Starting Summer Off Right

I don't want it to sound like I didn't enjoy my first year teaching, but when I finished up on the last day I was out of there faster than a bat out of Hell. I headed straight home to pack my belongings and then headed to Kutaisi to catch my flight to Kiev with Melody and Randi. You shouldn't be surprised, what else would I do the moment I had free time again?

No matter where I go they treat me like royalty

Kiev was a great place to visit and just a short flight away. We got in bright and early and settled in at our hostel. Once we hit the streets we were instinctively drawn to visit a beautiful golden domed church near by our hostel. It turned out to be an 11th century masterpiece and quite a looker. Afterwards it was straight on to find some food to eat. While ordering our food we discovered that food was insanely cheap and from that point on we just never stopped eating.

I couldn't tell you how long I stood and stared at this amazing view

Later that day we made our way out to the LDS (Mormon) temple in Kiev where we spent a wonderful few hours. It was a beautiful building and we met a lot of very kind people there. Afterwards we walked an eternity until we reached a McDonalds where we could use the wifi to hail a cab (and eat more cheap food while we waited). Even the taxis were very inexpensive. We paid at least half of what we would've paid in Georgia, and cabs aren't even expensive here.

The LDS (Mormon) temple in Kiev

The next day was a Sunday so we found out where the local church members were meeting and we went to attend Sunday services with them. It ended up being a special meeting and they even had a visiting church leader, M. Russell Ballard,  from Salt Lake who spoke at the end. Following church we wandered through a sculpture garden park with some eccentric art and made our way back home. Later that evening we went to another church meeting where we unexpectedly met a friend of Randi's from Utah. That night ended up in a Tex-Mex restaurant eating delicious burritos.

Sunday in the park with these goons

Monday started with an early morning visit to the Lavra monastery complex which is one of the most sacred sites in the Russian Orthodox church. We wandered around for a little bit and then the next thing I know some priest was waving us into a church courtyard and bringing out an old crown for us to try on (it was too small, too heavy, and really hurt to wear). Once we'd all kissed the crown he had a younger man take it away and then proceeded to take us on a two hour tour (all in Russia) of the entire complex. There was a lot of walking but it was great (and confusing) fun. At one point he took us into the workers cafeteria to feed us and we ate with a bunch of locals. Following our lunch he took us down into the catacombs on the pilgrim's prayer route where we saw more (clear) coffins and deceased people than I could count. At each coffin he would saw a memorized prayer and kiss the coffin. It was an interesting and reflective experience. Afterwards he motioned that he needed to go and we were left to explore a few other places alone. I was amazed by his kindness to take so much time to share something so important to a small group of foreigners who he couldn't even speak to.

View of the monastery from the bell tower

Later that night we met up for Chinese food with a local Ukrainian who Melody and Randi had met in Armenia who happened to bump into us on the sidewalk outside of our hostel that morning. Turns out her office was 2 floors above our hostel. It was quite the chance meeting and she was very gracious to become our defacto tour guide after work for the next two days. With her we learned more wonderful things about Kiev and she also shared her first hand experience with the revolution which took place in 2014. She really made the rest of our time in Kiev so much better.

St. Michael's Church not the craft store. 

The rest of our time in Kiev was a blur of more food, more churches, and more long walks around the city. I loved every minute of it. I was reminded of Georgia quite often but there were many very clear and distinct differences some due to Ukraine's less isolated location and others related to their own history and culture. If you mention Ukraine to and Georgian they will tell you how great of friends the two countries are and I wouldn't doubt them for a minute.

No one wanted to play with me...

After we made it back to Georgia I still had plenty to do. The next day I headed back to Skra and visited my old host family. On Friday I met the new volunteers again and helped deliver another training. It was also the day that they found out where they would be serving in Georgia- spoiler alert, one of them is coming to Poti! Friday night found me back in Tbilisi going out on the town with some of the departing G14 volunteers and then Saturday I was up bright and early to head to Kutaisi for another group project (I barely made it in time to help with the take down and clean up). Over all it's been a long and exhausting week. Either way though, summer is off to a great start!

My new Ukrainian embroidered dress shirt #Awesome 

School's Out for Summer!

