I went through registration to officially be a Peace Corps Trainee. Then we had 5 hours of meetings. At the end of all that a group of us went out for dinner and drinks at the Cheesecake Factory.
Tomorrow we get on the plane. The adventure begins...
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Why?
I've been asked by a few people why I am doing the Peace Corps. Sometimes all the asking, and the occasional "Oh my God, that's crazy, why are you doing that?" has me asking myself the same question. Maybe it's the angst and anxiety as I get closer and closer to the day I leave, but I've been doing a lot of thinking about the people that have been a part of my life through the years. It's weird to think that when I come home nothing will be the same. I won't be the same. My friends won't be the same. Many of my friends will have moved on to new things and won't be around when I return. It's comforting to know my family will still be around when I return, and although the relationships may change, I will always have a place to call home.
So, here's why. In college I minored in psychology. My junior year I took a class called Psychology of Well-Being. First of all, Well-Being is NOT happiness. Happiness is based on emotions, which can lead to trouble. Well-Being is a congruency of attitudes, behaviors, and emotions. According to Seligan, people can lead a "pleasant life", a "good life", and a "meaningful life". A pleasant life is the lower tier, and is associated with having fun. A good life is doing things that matter and connect you to your accomplishments and achievements. A meaningful life is the essence of you, a sense of meaning, and it connects you to a purpose. Up until now I have primarily led a "pleasant life". I would like to lead a more meaningful life where I can help others. This is why education has intrigued me.
I have also been blessed with a great life. I grew up in a close-knit family, I lived with relative ease, I had the opportunity to live and travel all over Europe (Austria twice, England once). I have been to three continents, and over 20 countries. For whatever reason, the universe has been good to me. It would be extremely selfish of me to continue to expect the universe to keep serving me a good life. It's time that I got out and did something for somebody else. College, graduate school, getting a job, it's all about me and nobody else. The Peace Corps is about giving back to the country and world that has provided me with so much. As JFK said "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country."
Now of course there are selfish reasons to do the Peace Corps. I desire an adventure. I always have wanted an adventure. Backpacking the Muir Trail was my adventure as a teenager, but I need something else. I'm not ready to settle down, find a wife, and start my 401(k) just yet. I want my adventure now, and there's no better time for me to go. I also receive a stipend, readjustment allowance, non-competitive eligibility for federal jobs, teaching experience (for when I return), opportunity to learn one (maybe two) languages. There are plenty of amazing benefits to the Peace Corps, it's a job that I do overseas. It's an adventure. I'd rather do the Peace Corps than be a waiter, or work as a temp, or be some administrative assistant in Washington. It's just so interesting. So yes, maybe it can seem a little extreme and crazy to some people. Backpacking across Europe is an adventure right? Sure it is, but someone who does that isn't learning a new language or completely immersing themselves into a new culture.
The point is, the Peace Corps fulfills many of my life goals. For better or worse, I will never forget the coming two years, and I will be doing something to help those outside of myself.
So yes, there's selfish and selfless reasons. Some people might say there's no completely unselfish act.
So, here's why. In college I minored in psychology. My junior year I took a class called Psychology of Well-Being. First of all, Well-Being is NOT happiness. Happiness is based on emotions, which can lead to trouble. Well-Being is a congruency of attitudes, behaviors, and emotions. According to Seligan, people can lead a "pleasant life", a "good life", and a "meaningful life". A pleasant life is the lower tier, and is associated with having fun. A good life is doing things that matter and connect you to your accomplishments and achievements. A meaningful life is the essence of you, a sense of meaning, and it connects you to a purpose. Up until now I have primarily led a "pleasant life". I would like to lead a more meaningful life where I can help others. This is why education has intrigued me.
I have also been blessed with a great life. I grew up in a close-knit family, I lived with relative ease, I had the opportunity to live and travel all over Europe (Austria twice, England once). I have been to three continents, and over 20 countries. For whatever reason, the universe has been good to me. It would be extremely selfish of me to continue to expect the universe to keep serving me a good life. It's time that I got out and did something for somebody else. College, graduate school, getting a job, it's all about me and nobody else. The Peace Corps is about giving back to the country and world that has provided me with so much. As JFK said "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country."
