Saturday, 18th June
I slept around midning on Friday, and was up around 6 on Saturday. I hung out in bed and chatted on FB, Twitter, BBM and email.
I showered around 8 and breakfast was served around 9. My (host) mom came over with the little one. They took him home with them Friday night. We all hung around the dinning room. Some of us ate, some didn't. I ran out of airtime. Our service provider deducts 0.16 Tetri (64cents) per day frm our phones just cos they can. So one needs to always have airtime. If not, you'll have a negative balance and won't be able to make calls. Even to free numbers and you won't be able to use the internet even though it's got nothing to do with nothing cos you've already paid for that separately.
It's for the latter reason that I had tp rush to get airtime. We took a walk. The stares! People were gawking at me all over the show. We then went to the marked to see the place and I wanted to buy apples and oranges, mt favourite fruit! They were more expensive than I'd read somewhere! I heard they're GEL 2 per kilo (R8 or a lil more than a $1). They were GEL 3.5 and 2.5 per kilo! I bought two each, to taste. I'll go back if I like them. Mom bought strawberries and sunflower seeds. They shared those with me. I didn't know what they were and how you're supposed to eat them. They're an utter waste of my time! the thing inside is way too small for me to spend all that time and energy opening the thingy.
I had one of 6. But that was it! I don't even like shelled nuts or pea nuts cos I'm lazy! I don't like to sweat for food.
We bought ice cream cones for 30Tetri (R1.20) and off we went. More stares and we were home! Very hot outside!
O talked to a few people from my group as usual, went on youtube, checked out some Rihanna and Nicky Minaj songs, facebook, email, dinner, talked to Michelle for 4hours and slept!
Monday, June 20, 2011
Caves, CNN, Supra and Happy Endings
Friday, 17th June cont...
We were told to dress casually.
I had track pants on and training shoes (snickers).
We sped through to some guest house, saw some normal looking people or atleast non-Georgian looking people. Who probably were Georgian. Someone whispered to us 'CNN'. There were cameras. And Chefs. I immediately thought my sis would've loved whatever is going to take place here cos she's all about food. Then I wanted to cry again. We were told to take a seat and that we'd leave in a minute. the nice looking cameraman did his thing (I've a thing for cameramen). He must have caught a 2second snippet of us chatting to each other. In exactly 60seconds, we left for Vardzia.
OMG! First of all my entire region is surrounded by a huge river! Then there are mountains all over the place. It's summer now and rains a bit so it's green everywhere! we parked the car and hiked up the mountain to some 12th century caves. You can google the history of these caves. It's amazing! We got up there, one of our police people needed to tell us about the place so he yelled and asked if anyone speaks English. The person that did, came forward! She spent the entire tour with us, translating for us out of the goodness of her heart. Which reminds me, I've to add her to facebook. She's a gorgeours girl frm Ukraine. They speak Russian there and so does our guy. We took some pictured. There's also a monastery up there where we were not allowed into and a small church, where we went in, lit 2candles each and left. we drank water from a well, I believe, the most divine water you can think of! And it was freezing cold, which helped cos it was scorching hot outside. You have to make a wish when drinking the water and it will come true (not the water, the wish!). Done!
We went back down, got in the car,btw one of the guys that went with us was kind of nice looking. So my type! I didn't like his voice though. It's like he doesn't know that he's nice pff. 100metres down the hill, we parked the car to a bunch of police barbecuing (braaing) for us! It was a nice surprise! There was a huge table set, the works! The braaid a goat for us! The entire thing, with its head still on, eyes, the works! It looked scary, I apologised to it inside before I had some. We had a supra (georgian feast). Lots of alcohol, tons of toasts and good food. The men were serving us. There was a huge cake as well that I didn't see anyone eating. I wonder what happens to the left overs at these supras!
There was a journalist frm CNN at the table who was our interpreter. Her name was Nino. So far, all the Ninos I met speak English.
We left about 4hours later. I was tired and sleepy and full.
We drunken drove to one of the guy's house and met his family. Then they dropped me off. Apparently they took Harriet somewhere and introduced her to some people before dropping her off.
When I got home my family offered me food. I declined. I saw the new computer with internet, got a call frm the mother asking if the internet works and if I like the computer. I was verklempt. I talked to a few people, and to Michelle, one of our group members for 2hrs and slept. A fabulous ending to a day that started very sadly.
We were told to dress casually.
I had track pants on and training shoes (snickers).