No more teachers, no more books!

If I have learned one thing from this past year of Peace Corps it is the need to be flexible and just go with the flow. Peace Corps volunteers wear so many hats during their service! For example in just one week I wore the following:

The chaperone hat

The delicious spread, with more food to come!

On the 5th my 12th graders were celebrating their prom and invited me to attend as one of their teachers. I was in Tbilisi on Saturday so I took the morning train back to Poti just to attend the event. I call it prom but it probably isn't what you are picturing at all, let me describe it to you. The whole event is put on by students' parents in celebration of their graduation. The students pair up as dates, but not as official as in the US- dating like in the US isn't much of a thing here. The girls and guys get all fancied up, and I mean really fancy. Most of the students then go to take pictures (with a hired photographer) and also visit the church for a blessing from the priest. Meanwhile the parents (mom's) and teachers (almost exclusively female) gather at the banquet hall and await the students' arrival.

I snapchatted the whole night so you are getting the ones I saved.

The students caravan to the banquet hall in a line of cars honking their horns and then enter couple by couple as the announcer (they hired an emcee for the night) introduces them one by one and they walk up the literal red carpet as the photographers snap their pics. My school had two 12th grade classes of close to 30 students each however each class held a separate banquet so the only students in attendance were those I had taught plus a few others who started with my students but later moved to other towns. Your class really is your everything when you are going through school.

I have no shame stealing photos from my students' facebook pages

After introductions there is a night full of eating, drinking, dancing, and fun. There were plenty of toasts, jokes, and advice to be shared. Students, teachers, and parents all danced together and had fun. Unlike a US high school dance the moves were all tame and clean but each table also had it's own supply of wine and vodka- so clean dancing but a few drunk students. They partying went on for hours but around midnight most of the teacher had left and my students convinced me to stay with them until around 1am. What a night.

The trainer hat

The day after prom I was up early to head to Gori and help give a training on working with youth and how we the Youth as Resources committee works here in Georgia. You never know when you are going to have to give a training but you learn to be flexible and share your experiences with others. Luckily this was an official Peace Corps training so we had plenty of notice and had done a lot of preparations. However, this is not the norm for Georgia.

The party hat (a favorite)

Right before the show (and the rain) started

I never planned on seeing a famous American band on tour while in Georgia but I wasn't about to turn down the opportunity either. After the training I was off again this time for Batumi where Maroon 5 was performing on Tuesday. The Georgian government is really trying to bring tourists into Georgia and show that they can handle large events- this concert was a test. The one problem with an outdoor concert in June in a seaside town however, is rain- and boy did it rain.

Singing Sugar at the top of our lungs

We  waited for the rain to subside before heading out for the concert. Slowly the crowds moved in, and by the time Maroon 5 was ready to go on stage it was packed- and the rain started again. It rained almost the entire time but we had a great time anyway. Peace Corps can be a very stressful and tiring experience so it is good to find times to unwind and have some fun- work hard play hard?

Post concert crowds

The actor hat

A 3rd grader teaching about Georgian wine making, me creeping from backstage

This hat could be called many things, for this experience it's the actor hat. When I got to school Wednesday morning my counterpart told me that one of the teachers needed my help with their 3rd grade class performance. I was given a paper with a couple lines to recite and that was it. By the time the performance came I found out that I was the "star" of the show. (I kid) My role was to be a tourist in Georgia and travel around visiting the students and learning about regional customs and cultures across Georgia. Luckily my acting skills are well polished and on point, I nailed my role. The students were also excited to have me there, I didn't teach 3rd graders this year but they were still so excited.

Someone couldn't resist a photo op

The friend hat

Thursday I met my Georgian tutor and fellow PCV for lunch and we all caught up since we hadn't seen our tutor in a few weeks. I also go to go to a neighboring village to visit Alex and meet her mom who was in Georgia visiting for a few days. Her family hosted a small supra and we all got to celebrate the arrival of Alex's mom. It was a great moment that reminded me of the importance and value of the friendships were make in Georgia.