Now of course there are selfish reasons to do the Peace Corps. I desire an adventure. I always have wanted an adventure. Backpacking the Muir Trail was my adventure as a teenager, but I need something else. I'm not ready to settle down, find a wife, and start my 401(k) just yet. I want my adventure now, and there's no better time for me to go. I also receive a stipend, readjustment allowance, non-competitive eligibility for federal jobs, teaching experience (for when I return), opportunity to learn one (maybe two) languages. There are plenty of amazing benefits to the Peace Corps, it's a job that I do overseas. It's an adventure. I'd rather do the Peace Corps than be a waiter, or work as a temp, or be some administrative assistant in Washington. It's just so interesting. So yes, maybe it can seem a little extreme and crazy to some people. Backpacking across Europe is an adventure right? Sure it is, but someone who does that isn't learning a new language or completely immersing themselves into a new culture.
The point is, the Peace Corps fulfills many of my life goals. For better or worse, I will never forget the coming two years, and I will be doing something to help those outside of myself.
So yes, there's selfish and selfless reasons. Some people might say there's no completely unselfish act.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Less Than Three Weeks
Wow, three more weeks until I get on a plane to Istanbul, then from there to Tbilisi. I am still in the midst of packing, and according to the G9's (the group that's there already) we need this:
* 2-3 pairs of nice quality, professional-looking jeans
* 3-4 short-sleeved polos
* 4-5 Long-sleeved, knit, button-down dress shirts
* 1-2 light-weight short-sleeved button-downs
* 10 t-shirts(that can be used as undershirts and a couple sleeveless if you’re athletic)
* 8 pairs of black dress socks
* 4 pairs of athletic crew socks
* 3 pairs of knee-high ski socks (really warm)
* 3 pairs of athletic/basketball shorts (for exercise or sleep shorts)
* 1 pair of multi-purpose shorts (I packed khaki)
* 1-2 flannel shirts
* 1-2 flannel pajama bottoms (or fleece, the key being WARM)
* 1 casual belt and 1-2 dress belts
* 3 thermal tops
* 3 thermal pants
* 1 light pair of gloves
* 1 heavy pair of gloves
* 1 warm hoodie
* 1 warm hat
* 1 pair of thermally insulated slippers
* 1 pair of flip-flops (or shower shoes- key: something that can get wet and dry easily)
* 2 bathing suits
* 12-15 pairs of underwear
* 1 sturdy rain coat
* 2 sweaters (wool is good—you want something that can double as business casual)
* 1 thick scarf
* 1 heavy winter coat (think something you would feel comfortable skiing in)
* 1 pair of tennis shoes
* 1 pair of durable outdoor shoes (boots work—think hiking and snow friendly)
* 1 pair of dress shoes
* 1 pair of your favorite shoes (if you have them)
On top of that:
* Face lotion/aftershave- for some reason, ridiculously expensive
* Deodorant- bring enough for at least 6 months, since finding good deodorant here is a challenge unless you consider AXE good deodorant.
* Razors- again, ridiculously expensive... bring enough for a few months
* Listerine/mouth wash- 250 ml will cost you around 7 dollars here. Think about it...
* Tooth floss- the PC gives us some, but if you’re picky bring your own
* Battery operated beard trimmer- pretty much any volunteer I know that has facial hair has bought one of these in-country or expressed a desire to buy one. Don't bring the 120 V plug in ones—they won't work well with a converter. Buy a battery operated one and you'll save tons of money on razors. Additionally, these are much cheaper to buy in the States than in Georgia and the quality is much better to boot. Also, this will help with the mustache contest. Yes, that's right, mustache contest.
Then some:
Computer – This is will be your best companion outside of your fellow volunteers and Georgian friends. It will be very
useful to have for work (especially BSE volunteers!), research, storing photos, receiving constant updates from the Peace Corps, and anything else you might encounter while you’re here. Also, Georgia has a 3G wireless internet service (Magtifix, you’ll see them everywhere once you get here, go to the Communication page for more info) that is available for those of you who need fast internet to Skype, Facebook, or just want to stay in touch with everyone back home in the States. It’s very easy to use and just plugs into a USB.
Adapters & Converters – Peace Corps will issue everyone one adapter (NOT a converter, see below), but it may be useful to bring some extras for other appliances. Georgia uses the 220-volt electricity and all “Europe” shaped adapters will work. Converters and power-strips may come in handy if you plan on charging several electronics at once. Here is a website that will acquaint you with what all this means. And here is a site where you can purchase additional adapters and converters.
Digital Camera – Though I’m sure most of you will be bringing one anyway, just make sure you pack it before you go! Georgia is full of amazing photo opportunities; nature, monuments, people, weddings, supras (Georgian feasts)…you get the picture. Volunteers have said that both battery-powered and built-in rechargeable batteries work great. There are plenty of places to buy AA and AAA batteries if needed.
