I don’t know when I lost the habit of updating my blog but I think it was somewhere around the time that school started and the temperatures began to drop. Like I mentioned before the second year is full of fewer discoveries and more repetition. Also, I’ll just be honest- by hands often get really cold when I type. :)
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| A village in the mountains of the Adjara region near Turkey |
Winter has decided to hit Georgia hard this year. I was feeling fairly optimistic based on the experiences of last winter but apparently last year was very mild and this year is really harsh, why can’t the weather moderate itself to a happy medium? The winter temperatures in Poti aren’t all that extreme we are generally in the low 40s but lately we’ve been hovering around freezing. The biggest problems as the twin effect of the high humidity and lack of reliable heating. I often wake up wet from water that has decided to condense in my room- it’s not pleasant. Additionally, my host family only has one heater for the whole house and it is in the living room. It does a great job for that room and everyone tends to congregate there all day, but it does nothing for the ice box of a room I sleep in.
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| My "bus" ride for the day. We managed to avoid a few rear endings by the driver's skill at the wheel |
It was on an especially cold Monday after a week of straight rain that I decided to venture to the bazaar to find a better heater for my room. This new heater has since been a life saver. I no longer sleep with a hat and gloves in a sleeping bag with 4 blankets on top, and it’s wonderful. I remember when I lived in Brazil and thought that I preferred the cold to the heat because you can always just dress warmer, now I am of the opposite opinion. I experienced my first snow storm in Poti last Friday and the temperatures have been unbearable ever since. I can’t even bring myself to shower more than once a week (sorry no sorry) because even though the water is warm the room is the same temp as the outside and the overall experience isn’t that pleasant. I just put my thermals on and wear them all day everyday- I’ve basically become a nevernude.
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| Randi and I made and frosted 5 dozen sugar cookies for Christmas |
My work in Georgia continues to go well. The students are learning, some are more resistant than others, but it is a long and slow process. Back in July a grant I wrote was finally approved and funded so we have been spending a lot of time purchasing the equipment to improve our school computer lab. So far we have purchased 5 new laptops, a printer, tables, and chairs. Just a few items remain. Once school starts up in the new year we will begin a series of technology trainings for teachers and students that should be a great starting point for improving the overall computer education and resources utilization at my school.
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| Site mate photo shoot |
Most importantly though, I am currently on the train headed to Tbilisi where I will soon catch a flight back home for Christmas. My original plan was take a trip to Bulgaria in January but when the cheap flight appeared I knew I had to take it. Now I am headed home for a week of fun with family and friends which should provide some much needed rest and relaxation to get me through the last 6 months of my service.
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| Rustaveli Street during December/January |
Christmas in Georgia isn’t a thing, at least in relation to how we celebrate in the USA. Their religious holiday Shoba falls in early January because of the Orthodox Christian calendar, but it isn’t celebrated with a lot of fanfare. The real celebrations here are around the new year. I had hoped to stay and experience the fun this year but a trip home won out. Because of the focus mostly on New Year’s and other smaller holidays all throughout January the holiday festivities and decorations don’t get put up until much later in the month (however the festive spirit continues well into January). Spending Christmas day in Georgia can be a bit of a downer since there is no celebration or recognition of the day. Luckily Tbilisi is now all decorated and ready for the season so I will hopefully be able to get into the holiday mood as I prepare for my trek around the world- wish me luck!