Alex and her mother with me at the supra

The teacher hat

I mention this hat last because it's the one I knew I'd be wearing the most. Teaching English this year has been full of ups and downs, but as I reached the last days of school I was proud of how far both my students and I have come. Half of my classes took a diagnostic pre-test at the beginning of the school year and we did the same at the end. Much to my surprise, every student showed improvement! Some more than others, but all none the less. There were so many moments of frustration but progress is progress and it is definitely worth celebrating. My work as a teacher goes beyond teaching students how to speak English, but this is one of the more easily quantifiable parts of my work. I'm really going to miss my students this summer!

My fifth graders and counterpart 

After a year here in Georgia I think it is safe to say that I've collected a number of hats and there are still so many more. Each hat requires different skills and abilities but together they are really helping my to stretch and challenge myself in positive and exciting ways!

Happy Independence Day Georgia

I now fully understand why many Peace Corps volunteers (PCVs) often start a blog and after awhile end up only updating once or twice a year- time flies! It seems like I was just at my computer writing all about graduation traditions in Georgia and yet that was over a week ago.

This past week flew by because I was pretty busy the entire time. I had a couple regular days of school which went well. Things are quickly wrapping up and you can tell that students can sense the coming freedom of summer vacation.  I'm not sure how teachers get anything done in the month of May.

Another picture of Old Town, the sight never gets old

On Tuesday after school one of my PCV friends, Daniel, took a trip down to Poti from his mountain village and we made sure to celebrate with lots of pizza. The next day we traveled to Zugdidi to meet with all of the school from the Samergrelo region who are hoping to host a volunteer starting this summer. These visits are a routine part of the annual Peace Corps procedures but last year I was busy with my pre-service training and now I am the one who gets to meet all these people and help get schools ready for a future volunteer. After our meeting I took advantage of the fact that my program manager would be heading back to Tbilisi and hitched a ride with her to Melody's house where I spent the night and we watched the newest James Bond movie and ate ice cream with Oreos- adulting at it's finest.

Everyone trying to get a view of the celebrations in the square

The next day, May 26th, was Georgian independence day and I was excited to see how it was celebrated in the city. We rode into town early and started to explore the festivities. The main street was shut down all day and was full of various stalls, games, and pop-up cafes. In the main square there was a large military gathering with tanks and other equipment. They had a large stage with Georgian dancers and the Prime Minister addressed the crowd of onlookers. After some wandering Alex and I stopped at a cafe near the Opera house where we enjoyed actual pulled pork sandwiches and homemade lemonade (two very non-Georgian foods) and also found some other American expats to chat with while we ate.

Some parade dancers 

After our meal we made our way to Old Town and then to the Tbilisi botanical gardens. The gardens are hidden in a small valley among the hills which surround the city and were spectacular. We wandered all throughout the grounds until we reached the end which happened to share spare with the massive home of Georgian billionaire Ivanishvili. It looks like some sort of evil layer and is rumored to have it's own pool with sharks as well as other pet wild animals. True to form I tried to play ignorant and sneak near/onto the property and was caught by his private security and made to leave the area. The rest of the day was spent relaxing with other volunteers, eating, and enjoying some fireworks that evening.

Alex in her natural habitat

Friday was a busy day full of meetings. We had a long meeting to plan out this summers's BUILD camp and discuss our future plans. We are still waiting to hear back about being funded through a grant from the local embassy, but everything else is shaping up quite nicely. If all goes according to plan we will double the number of camps and nearly triple the number of participants while also extending the length and scope of the camp. After our BUILD meeting I was quickly on my way so I could arrive at my next meeting with FLEX on time. Time is passing quickly and we only have 1 month left before we are going to be expected to teach all of the training sessions for the pre-departure orientation.

Lifestyles of the rich and the famous billionaires...

Next, on Saturday I found myself at the parliamentary library meet with my director and 9th grade students to help them with a presentation about the importance of American and Georgian friendship. The students all prepared various artistic depictions of this theme and presented them bit by bit. After the end of the presentation we toured the national art museum, opera house, and other famous sights. It was another great field trip (Georgians called them excursions) and a great opportunity to better get to know my students.