Mp3 Player – Even if you’re not someone who enjoys running or working out, having an mp3 Player is crucial…especially for those inevitable long marshutka (minibus) rides. Though any mp3 Player will do the job, Apple’s iPod classic is worth mentioning because it has a 36 hour-long battery life and is easy to pack (click here for info). It might also be worth investing in a wall charger for your mp3 player if you don’t already have one, as they can really come in handy when traveling.
“If You Have Room”:
External Hard-Drive – All of the G9 volunteers who brought an external will tell you it’s one of their best investments. Over time you’ll find yourself accumulating tons of music, videos, pictures, etc. and it will be very nice to have the extra storage. In the unfortunate event that your computer crashes, you’ll also be grateful to have backed up your information. Here is a link to My Passport (a quality external hard –drive that’s both well priced and small enough to pack).
Memory Stick/Flash Drive - During your PST, Peace Corps will give a 2 GB Memory Stick to everyone. But depending on your site and assignment, where you might be delivering a lot of information to a fellow co-worker or need to show a classroom a certain movie clip, etc., it is very useful to have another flash drive with a little more room (8 GB or higher). Some Volunteers have 8 GB Memory Sticks that have proved very useful to them during their service.
Speakers – Though not necessary, speakers are great to have at home, volunteer gatherings, and most importantly, in your assignments. This is a link for great travel speakers, which are slim and give off amazing sound.
Hand-held Games – We hope that you will always have work to do and won’t need such a thing, but in case of emergency downtime, any Gameboy, PSP, or Nintendo DS would be the perfect fix.
And:
* Swiss Army knife or Leatherman. You will probably use every attachment often.
* Pictures of family. Every one will want to know where you're from. It's nice if you can show them some pictures.
* Mechanical pencils are hard to find here. You may want to use them in your PST language classes, so it might be a good idea to bring some.
* Hiking boots. I brought a pair of big insulated waterproof hiking boots. They were heavy, tough to pack, and I look kind of goofy tromping around my village in them. But they keep my feet really warm and they handle the snow and mud really well. You may have trouble finding them here and they would be expensive to mail. I would recommend bringing a pair.
* Ziploc bags and duct tape. Neither is available here and they are both really useful for a variety of functions.
* "Yak Trax" may be useful here in the winter (this past winter was mild, so we didn't have much ice). If you are worried about slipping on ice, you may want to bring a pair to help navigate the slippery surfaces. http://www.yaktrax.com/yakfacts5.aspx
* A good purse to carry around all the essentials and good backpack for traveling on the weekends, etc.
* Portable water filter- if you plan on doing a lot of hiking, this would be a good thing to bring along
* Backpack sleeping bag- the PC gives us giant sleeping bags, but a small one is nice when you visit other volunteers or go camping
* Exercise stuff- if you like to exercise, bring a jump rope, hand weights (if you like to box), and elastic bands. You won't have much time in PST for exercise, but this will be enough to get you by until you get to permanent site.
* Sunglasses
* Flashlight, headlamp, or reading light for the cold winter nights when you won’t want to get out of bed.
* Journal/Diary
* Books-Just bring your favorites or a series you plan on getting into, because they will weigh your luggage down and the Peace Corps Office in Tbilisi has a Volunteer library where past Volunteers have left hundreds of books.
* Any Sudoku puzzles or mind games. Also, as a gift idea, Georgians like to do Origami.
* Playing cards and card games like UNO or Phase 10.
* Board games
* DVD’s and Movies—Many volunteers brought some over on their external hard drives so as not to take up space. Don’t feel the need to bring burnable blank DVD/CDs. There are several places in Tbilisi where you may purchase those cheaply.
* Alarm Clock – May be useful, but not needed. Peace Corps will assign cell phones to all of the volunteers to use for the duration of their service. Most of the current volunteers just use the alarm clock on their cell phones.
Then I need:
* Spices. Bring your favorites or exotic ones; a wide variety of spices will be available at your local bazaar, including most basic utility spices (salt, pepper, cinnamon, ground pepper, and so on). However, specialty items are not really available in Georgia (such as curry, ginger, vanilla, baking powder). A special addition from a resident Texan volunteer: if you like hot sauce BRING IT, because they really don’t have it here.
* Vegetable peeler & can opener
FINALLY, for my teaching:
* Books about teaching. I had never taught before coming to Georgia so I brought a few books about being a new teacher. While most of them were irrelevant to my experience here (they were about the challenges of teaching in the American school system), I did find some good ideas regarding classroom management and lesson design.