We sped through to some guest house, saw some normal looking people or atleast non-Georgian looking people. Who probably were Georgian. Someone whispered to us 'CNN'. There were cameras. And Chefs. I immediately thought my sis would've loved whatever is going to take place here cos she's all about food. Then I wanted to cry again. We were told to take a seat and that we'd leave in a minute. the nice looking cameraman did his thing (I've a thing for cameramen). He must have caught a 2second snippet of us chatting to each other. In exactly 60seconds, we left for Vardzia.
OMG! First of all my entire region is surrounded by a huge river! Then there are mountains all over the place. It's summer now and rains a bit so it's green everywhere! we parked the car and hiked up the mountain to some 12th century caves. You can google the history of these caves. It's amazing! We got up there, one of our police people needed to tell us about the place so he yelled and asked if anyone speaks English. The person that did, came forward! She spent the entire tour with us, translating for us out of the goodness of her heart. Which reminds me, I've to add her to facebook. She's a gorgeours girl frm Ukraine. They speak Russian there and so does our guy. We took some pictured. There's also a monastery up there where we were not allowed into and a small church, where we went in, lit 2candles each and left. we drank water from a well, I believe, the most divine water you can think of! And it was freezing cold, which helped cos it was scorching hot outside. You have to make a wish when drinking the water and it will come true (not the water, the wish!). Done!
We went back down, got in the car,btw one of the guys that went with us was kind of nice looking. So my type! I didn't like his voice though. It's like he doesn't know that he's nice pff. 100metres down the hill, we parked the car to a bunch of police barbecuing (braaing) for us! It was a nice surprise! There was a huge table set, the works! The braaid a goat for us! The entire thing, with its head still on, eyes, the works! It looked scary, I apologised to it inside before I had some. We had a supra (georgian feast). Lots of alcohol, tons of toasts and good food. The men were serving us. There was a huge cake as well that I didn't see anyone eating. I wonder what happens to the left overs at these supras!
There was a journalist frm CNN at the table who was our interpreter. Her name was Nino. So far, all the Ninos I met speak English.
We left about 4hours later. I was tired and sleepy and full.
We drunken drove to one of the guy's house and met his family. Then they dropped me off. Apparently they took Harriet somewhere and introduced her to some people before dropping her off.
When I got home my family offered me food. I declined. I saw the new computer with internet, got a call frm the mother asking if the internet works and if I like the computer. I was verklempt. I talked to a few people, and to Michelle, one of our group members for 2hrs and slept. A fabulous ending to a day that started very sadly.
Yesterday, I Cried
My family is super nice! I love them!
My mother speaks English (Self taught!). She has 2 sons, one's 25 and married. They have a 5yr old son. (The son and his wife, not with his own mother!). I live with the son, wife and 5yr old. The mother has another son, 20 year old guy, they stay in a village 10minutes away frm the city. The mother also lives with her husband, of course. I've been invited to go see the village house when I'm free. I'm up for it!
I called everyone from my group to see if they got home safely and how they liked their families, if anyone speaks any English, the works. Whoever I couldn't get hold of, I sent a text to. I felt better afterwards. I also called my sister, Pru and she talked to my host mother for like a minute.
I couldn't have dinner with them my first night here because I was so full from the restaurant food. I did teach them for about an hour, and hour and a half of course. Important (to me) stuff like 'Dinner time!, breakfast, and lunch time! Hello how are you? I'm fine, etc).
I came to my room around 10 pm. Mainly to spend some time alone before bedtime. This whole time I'm trying not to cry. Sooooo emotional!
My house is nice and big. The rooms are huge! They gave me the master bedroom and have moved to the guest bedroom/dining room. We share closet space. I've a tv in my room that I don't use cos everything's in Georgian. They're in the process of installing cable (dstv) for me to be able to watch some English shows. There's another dining room, that we now use only as a computer room. Computer was bought and internet activated the next day! Which was a nice surprise! I had accidentally activated blackberry service on my phone on Thursday. Call it communication breakdown, I'm glad I did because I was able to be in touch with the world Friday morning before they got internet.
Friday 17 June
I went to bed around 11 last night and was up around 5/6. I discovered that my internet was working on my blackberry, good times! I started chatting on facebook and twitter and later on email. It took me a minute to figure out how to set the email up.
I got a text frm one of the guys that I left messages for last night. For some reason, that made me sad. I sobbed like I just lost my husband to unnatural causes of death!