The hidden side of Tbilisi 

Finally, on Sunday I took the morning train back to Poti so that I could meet some G16s in Gori and bring them back with me. This was their job shadowing opportunity and  I was the lucky one to have three assigned to me. Last year I was sent to shadow a volunteer in Batumi and it was probably one of my favorite experiences during PST. I hoped to help the volunteers staying with me have a great time as well. The train ride was long as always (even longer for them since it was their first one) but we made up for it when they arrived by having a great feast on the classic pirate ship restaurant. If anyone is coming to visit I will make sure we get to experience the deliciousness that is the Old Ship restaurant.

A waterfall in the city

The rest of the day was spent touring Poti, visiting the lighthouse, spending sometime by the sea, and of course meeting my host family. My host mother has yet to not like a PCV and these trainees were no exception. The guys who stayed with us were all giants but she loved having new people around. On Monday they followed me to school and got to experience what it is like to teach in a Georgian school. There was nothing exciting and my kids weren't especially well behaved so they probably got a pretty good taste for what an average day at school is like. The best part of the day however was later that afternoon when they got to meet my English club students.

Climbing the lighthouse 

This English club is made up of some of the best students I have worked with in Poti. My counterpart and I decided last week to do a lesson on teenage life in Georgia and America and it went well. To make things even better we also decided to make them speak only English for the entire day- they hated it, but they all did so well! It is hard to learn a foreign language when you aren't immersed in it but these students have all done a great job so far. I really hope to be able to help connect them to some great opportunities which will expand their vision for future possibilities.

Tuesday the shadowing finally ended but before we sent them packing Randi and I brought them down to the national park for a quick kayaking trip which was rather uneventful, minus the private security guard that chased us in a row boat (he didn't stand a chance). Afterwards we visited our favorite shwarma stand and then I helped them catch their first long distance marshutka back to Gori and their training sites.

My host mom and her დიდი ბიჭები guests

The rest of the day was supposed to be uneventful because I was exhausted and just wanted to rest. However as soon as I got home I found out that one of the PCVs from my group was resigning from peace corps. Luckily he is planning on staying in Georgia to work for another year, but it was shocking news nevertheless. After that Randi and I had our last English club of the school year (crazy to think we have been running the club for that long). We celebrated by playing some games with Bananagrams and then I taught them how to play MASH and we talked about their future lives, a hilarious ending to the year. At least when I leave Georgia I can rest easy knowing that I accomplished something great; I taught a bunch of teenagers how to tell the future and entertain themselves for hours.

As We Go On, We Remember

End of year activities are in full swing here in Poti. Who doesn't love graduation season? Per usual Georgians do things in their own way, but figuring out how it all works has been a lot of fun.

From my field trip with 10th graders this weekend

I had a normal 5 day school week (don't worry there is another holiday coming up) and the highlight came on Thursday which was also known as Last Bell since the 12th grade also graduated that day and therefore wouldn't hear any more school bells. Last Bell is a tradition all across Georgia in every school and the seniors begin preparing for it early in the year. It is basically a sort of closing assembly created and put on by the graduating students. I can only imagine how nervous school administration in the US would feel if each year they let 12th graders take control of the auditorium and stage for a performance.

The 12th graders themselves

In my school there are 2 twelfth grade classes XII-1 and XII-2, I taught XII-1 all year long and was excited to see what they had come up with. They had been talking about Last Bell for quite some time and had been holding practices on weekends for at least a month. When Thursday came there were definitely more students at school than on a regular day. I saw some of my 12th graders for the first time since Winter break. Everyone always turns up when there is a party to be had.

A delicious celebratory cake

Since yearbooks aren't a thing here in Poti, students have to find some other way to save memories and share future wishes. The tradition in Georgia is to wear a white shirt- often an oxford, and then ask people to write their thoughts and wishes for you on the shirt in permanent marker. I spent a good amount of time surrounded by my students while I wrote my best wishes to them in felt tip marker on white cotton. For some this is the most they've interacted with me since last fall. Either way I decided to leave a positive note for each and every one of them.

