Filtered Favors-
Although I don't always drink filtered water, I've decided to keep using my water filter. I like to have options. Monday evening I was being extra zealous about keeping my water supply plenished so I filled up the upper portion before I headed to bed. The only problem was that I hadn't checked the lower portion to see if there was room for the water to filter down. In the morning I noticed that there were quite a few wet items on the table near the filter. It took a minute to realize what had happened. The water had seeped out of the seal between the chambers and flooded the table. My brother had left his school bag on the table and upon further inspection I noticed that all of the contents were drenched. I then spent my time trying to stash the bags contents around the house/yard in various sunny places in hopes that it would dry. After hours of forced sunbathing the books were in more or less acceptable condition and I restocked his bag as it had been. The kid couldn't be to upset, he hates chemistry- drenching his books was practically a favor.
Wash, Rinse, and....
I recently purchased some coconut soap which has gotten me all excited for my shower time. Who doesn't love the smell of coconut while they shower, it's magical! Tuesday morning was my first test. I hopped in the shower and proceed to work up the most prodigious lather, it smelled wonderful. After I had transformed into a human coconut I heard a gurgling noise and noticed my water supply begin to sputter. In a matter of seconds my water was gone. I was stranded in some limbo between coconut Paradise and waterless Hell. Before long a solution came. I hopped out of the tub, grabbed my half full water bottle from the fridge and headed for the water filter- a train of soap in my path. I filled up the remaining portion and got back in the shower. The water was ice cold, my tropical fantasy was ruined. I continued to pour cold water all over me until every last drop of coconut magic went down the drain. Reason #241 why I still keep my filter full.
The New 5 Buck Cluck
I make no effort to hide my love for poultry in this land of pork and beef. After consistent protein -less meals I was ready for some chicken. I wandered into the first cafe I found and proceeded to peruse the menu (dictionary in hand). Everything was in Georgian and Russian, with most dishes being listed under some pet name. When the waitress came to take my order I asked for a cucumber, bread, and chicken. She pointed out the appropriate items on the menu and was on her way. A few minutes later a waitress appeared with a full chicken displayed on a platter. I was clearly dining alone yet for some reason they had insisted on bringing me a full chicken platter. Excess seems to be the norm around here. No one seemed to bat an eye at the "fat American" in the corner working his way through a basket of bread, plates of cucumbers, and a full roasted chicken.
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| You gonna eat all of that? |
Animal Entourage
Like most countries, Georgia has quite a high number of stray and "wild" cats and dogs. They often think my fellow volunteers are strange for the amount of attention they give to these stray animals when they encounter them on the streets. I however have no problem resisting the urge to bend over and pet the (potentially flea ridden) animals. Thus is came as a surprise when while visiting our "summer house" various pets began to approach me as if I were some exotic pied piper. In less than 2 hours I had amassed a following of 3 dogs and a cat which followed me wherever I went on the property. I got bored and decided to make an attempt at photographing them in the fading daylight. I can only imagine what the scene looked like to the neighbors. I would whistle and every creature would come to my location (apparently the whistle is universal). Next I would run away as fast as I could to then take pictures of the animals with the perfect lighting. Somehow they were all onto me and no one felt like cooperating. The animals would follow wherever I went, making the photography portion difficult. My host dad caught me in the process, he just looked at me running and attempting to capture the moment- shook his head and went back to work.
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| One of my incorrigible models |
I've got a better idea!
Yesterday I had a few friends in town with intention of going kayaking. We arrived at the national park's visitor center only to find out that there was no kayaking on Saturdays- contrary to what they'd told us previously. Feeling bummed we went on our way. When my dad found out he immediately made a call and then excitedly began to tell us about an even better place we wanted to take us. 20 min later we pulled up to a normal Georgian house in the hills of Guria. The family greeted us and then let us into their yard. My dad showed the way up to their balcony from where we could see everything from Batumi to Poti to the mountains in the distance. My dad's only words to us- isn't this better than kayaking? I'm just not sure if he was right. Standing on a stranger's balcony admiring the view just doesn't really have all that common with floating through the marshy wetlands and flat water in the park.
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| Good view beat kayaking anyways |
P.S. I think I am being force vegetarianizes, this was my dinner:
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| I had very little to work with today... |
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