I hoped nobody will want to come in for some reason or other. Well. . . My sister kept coming. I hid the fact that I was crying until I couldn't anymore. She came in, looked at me, saw that I looked like... Well, like I did, came and sat next to me and asked what was wrong. I think. I took a dictionary pointed at myself, at miss, back to myself and family. Quite frankly, I don't know why I cried! I was happy to be with these nice people, was in touch with my family and didn't really miss them like that cos you've always been far away from the family anyway, things were great! But I just wanted and needed to cry!
Call it Bloody Culture Shock aka the unexplainable! What? That's a word! Autocorrect did not underline that! Interesting!
I sobbed and sobbed and sobbed and hoped that nobody calls me and hears me sounding like I would if they had. I did lose my voice to the flu though, so I already don't sound like myself.
I got a call from the police people. They told me CNN had a do and wanted to invite me. Someone would be here in ten to 15mins to pick me up. It was 11 or 12 midday, I was in my nightie, crying like a baby and had no plans for the day, but to cry until I couldn't anymore.
I had to get over myself and rush. My sister was in my room, tearing up, it would have been a disaster if I hadn't got that call. Got to the bathroom, caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, and cried all over again! I heard the hooter (honking?). It was the police! They were on time. So far, I haven't experienced GMT (Georgian Maybe Time). Everyone's been pretty on time! I got ready, jumped in the car. Had my glasses on to cover up the eyes. We picked Harriet up and off we went!
My mother speaks English (Self taught!). She has 2 sons, one's 25 and married. They have a 5yr old son. (The son and his wife, not with his own mother!). I live with the son, wife and 5yr old. The mother has another son, 20 year old guy, they stay in a village 10minutes away frm the city. The mother also lives with her husband, of course. I've been invited to go see the village house when I'm free. I'm up for it!
I called everyone from my group to see if they got home safely and how they liked their families, if anyone speaks any English, the works. Whoever I couldn't get hold of, I sent a text to. I felt better afterwards. I also called my sister, Pru and she talked to my host mother for like a minute.
I couldn't have dinner with them my first night here because I was so full from the restaurant food. I did teach them for about an hour, and hour and a half of course. Important (to me) stuff like 'Dinner time!, breakfast, and lunch time! Hello how are you? I'm fine, etc).
I came to my room around 10 pm. Mainly to spend some time alone before bedtime. This whole time I'm trying not to cry. Sooooo emotional!
My house is nice and big. The rooms are huge! They gave me the master bedroom and have moved to the guest bedroom/dining room. We share closet space. I've a tv in my room that I don't use cos everything's in Georgian. They're in the process of installing cable (dstv) for me to be able to watch some English shows. There's another dining room, that we now use only as a computer room. Computer was bought and internet activated the next day! Which was a nice surprise! I had accidentally activated blackberry service on my phone on Thursday. Call it communication breakdown, I'm glad I did because I was able to be in touch with the world Friday morning before they got internet.
Friday 17 June
I went to bed around 11 last night and was up around 5/6. I discovered that my internet was working on my blackberry, good times! I started chatting on facebook and twitter and later on email. It took me a minute to figure out how to set the email up.
I got a text frm one of the guys that I left messages for last night. For some reason, that made me sad. I sobbed like I just lost my husband to unnatural causes of death!
I hoped nobody will want to come in for some reason or other. Well. . . My sister kept coming. I hid the fact that I was crying until I couldn't anymore. She came in, looked at me, saw that I looked like... Well, like I did, came and sat next to me and asked what was wrong. I think. I took a dictionary pointed at myself, at miss, back to myself and family. Quite frankly, I don't know why I cried! I was happy to be with these nice people, was in touch with my family and didn't really miss them like that cos you've always been far away from the family anyway, things were great! But I just wanted and needed to cry!
Call it Bloody Culture Shock aka the unexplainable! What? That's a word! Autocorrect did not underline that! Interesting!
I sobbed and sobbed and sobbed and hoped that nobody calls me and hears me sounding like I would if they had. I did lose my voice to the flu though, so I already don't sound like myself.
I got a call from the police people. They told me CNN had a do and wanted to invite me. Someone would be here in ten to 15mins to pick me up. It was 11 or 12 midday, I was in my nightie, crying like a baby and had no plans for the day, but to cry until I couldn't anymore.