Look at the over filtered version of their yearbook shirts

Attendance is a large problem school wide, but it is perhaps it is worst among the 12th graders. School isn't mandatory after 9th grade so many students without plans to attend university tend to leave before they reach the 12th grade. In order to graduate students must pass 8 subject exams- 4 after 11th grade and 4 after 12th (Georgian lit, English, History, and Math- luckily I found out to day that all of my students have passed all of their tests). Additionally, if they miss too many days of school they must take additional subject exam. However, I suspect that teachers might use some creative accounting because the number of students who had to take the extra exams was a lot less than those who would have had we gone by my memory.

Never pass up a jumping pic opportunity

Anyways, students came to school one last time, shirts were signed, classes were taught, and finally it was time for the last bell performance. Teachers and students crowded into our tiny auditorium in anticipation. It is generally times like this that I enjoy playing the teacher and foreigner card together because it tends to get me a good seat at the front of the audience and away from the craziness. With only a slight delay, my students soon entered wearing matching customized shirts and the show was off. There were jokes, dancing, singing, and several skits. I can never understand Georgian very well when it's shouted into a microphone so I just enjoyed the visuals of it all. At one point they gave flowers to all of their teachers and I even received a yellow rose but didn't catch the superlative they gave me, however there was plenty of laughter.

Rocking the selfie stick

Watching the students on stage made me feel proud to be their teacher despite all the times that I wanted to walk out of the classroom when they were being terrible. I am excited to see what they end up doing with their lives and where they next few years takes them. When I signed up for the Education program within Peace Corps I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into. Over the past year I have finally started to understand why education sector work is one of the largest areas for volunteers to serve. It is easy to think that volunteers are just here to teach English (at least in Georgia that is what all education sector volunteers do), however the effects are much greater.

Smiles not allowed

In the case of Georgia, a post Soviet republic, we are also sharing American values and ideas. In a country that is still working to shake off the shadow of its communist past, education volunteers are granted limitless access to to the rising generation. Skills like critical and creative thinking which struggles during soviet times are the focus of lessons now. Gender norms are challenged. Youth are motivated and encouraged to take responsibility. This form of development takes place internally within the rising generation but it is just as beneficial and important as digging wells and providing access to clean water or any other stereotypical development projects that people nevision when they think of this Peace Corps. However unlike other projects the results and changes of this sort of hearts and minds type development will take years or even a generation to fully reveal itself.

I'd like to think I've become more photogenic...

Sunday I also celebrated the 10 year anniversary of my High School graduation and enlight of the cliched Dr. Suess book "Oh, the Places You'll Go" I reflected on my past 10 years:

Well, Dr. Seuss you were right!

I did head straight out of town,

and I started happening too.

I have soared to high heights,

and I've had several slumps.

I've been confused, 

and often visited the waiting place...

But I've always escaped, 

and learned how to ride high!

I've found my own fame,

and I've been all alone.

I've weathered the foul, 

and faced up to my problems.

I've gotten mixed up with many strange birds, 

and tried to master life's great balancing act.

In my own way I've found some success 

and can't wait for- Oh, the places I'll go next!

From the Mountains to the Valleys

Wake up Sheeple!

Luckily for me Easter break continued for two more days post-Easter so I had plenty of time for more rest and relaxation. We didn't have classes again until Wednesday which meant that the week was basically over before it had really begun- those are the best kinds of weeks. I can proudly say that I made it through the whole week without getting frustrated by my students. Spring break is just as rejuvenating here in Georgia as it was in the US.

Organizers of the IPD community meeting

Come Friday I found myself working with Randi's counterpart to help organize a community meeting in the southern part of town. There is a community of internally displaced people (IDPs) from the Abkhazian war of the 90s. They have been living in this community for about 10 years and are still in the process of making life work. Many used to make their livelihood from agriculture but now they don't own any land. Randi's organization partners locally with larger IGOs like the Danish Refugee Council to help administer employability training programs and small grants for business development. We were gathered on Friday to share more information on current opportunities. It was a good event and I got to meet several interesting foreigners who work for the DRC and other non-profit organizations.

The driver stopped and asked if we wanted to take pics by the waterfall, how thoughtful 

Like a true Georgian, I am not addicted to bread.