* Posters in English. Most classrooms are pretty bare and it might be nice to have something on the walls. Also, if you ever want your students to make their own posters, it's an excellent activity and you can use the poster you brought as a template.
* Old board games. It's a great activity to ask your students to create their own board games in order to practice their English. For this, it might help if you had an example of a board game, since I had to recreate them. I had luck with twister and shoots and ladders.
* Art supplies. My student's love art and I buy all of my supplies here. The quality is not that great but they are cheap. If you plan on making your own posters and visual aids, you might want to bring a few of the essentials.
* Markers, crayons, colored-pencils. Any of these are of poor quality here. I use mine all the time for making everything from flash cards to award certificates.
* A kite. I have tried several times to make kites with my students. None of them flew, but the kids really seemed to like the idea.
* Frisbees. Frisbee was a huge hit at the summer camp activities conducted during Pre-Service Training. It was one of the few games in which both boys and girls were interested.
* A football. You should have no trouble finding soccer and basketballs in Georgia, but I haven't been able to find a football.
* Origami. My students are experts and love folding paper air planes. You might be able to have fun teaching some basic origami.
* A book of at-home science experiments. This might give you a lot of interesting activities for your summer camp and after school programs.
* A book of magic. You won't impress the 11th graders by making a penny disappear, but your younger students will be amazed.
* A map. My students were very interested in where I was from. I also used it for a few activities, like giving directions and making your own map.
* Good scissors
* Masking tape
* STICKERS. These are the best motivating tools for kids of all ages in Georgia. You will be surprised how eager kids are to participate in activities or do their homework if it means they get a sticker.
IF YOU SKIPPED MOST OF THAT CONTINUE READING HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not that this blog has been given out to anyone yet, but I typically talk to myself in that manner... so when you do finally read this you'll know how interesting my brain is. SO much to do, and I only have a fraction of the things listed on the site.
So how am I feeling about it all?? I'm just going with the motions to be honest. I am in Colorado visiting Lora and the kids for the last time. Before that I was in Florida visiting my Grandaddy and Nola; they are reaaaalllllyyyy please I'm doing this. The day before that Joe and I had our final Emotional Adventure at Bar-A in Belmar. I was DD, but that didn't stop Joe and I from making some moves on the dance floor. Although my moves were less moves, and more epileptic seizures while standing.
Nonetheless I have been doing what I normally do before making big transitions. I must admit, I am upset that the next Chuck that will be on will air on April 26. The Chuck last night was awesome!!
We also watched the NCAA Championship... well most of it. Such a good game, but I wish Butler had won... stupid Duke. Well I'm off to pack to go home today.
* 2-3 pairs of nice quality, professional-looking jeans
* 3-4 short-sleeved polos
* 4-5 Long-sleeved, knit, button-down dress shirts
* 1-2 light-weight short-sleeved button-downs
* 10 t-shirts(that can be used as undershirts and a couple sleeveless if you’re athletic)
* 8 pairs of black dress socks
* 4 pairs of athletic crew socks
* 3 pairs of knee-high ski socks (really warm)
* 3 pairs of athletic/basketball shorts (for exercise or sleep shorts)
* 1 pair of multi-purpose shorts (I packed khaki)
* 1-2 flannel shirts
* 1-2 flannel pajama bottoms (or fleece, the key being WARM)
* 1 casual belt and 1-2 dress belts
* 3 thermal tops
* 3 thermal pants
* 1 light pair of gloves
* 1 heavy pair of gloves
* 1 warm hoodie
* 1 warm hat
* 1 pair of thermally insulated slippers
* 1 pair of flip-flops (or shower shoes- key: something that can get wet and dry easily)
* 2 bathing suits
* 12-15 pairs of underwear
* 1 sturdy rain coat
* 2 sweaters (wool is good—you want something that can double as business casual)
* 1 thick scarf
* 1 heavy winter coat (think something you would feel comfortable skiing in)
* 1 pair of tennis shoes
* 1 pair of durable outdoor shoes (boots work—think hiking and snow friendly)
* 1 pair of dress shoes
* 1 pair of your favorite shoes (if you have them)
On top of that:
* Face lotion/aftershave- for some reason, ridiculously expensive
* Deodorant- bring enough for at least 6 months, since finding good deodorant here is a challenge unless you consider AXE good deodorant.
