Two-Year Anniversary

I haven't written a post in a while. I really wanted to keep the one about my brother up as long as possible. It's actually the third most read post on my blog of all time. Nonetheless, I should not let Vasav down, and he's getting a bit antsy for an update on my life. I have a lot I can write about. Today is a special day. Today is April 26. Two years ago today I got in my Dad's Toyota Prius and drove with 100 pounds of luggage to Philadelphia to sign the forms to be a member of Peace Corps. Here I am two years later, a completely different person (good ways and bad) and more grown up.

I think that in 2 months I'll be leaving Georgia and I know I'll be back, but Georgia won't be the same.I've been here long enough to see (and participate in) some great changes.  Georgia is developing and the Georgia I saw from my plane in April 2010 won't be the same Georgia in 2014. In the USA things are still relatively the same. Will Georgia still be a place I love in 2014? Probably. I just hope getting 25 new Wendy's restaurants won't destroy the society (in the way fast food destroys most societies).

Then again, I was at a supra the other day when a former Parliament minister (PM) said to me, "Tom, I think Georgia should be America's 52nd (yes, many people think D.C. is a state) state". We had an interesting conversation and I basically said, "Why do you want that? Georgia is it's own country and culture." Honestly, I think he just wants it so he doesn't need a visa to travel to the USA (it would also provide protection from their large northern neighbor). An interesting supra conversation anyway.

Then of course I helped take this:

And turn it into this:

IT'S DONE!!! I had a great compliment just now, too. My friend in a nearby village just called and said one of his teachers was saying how awesome the fitness club was. "ra magaria" ("very cool/great/strong") was her wording for it. I'm really happy to know that not only is it nice, but PEOPLE ARE USING IT!!! The director of the sports school want to put up a plaque to thank me and Peace Corps for the assistance. I told him, "you really don't have to do that, but if you do thank the people who also helped, my friends, family, and strangers who donated what they could" (that was said through a translator, by the way).

So, thank you all for your support and help in the past two years. I cannot wait to see everyone back in the USA.