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. 

A True Hero

He-ro noun

1. A person, typically a man, who is admired for courageous or noble qualities.

2. Dean Lyon, see picture below

Dean in Afghanistan: 2008

I have already dedicated a full post to my older brother, Dean. I've written a lot about him, and after reading my last post it was hard thinking what more to add. I focused before a lot on our relationship as brothers, and spent less time on just him. I'm not going to tell the whole story, because my sister-in-law has already told it. I think she can do a MUCH better job at this than I can, but I'm going to give it a shot. I'll just say, unfortunately, my brother is being deployed to Afghanistan--AGAIN. Leaving... soon.

I haven't seen my older brother since 2009. I won't see him again until 2013. I really don't think that's fair. Nevermind that, though, the fact remains that despite the hardships he and his family go through they are AMAZING. Seriously. He, his wife, and their 5 children. Each of them is their own hero in one way or another. Sometimes thinking about everything they go through I feel bad for whining and complaining about MY hardships.

I sit here and feel frustrated, because people aren't translating what I need on time, or writing a proposal, or teaching in a positive way, or because that smelly/drunk guy keeps talking to me on the marshutka, or because it's too cold in my room. You know what I remind myself in those times? My brother does everything that I do multiplied by 100, while other people are shooting at him, while missing his wife and children. Also, I get to take pictures of myself in a luxury hotel in a developing and now peaceful country. We really have it going pretty well in Georgia. It's a good country to be in. Plus, nobody is actively trying to kill me. My brother doesn't complain, and he does his duty, because that's the type of man he is.

And do you know what?

He may not like doing everything that's expected from him, but he does it, and he does it well. I've never met a more dedicated and loyal person in my life. Dean's accomplishments, which he doesn't publicize, because he doesn't need the advertisement, and he's just a humble person. Don't take humbleness for weakness, though. Dean is an Army RANGER. I know, because I was there. Oh, and Dean may not want to brag, but I'm more than happy to brag in his place. Now, when I say "My brother could beat you up!" I REALLY MEAN IT.

Rangers jumping out of helicopters.

Lyon men at Dean's Ranger graduation. By night we save the world in Call of Duty.

Then of course you have the other side of Dean. See on one side he's the fierce Army Ranger who can turn normal objects into weapons, and then, well, you have the Dean below who makes a good horse. A great family man, who even after long and stressful days at work can come home to be with his family.

Dean and bug.

Joining the Army is a courageous thing for anybody to do. People who join each have their own reasons to do so. Dean has never sought glory, he never needed to prove anything (to himself or other people), and he certainly had/has other options (did I mention he went to Cornell and was SUPPOSED to go to grad school?). Dean is selfless and believes in serving and helping others. He doesn't like war, but his family and country come first. In his selflessness he decided to enter a career with a lot of hardships, because he cares about all of us.

All soldiers should be honored and treated with respect, but in my opinion Dean is an actual hero. He's the best-of-the-best. He's not just a soldier-hero, he is a HERO. He didn't ask to be, he didn't want to be, but he is. He is his wife's hero. He is his children's hero. He is my hero. Whether you like it or not, whether you realize it or not, he is YOUR hero too. So, if you get a chance between buying the iPad 3 and waiting for the iPhone 5 to come out, keep in mind that Dean doesn't fight for you to have the iPad, he fights so you, and your children, have a future. I certainly won't forget it in nine-months he will be gone for.

Good luck, Dean. We all love you.

P.S. Playing Call of Duty when I was home was awesome!

A "Simple" Vacation

The past week as been amazing, if you exclude weather storms that causes planes not to land where they are supposed to, a flu bug that leaves me bed-ridden for five days, or your long-distance girlfriend leaving after a great trip. I just want you all to know that we stayed in places like this:

I lead a HARD Peace Corps life. Anyway, we spent her birthday here, which was AMAZING. Then we went to Tbilisi where I started running a fever, then took a train back to Batumi where I was still sick, and now Anastasiya's gone, I'm in Keda, and I'm STILL sick. Anastasiya had to run out and walk all over Batumi and get physically harassed by beggars (but saved by an old Georgian lady) to get me water and antibiotics while I ran a 104 degree fever. Joy. We went to Keda for a few days and played in the snow, and Tbilisi where I managed to walk around for 6 hours with a fever, pull weird hairs out of my beard, and have new girlfriend bought Soviet pins (sweeeettt).

Then of course there was the fun with her flying to Batumi. Basically the evil airlines (and weather) took a whole day and night away from us. To make a long story short, I woke up early on the 16th and saw her plane had a 70 minute delay. That's unfortunate, but not the end of the world. Then she gets to the airport and she spends the next 10 hours in the airport waiting for the plane to take off, because apparently the wheel is broken. It finally take off 12:30am Georgia Time, so I take a taxi to the airport to wait for her plane which should come in at 2:30am. I'm waiting, and then I find out their plane isn't going to land in Batumi because of snow, and is going straight to Tbilisi. I'M PISSED. Then I find out from Anastasiya that there's no representative from the airline to help them. Some people are getting buses and taxis to take out west. I tell her NOT to do that, because the snow and lateness would make it dangerous. I promptly go back to the apartment in Batumi, get online, find phone numbers for Airzena offices (and employees) and proceed to call every one of them--at 3:30am. I yelled at a guy in Georgian for the 10 minutes using the simple Georgian I knew and trying to Google Translate words I needed--I wished I had spent more time studying my Georgian). THEN, I wasn't able to get in touch with Anastasiya, because her phone was out of money. It's 5am at this point, my two host sisters, and their two roommates and trying to help, but employees stopped picking up their phones to my number.

I fell asleep about 5:30am.

I woke up to a text message from Anastasiya that said she was on a train and would be in Batumi by 1:30. Rejoice! So, she got to Batumi (with her own adventure story of even more epic proportions). They took a whole day away from us and ruined my original plans.

Oh, and then there was this whole thing of me getting sick on Thursday and running a fever every single day (and now) until the moment she left, which caused us not to take advantage of the great weather.

But you know what?

It was still an amazing visit and I'm so happy she came. Words cannot describe how happy I was/am. But, I won't be that bloggy-PDA person here, and instead keep all the happy memories comfortably in my own brain. Because, well, I hate sharing.