* Razors- again, ridiculously expensive... bring enough for a few months
* Listerine/mouth wash- 250 ml will cost you around 7 dollars here. Think about it...
* Tooth floss- the PC gives us some, but if you’re picky bring your own
* Battery operated beard trimmer- pretty much any volunteer I know that has facial hair has bought one of these in-country or expressed a desire to buy one. Don't bring the 120 V plug in ones—they won't work well with a converter. Buy a battery operated one and you'll save tons of money on razors. Additionally, these are much cheaper to buy in the States than in Georgia and the quality is much better to boot. Also, this will help with the mustache contest. Yes, that's right, mustache contest.
Then some:
Computer – This is will be your best companion outside of your fellow volunteers and Georgian friends. It will be very
useful to have for work (especially BSE volunteers!), research, storing photos, receiving constant updates from the Peace Corps, and anything else you might encounter while you’re here. Also, Georgia has a 3G wireless internet service (Magtifix, you’ll see them everywhere once you get here, go to the Communication page for more info) that is available for those of you who need fast internet to Skype, Facebook, or just want to stay in touch with everyone back home in the States. It’s very easy to use and just plugs into a USB.
Adapters & Converters – Peace Corps will issue everyone one adapter (NOT a converter, see below), but it may be useful to bring some extras for other appliances. Georgia uses the 220-volt electricity and all “Europe” shaped adapters will work. Converters and power-strips may come in handy if you plan on charging several electronics at once. Here is a website that will acquaint you with what all this means. And here is a site where you can purchase additional adapters and converters.
Digital Camera – Though I’m sure most of you will be bringing one anyway, just make sure you pack it before you go! Georgia is full of amazing photo opportunities; nature, monuments, people, weddings, supras (Georgian feasts)…you get the picture. Volunteers have said that both battery-powered and built-in rechargeable batteries work great. There are plenty of places to buy AA and AAA batteries if needed.
Mp3 Player – Even if you’re not someone who enjoys running or working out, having an mp3 Player is crucial…especially for those inevitable long marshutka (minibus) rides. Though any mp3 Player will do the job, Apple’s iPod classic is worth mentioning because it has a 36 hour-long battery life and is easy to pack (click here for info). It might also be worth investing in a wall charger for your mp3 player if you don’t already have one, as they can really come in handy when traveling.
“If You Have Room”:
External Hard-Drive – All of the G9 volunteers who brought an external will tell you it’s one of their best investments. Over time you’ll find yourself accumulating tons of music, videos, pictures, etc. and it will be very nice to have the extra storage. In the unfortunate event that your computer crashes, you’ll also be grateful to have backed up your information. Here is a link to My Passport (a quality external hard –drive that’s both well priced and small enough to pack).
Memory Stick/Flash Drive - During your PST, Peace Corps will give a 2 GB Memory Stick to everyone. But depending on your site and assignment, where you might be delivering a lot of information to a fellow co-worker or need to show a classroom a certain movie clip, etc., it is very useful to have another flash drive with a little more room (8 GB or higher). Some Volunteers have 8 GB Memory Sticks that have proved very useful to them during their service.
Speakers – Though not necessary, speakers are great to have at home, volunteer gatherings, and most importantly, in your assignments. This is a link for great travel speakers, which are slim and give off amazing sound.
Hand-held Games – We hope that you will always have work to do and won’t need such a thing, but in case of emergency downtime, any Gameboy, PSP, or Nintendo DS would be the perfect fix.
And:
* Swiss Army knife or Leatherman. You will probably use every attachment often.
* Pictures of family. Every one will want to know where you're from. It's nice if you can show them some pictures.
* Mechanical pencils are hard to find here. You may want to use them in your PST language classes, so it might be a good idea to bring some.
* Hiking boots. I brought a pair of big insulated waterproof hiking boots. They were heavy, tough to pack, and I look kind of goofy tromping around my village in them. But they keep my feet really warm and they handle the snow and mud really well. You may have trouble finding them here and they would be expensive to mail. I would recommend bringing a pair.
* Ziploc bags and duct tape. Neither is available here and they are both really useful for a variety of functions.
* "Yak Trax" may be useful here in the winter (this past winter was mild, so we didn't have much ice). If you are worried about slipping on ice, you may want to bring a pair to help navigate the slippery surfaces. http://www.yaktrax.com/yakfacts5.aspx
* A good purse to carry around all the essentials and good backpack for traveling on the weekends, etc.
