As I mentioned in my last post these last few weeks were planned to go a lot differently, so I have had to find different ways to fill my time. First, I volunteered for a summer camp run by a local Georgian organization. It was a 4 day camp and plenty of fun. We went to a small village called Kheledi in the Lower Svaneti region. During the school year there are around 50 students in the village so the school has a lot of difficulties (funding comes per pupil). The camp provide some fun activities for the village children but also allowed the camp organizers to meet with the local teachers and school director to discuss training options and other plans to eventually improve the quality of education provided in the school.
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| I secretly want to become a nature photographer |
The time spent interacting with the kids in the village was great. These are the times that really remind me why I wanted to be a Peace Corps volunteers. Working with children who are excited to learn (or really do whatever you have planned) is always great, they have an enthusiasm that is very contagious. This excitement was definitely evident as I decided to prove to them that I wasn't too scared to jump off the old bridge into the river, hitchhike into the district center on the back of a logging truck, or as we got muddy playing soccer on the bank of the river.
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| Proving myself to 14 year olds |
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| David my hitchhiking partner in crime |
Following my return from camp I still had about two weeks of downtime to fill so I started slogging away at my to do list. Most of the work I had to do involved my computer so that isn't conducive to many exciting days, oh well. Best of all BUILD camp is revamped and almost ready to go (the money arrives today!!). Just a few more things to finish before I go, but when I come back I am confident that I will be able to report on an excellent camp.
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| I was slightly obsessed with getting a pic of this mountain without clouds |
Aside from lots of work I also spend time at the beach, started looked at grad school applications, and read some books. The beach is great as always, nothing new there, applying to graduate school is both exciting and terrifying, and the books I read were fantastic. Most recently I just finished
East of Eden and it was an incredible read, and on my summer bucket list. I can't say I was too productive during the last week because if you would've seen me I was usually on the hammock, couch, chair, or bed reading this 700 page masterpiece. I was engrossed by the discussion and depictions of good versus evil and it left me with a lot to think about. Here are some of my favorite quotes from it (I found pretty versions of them too)
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| This quote is proven time and time again around the world. If you ever engage in development work whether in the jungles of Brazil, a village in Africa, or even in a small Georgian town you will find the women are the ones leading the charge for a better world- for love of their children, family, and country. |
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| Do something good with your life. The memories you make with others, the lessons you teach, and the time spend serving are some of the only things that really remain with people when you are gone. |
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| No one is asking you to be perfect, we all make mistakes and we all struggle. When we abandon the pursuit of perfection, which often clouds our vision of reality, then we can make the choice to truly do good and be good. |
That's all for now, I'm leaving Poti tomorrow and I won't be back here until sometime in September. I am sure I'll have plenty to talk about once I get back. Happy end of summer!
P.S. We wandered upon a pod of dolphins feeding near where the river Rioni empties into the Black Sea in Poti, they were so close to shore but also so hard to catch on film (is this saying going to change ever?)
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| Proof of at least 1 dolphin |
