What's in a Word?

This week I met my goal to eat a whole one by myself, and also took 5 years off my life in the process

The days and weeks are never predictable here in Georgia. While I was typing up my post last week, I got a message from one of my counterpart teachers asking if I was coming to the supra (feast). I didn't know about said supra, but I was out the door 20 min later. That supra was for a teacher at our school who had recently had a baby. It had been 40 days since the baby's birth so they had christened it at the church and were celebrating at a local restaurant. It was a great supra because the men weren't allowed to smoke inside, the toastmaster (my principal) didn't get drunk and start making long rambling and incoherent toasts, and there was dancing. (The whole story of how this baby got here is crazy but probably not one I should share online- feel free to ask me about it.)

Teachers dancing around the christening cake

Tuesday was International Women's' day which is celebrated as a national holiday in Georgia which meant I had the day off. Some of my fellow volunteers came into town to celebrate and we had a great time making cookies, eating on the famous pirate ship restaurant, doing beach yoga, eating pizza, and just relaxing. I can't think of a better way to spend a day.


Now I have a real story for you:

About a month ago we held a writing competition in Poti. I have been meaning to get certificates made for all of the students who participated ever since. Last wednesday I was feeling especially ambitious and set out to accomplish this seemingly easy task, I had a copy of the design and the file was on my email. All I needed to do was find some certificate paper and print them off. However (and what a big however that is) nothing is as easy as it seems in Georgia. First off, I couldn't find cardstock style paper anywhere. A shopkeeper directed me to a print shop where I was finally able to track some down. BUT, even at the printshop there were complications because they weren't going to be able to print my certificates. Instead they gave me some sample papers and told me to test it out in a copy shop.

Getting ready for a wheelbarrow race

Now a copy shop sounds normal enough except when I say copy shop I really mean some shop with a home printer style copier and not an actual copy machine. It took some trial and error at the shop, but we decided on which paper would be best. Soooooooooo I went back to the first print shop and requested 35 A4 size papers and they set to work cutting them for me. While they worked I made small talk with some workers who ended up knowing my host family (if you think it's a small word, just look at a map and see how much smaller Georgia is). Finally my order was finished and I was ushered to an office where I would be able to pay. I got ready to reach for the 5 laris I'd guessed it might be, but quickly grabbed the 20 when the manager told me my total was 18 lari... I would just like for you to realize how ridiculous that is. It's like paying $7 for 35 pieces of paper!

35 lari for paper is like face-planting it in the sand.

Not knowing what else to do, I remarked about how expensive it was and then paid and left the shop. Next I went back to the printer man and found out that his machine wouldn't work with my new paper, he told me it was too სქელი which I heard as ცხელი (hot) and was very confused. I thanked him for trying and took back my papers before he could waste anymore. I then went to two more print shops and found myself leaving certificate-less from each one. Each time it was the same thing the paper was too სქელი which I kept hearing as ცხელი (hot) and shaking my head in confusion.

Beach pyramids are always in style

I decided to visit my host sister at work to see if she had any suggestions for me. I had already walked across town twice and was tired. I explained the story and mentioned how everyone kept telling me that the paper was too hot and how I just didn't get it. She was just as confused as I was. Then with a little more conversation we realized that I was hearing the wrong word and that they were actually telling me that it was too thick (სქელი) .... and that is how I learned the Georgian word for thick (a word I am sure I had learned before but must not have stuck) I haven't forgotten it since.

The view of Poti (half of it) from the lighthouse

In the end everything worked out. My sister called the print shop and they offered to refund my money if I returned the unuseable paper. Returns are basically unheard of here, so I jumped on the chance. The next day I purchased different cardstock and was able to print the certificates (naturally there were plenty of problems with the process) and I delivered them to the students on Friday- Mission Accomplished!

Green chili chicken enchilada- One of the best things I've eaten in weeks, and thus meritorious of a picture on my blog.

After my exhausting certificate making efforts a weekend rest was in order. Melody made the trip out to Poti and on Friday were made enchiladas with salsa verde and tortillas she brought back to me from Utah. They turned out delicious and marked the beginning of a rather unhealthy weekend of gluttony. We spent Saturday and Sunday in Batumi and ate many guilty pleasures, including the Oreo balls which we made in our hotel room for breakfast the next morning. Now that Oreos have begun to be sold in shops, and I've recently discovered cream cheese in a few shops, the possibilities for unhealthy eating have skyrocketed. Hopefully I can survive this new trial.