* Portable water filter- if you plan on doing a lot of hiking, this would be a good thing to bring along
* Backpack sleeping bag- the PC gives us giant sleeping bags, but a small one is nice when you visit other volunteers or go camping
* Exercise stuff- if you like to exercise, bring a jump rope, hand weights (if you like to box), and elastic bands. You won't have much time in PST for exercise, but this will be enough to get you by until you get to permanent site.
* Sunglasses
* Flashlight, headlamp, or reading light for the cold winter nights when you won’t want to get out of bed.
* Journal/Diary
* Books-Just bring your favorites or a series you plan on getting into, because they will weigh your luggage down and the Peace Corps Office in Tbilisi has a Volunteer library where past Volunteers have left hundreds of books.
* Any Sudoku puzzles or mind games. Also, as a gift idea, Georgians like to do Origami.
* Playing cards and card games like UNO or Phase 10.
* Board games
* DVD’s and Movies—Many volunteers brought some over on their external hard drives so as not to take up space. Don’t feel the need to bring burnable blank DVD/CDs. There are several places in Tbilisi where you may purchase those cheaply.
* Alarm Clock – May be useful, but not needed. Peace Corps will assign cell phones to all of the volunteers to use for the duration of their service. Most of the current volunteers just use the alarm clock on their cell phones.
Then I need:
* Spices. Bring your favorites or exotic ones; a wide variety of spices will be available at your local bazaar, including most basic utility spices (salt, pepper, cinnamon, ground pepper, and so on). However, specialty items are not really available in Georgia (such as curry, ginger, vanilla, baking powder). A special addition from a resident Texan volunteer: if you like hot sauce BRING IT, because they really don’t have it here.
* Vegetable peeler & can opener
FINALLY, for my teaching:
* Books about teaching. I had never taught before coming to Georgia so I brought a few books about being a new teacher. While most of them were irrelevant to my experience here (they were about the challenges of teaching in the American school system), I did find some good ideas regarding classroom management and lesson design.
* Posters in English. Most classrooms are pretty bare and it might be nice to have something on the walls. Also, if you ever want your students to make their own posters, it's an excellent activity and you can use the poster you brought as a template.
* Old board games. It's a great activity to ask your students to create their own board games in order to practice their English. For this, it might help if you had an example of a board game, since I had to recreate them. I had luck with twister and shoots and ladders.
* Art supplies. My student's love art and I buy all of my supplies here. The quality is not that great but they are cheap. If you plan on making your own posters and visual aids, you might want to bring a few of the essentials.
* Markers, crayons, colored-pencils. Any of these are of poor quality here. I use mine all the time for making everything from flash cards to award certificates.
* A kite. I have tried several times to make kites with my students. None of them flew, but the kids really seemed to like the idea.
* Frisbees. Frisbee was a huge hit at the summer camp activities conducted during Pre-Service Training. It was one of the few games in which both boys and girls were interested.
* A football. You should have no trouble finding soccer and basketballs in Georgia, but I haven't been able to find a football.
* Origami. My students are experts and love folding paper air planes. You might be able to have fun teaching some basic origami.
* A book of at-home science experiments. This might give you a lot of interesting activities for your summer camp and after school programs.
* A book of magic. You won't impress the 11th graders by making a penny disappear, but your younger students will be amazed.
* A map. My students were very interested in where I was from. I also used it for a few activities, like giving directions and making your own map.
* Good scissors
* Masking tape
* STICKERS. These are the best motivating tools for kids of all ages in Georgia. You will be surprised how eager kids are to participate in activities or do their homework if it means they get a sticker.
IF YOU SKIPPED MOST OF THAT CONTINUE READING HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not that this blog has been given out to anyone yet, but I typically talk to myself in that manner... so when you do finally read this you'll know how interesting my brain is. SO much to do, and I only have a fraction of the things listed on the site.
So how am I feeling about it all?? I'm just going with the motions to be honest. I am in Colorado visiting Lora and the kids for the last time. Before that I was in Florida visiting my Grandaddy and Nola; they are reaaaalllllyyyy please I'm doing this. The day before that Joe and I had our final Emotional Adventure at Bar-A in Belmar. I was DD, but that didn't stop Joe and I from making some moves on the dance floor. Although my moves were less moves, and more epileptic seizures while standing.
Nonetheless I have been doing what I normally do before making big transitions. I must admit, I am upset that the next Chuck that will be on will air on April 26. The Chuck last night was awesome!!
We also watched the NCAA Championship... well most of it. Such a good game, but I wish Butler had won... stupid Duke. Well I'm off to pack to go home today.
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