It’s been a long time since I’ve updated my blog. Funny to
think the last time I updated was last year. I have been meaning to write a
blog post for a long time, and I’ve had the time to do it, but I just haven’t
felt the need to update. Nonetheless, I do understand my blog isn’t the most
entertaining thing to read, but I think I should let people know what I’m
doing. I owe everyone, especially considering all the help I’ve received from
people for my fitness club.
I should let everyone know that I got all $1800 funded
through Wide Awake. So, THANK YOU! In fact, I had only planned on $1000, and
the extra $800 was a real surprise and will help us achieve our goals. The town
is fixing the room right now, and they stripped away all the paint and put in
new electrical sockets in three new places (I was only hoping for one, but they
surprised me). Now they are patching the holes and getting ready to prime and
paint. I went to the sports store in Tbilisi and found almost everything we
wanted to buy. I decided to trade out some pieces of equipment in order to get
higher quality. For example, I don’t see many people using a bench press, and I
am worried about kids being in there, therefore I probably going to try and get
two treadmills, or something along those lines. Nonetheless, I’m certain that
within one month we’ll have our equipment in the room. At that point it’s all
about getting everything translated on the machines and then making my healthy
lifestyle/fitness lessons. I’m hoping for PCV assistance and presentations in
that phase. Still, I’m very excited.
I’ve also been going to school here a lot more since
university is on break. It actually got me thinking about how much I miss teaching
kids instead of adults. I love being in the classroom, and although I don’t
normally enjoy teaching English (I prefer History), I really like planning
lessons that let me students hit the “Ohhhhh” moment. That “Ohhhh” moment is
rarely reached in History class (it’s not that kind of learning), and it’s nice
to be there. Unfortunately, my first day back a student asks my counterpart
“With Tom here again, are we going to play games again?” I don’t think that
comment made me counterpart very happy, and it doesn’t make me happy either. I
don’t want students or teachers thinking that’s what I’m about, because I’m
not.
Anyway, the winter is upon us. This winter is definitely
worse than last year. There is more snow and it’s considerably colder. I mean,
not as cold as it is in Ukraine or Czech Republic, but still cold. Last week I
was at a conference in a town near Tbilisi. I was asked to lead a session on
teaching multi-level classrooms to G-11s and their counterparts. I was there
for a few days, but on the way back our bus kept getting stuck and we got into
Tbilisi much later than we were supposed to. Back to the conference, I was
happy with my session, and many counterparts and Volunteers came to tell me
that they enjoyed it. Better yet several counterparts told me they were going
to use some of my ideas in class. That’s something every instructor likes to
hear.
I am somewhat surprised that my last post seemed to make
people think I wasn’t returning to Georgia. A bunch of people who read my post
from when I was in the USA thought I wasn’t coming back. I’m sorry that it
created any frustration, but I hadn’t seen my home in 18 months and I was just
happy to be home. So kill me. Firstly, I’m doing some great things here, and I’m
actually hitting my groove as a Volunteer, and I’d be stupid to leave. I would
be especially stupid if I decided to leave, especially with only 5-6 months
left in my service. It’ll be an exciting, fun, and busy rest of winter and spring.
I’m also aware that a large number of G12s have received their
invitations to serve in Georgia. I’m hoping that while they look through posts
from me and other Volunteers that they understand there are good and bad times
to be had in Georgia—just as in the USA. Also know that when you receive your
invitations we are in the middle of winter, and few of us can always be
positive. It’s not that Georgia is a bad post; of course there are good things and
bad. I generally keep my frustrations to a minimum on my blog and focus them
more in my personal journal. One of my friends suggested I write entries when I’m
upset, but only post them after I leave Peace Corps. That way I would be able
to write something and post everything when I’m no longer a Volunteer. Then
people can read the positive and negative posts together and get a more
accurate view of my experience in Georgia. I think instead I’ll write a few
posts at the end of service and describe my negative and positive experiences
together. I guess we’ll see when the time comes.
I’m looking over everything I’ve written now (not editing,
because even with grammar mistakes, I want to keep my writing honest and
without rethinking anything) and I think this is prime time to end my entry. I’ve
also heard some funny comments that I end my posts abruptly Therefore, here it
goes.
THE END!
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