Long Updates

Now it has been a long time since I've written in my blog. Three days ago I went to the Magti Store (the phone company) and paid 200 Lari to get the internet USB plug-in for my computer. I am now connected to the outside world, which is interesting to me, because I can be using an outhouse and a whole one minute, to surfing the latest gossip the next minute. I can look at Facebook, check my e-mail, and even kick butt in some ნარდი ("Nardi" or Backgammon).

Which conveniently brings me to my next point, learning the Georgian language is like being hit in the repeatedly with a steel pipe. Our LCF's (Language and Cultural Facilitators) are amazing, especially mine, but nonetheless the Georgian language is hard. Take for example the verb "I Travel"; it is spelled ვძგზავრობ but it sounds like "Vmgzavrob". Nonetheless, I have progressed quite well in the language, and I pick up new words and rules every day.

My technical training has gone alright, and I had the opportunity to teach several classes before the school year ended. Teaching in Georgia is very different than teaching in the United States, but I won't get into that more until I teach next school year. I am still in Pre-Service Training, but only for another week. I am in a village, Kvishkheti. It is a beautiful place, but I can't find it on Google Maps, but type in Borjomi and look north, then find Khashuri and look south. I'm right in there. I have the coordinates for my house, but I don't know if it's appropriate to post them online, so ask me and I can send them to you.

Last week my cluster mates (me and four girls) are leading a 4-day summer camp and we played games, tossed around a Frisbee, played Kickball, had water balloon games. It’s fun, but soooooo tiring. I buzzed my head and now I get sunburned on the top.


If you can’t tell, I wrote a bunch a few days ago and then saved it in a text file, but now I’m going to continue.

Yesterday was had an awesome Fourth of July party ion Borjomi. We played the water balloon toss, three-legged race, egg on a spoon race, and a few others. We had some American food, ham sandwiches, chips and salsa, cherry pies, etc… We were allowed to take two host families members with us and I brought my host mom and host sister. I think they had fun, especially when I took my sister, Ani on the Ferris Wheel (though she wasn’t so pleased about me standing and rocking our cart. Then a group of us went into Borjomi to celebrate one of my cluster mate’s birthdays. Overall a very good day.

Today we drove into Tbilisi to see Hillary Clinton. We get to the Peace Corps Office around 1:00 (after a boiling hot Marshutka ride) and then wait around for a while before going to the Marriott to see her. As with all politicians she was late and we waited around for four hours in a boiling hot conference room. She finally comes, talks for 10 minutes then leaves. I took a bunch of pictures and got to shake her hand. The best part was after when we stopped at McDonalds and got myself a Big Mac, fries, and a strawberry milkshake.
PST ends on Friday. Then I’m off to my permanent site, Keda. Write more soon!