In true Georgian style we then had a three day weekend (following a three day work week).Melody and Randi and I decided to take advantage of this and had been planning a trip to the Svaneti region of Georgia. We all met up in Zugdidi on Saturday morning and took a 3 hour marsh ride through the mountains to Mestia- one of the more remote places in Georgia. The views were incredible throughout drive but the clouds were low and limited the views of the mountain peaks. We spent some time wandering the town and then settled into our guesthouse for the night. 

Mestia with it's many towers

What are you looking at?

Early the next morning we arranged for a local to drive us to the town of Ushguli- the highest continuously inhabited village in Europe. It took about 3 hours to travel the 27 miles between Mestia and Ushguli, the road conditions were rough. We also crossed several areas where the road was just part of a spring runoff waterfall. It's hard to describe Ushguli, but it was fantastic. It is crazy to be somewhere that you know so few people ever get to and that is so old. We didn't have time to hike to the glacier but we still wandered around and climbed some small hills. On the way back our driver somehow made the trip in less than 2 hours, apparently caution wasn't needed for the return trip. 

Ushguli

The way to the glacier near Ushguli

Monday the clouds finally cleared out and we were able to see most of the peaks around us. It was more grand and impressive than I had been expecting. We didn't have a lot of time to stick around so we opted for the lazy man's hike and took a ski lift up a nearby mountain so we could catch the views with minimal effort. Don't worry it was beautiful. After we headed back into town and ate some more delicious Svan food- meat filled khachapuri! The drive back home through the mountains was spectacular now that the clouds had dissipated. 

Mestia by night

Our "hike"

Tuesday I was back at school, but once again the week was cut short by a holiday and I was only at school for two days. For the most part things went well at school; however, my 7th graders really let me down. Since my return from Kazakhstan we have been working on group presentations and Wednesday was the day the final project was due. Unfortunately most of the students were un/ill prepared and unable to present a cohesive project. After two weeks of class work they still couldn't help copying from each other and trying to just read from wikipedia. Instead of writing a paper one girl just read straight from a book...

Davit Gareja Monastery

The working section of the monastery

After school on Wednesday I was back on a marshutka heading to Tbilisi to spend the night at Melody's and hang out with our friend Porter who had been visiting since the previous weekend. My long weekend in Tbilisi end up being a lot less relaxing but very productive. I got some work done on my FLEX lessons for the summer, met with the Peace Corps Georgia Youth as Resources committee members and planned out our next few events, and also met with a visiting comic book writer from DC Comics who is in Georgia on an embassy assignment to help write the first truly Georgian comic book and address issues of gender inequality. 

Looking down into the monastery complex

One of many fresco filled caves

Finally Saturday came and our work for the week was through. We hired a cab for the day and then drove out to Davit Gareja monastery on the Azeri border. The area still has a large collection of monks who are working in the monastery. After exploring the active section we then hiked up the mountain to the border. From the top we could look on the Azeri side and see many caves spread out haphazardly throughout the cliff area. Each cave had remnants of fresco paintings and other markings, many dating back to about the 6th century AD. 

The view of Azerbaijan with the caves on the right

While checking out some lower caves a group of Georgians beckoned us up the cliff into a higher cave which turned out to be an old church. Inside they explained some of the pictures and then sang two amazing Easter songs- Georgian hospitality. By the time we had seen all of the caves, I was exhausted and ready to rest. It has been months since I spent so much time out in the sun and exposed to it's rays, but I can't complain too much since I have a nice farmer's tan setting in now. Overall I must say that Davit Gareja was one of the most interesting places I have been to in Georgia, definitely a favorite and well worth a visit. 

Cave entrance

An old alter and church

With our return to Tbilisi a week of adventures ended. We spent the rest of the day inside our hostel eating pizza and catching up on TV. The next day I had to take my marsh back to Poti which was it's own sad story. However, now I am back at site and ready to work through what is quite possibly my last full 5 day school week until next fall. However, there should be no shortage of things to post about for the next 4 months. 

Captureing the Caucuses 

The love tower (someone committed suicide in the river for "love")

My spirit guide dog

Ushguli

Hatsvali

Mestia