I had to get over myself and rush. My sister was in my room, tearing up, it would have been a disaster if I hadn't got that call. Got to the bathroom, caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, and cried all over again! I heard the hooter (honking?). It was the police! They were on time. So far, I haven't experienced GMT (Georgian Maybe Time). Everyone's been pretty on time! I got ready, jumped in the car. Had my glasses on to cover up the eyes. We picked Harriet up and off we went!
Akhaltsikhe - New Castle
Thursday, 16th
Hard to believe training is over and we're about to part with the new friends we just just made! Sad day!
I've spent more time with some than others and was looking forward to getting to know everybody better. I feel like we've all been robbed!
We finished packing, some waited for their host families to pick them up at the lounge. I was in my room, chatting with my sister, on Facebook and on Twitter. I was nervous I might not have the internet at my new home, in which case, I felt, I needed to talk to my loved ones one last time.
I was nervous! Mostly sad. I couldn't make eye contact with anyone, I just wanted to cry. I took a picture of everyone standing waiting for their names to be called. Unfortunately I can't post it here, so don't look out for that one! I know! I know! There's always a story about my pictures. Sorry. At 1pm, our names were called out and we were united with our families or family representatives. I left in the same car as my room mate Harriet from New Zealand, we will be based in the same area. Clint won't be far from us, so he was in a car that followed us all the way to Akhaltsikhe (pronounced in Xhosa like so Arhaltsirhe). The drive was a whole another blog post! So brace yourself!
3hrs later, we arrived! Motion sickness and all. Oh and I had to use the bathroom on the way, so I went to a hole on. The ground, stinky! Stinky! And gross omg! I don't wish that loo on my worst enemy!
We went to the regional police station and were introduced to the bosses. Nice offices! Nice people! Clint left with some cops for his hotel, his family was not back from somewhere yet, so he was to stay at a hotel by his lonesome until the weekend. That didn't make sense to any of us. Why couldn't he stick around here and hang out with us until his family arrived seeing as we won't be working until Monday?
Harriet and I were taken to the Police station, nice building! Brand new, made of green glass! Clearly those police officers should know better than to throw stones cos people who stay in glass houses... You know the idiom! There, we were introduced and offered coffee again. It's nice how the TV's are on or dvd's and stuff at the offices here. Well, it's interesting that they have big LCD plasma's in their offices to begin with. The perks of having a low crime rate! Touch wood!
We then were asked if we were hungry, to which we said, 'YESSSSSS'. They took us, in 2cars! Just Harriet and I! To a restaurant down the road. It was very nice! We went to a special room where the table was set with some fine china. I was getting more and more emotional by the second. Everything made me want to ball my eyes out, EVERYTHING! I've got the pics for all this, let's see if at some stage, I'll be able to post them here.
I ordered Khinkali. The dumpling with a surprise mince ball inside! I've had Chinese ones before, those are smaller, these are a bit bigger and they add pepper over them at the table. Which makes them look nicer.
The food will be a whole another post as well.
We left about an hour later. I was dropped off, met my family, which was waiting outside the house for me with a few neighbours. We went upstairs, they showed me my room, I wanted to lock myself up and cry my lungs out, they wouldn't leave me alone. I had to be nice and polite.
Hard to believe training is over and we're about to part with the new friends we just just made! Sad day!
I've spent more time with some than others and was looking forward to getting to know everybody better. I feel like we've all been robbed!
We finished packing, some waited for their host families to pick them up at the lounge. I was in my room, chatting with my sister, on Facebook and on Twitter. I was nervous I might not have the internet at my new home, in which case, I felt, I needed to talk to my loved ones one last time.
I was nervous! Mostly sad. I couldn't make eye contact with anyone, I just wanted to cry. I took a picture of everyone standing waiting for their names to be called. Unfortunately I can't post it here, so don't look out for that one! I know! I know! There's always a story about my pictures. Sorry. At 1pm, our names were called out and we were united with our families or family representatives. I left in the same car as my room mate Harriet from New Zealand, we will be based in the same area. Clint won't be far from us, so he was in a car that followed us all the way to Akhaltsikhe (pronounced in Xhosa like so Arhaltsirhe). The drive was a whole another blog post! So brace yourself!
3hrs later, we arrived! Motion sickness and all. Oh and I had to use the bathroom on the way, so I went to a hole on. The ground, stinky! Stinky! And gross omg! I don't wish that loo on my worst enemy!
We went to the regional police station and were introduced to the bosses. Nice offices! Nice people! Clint left with some cops for his hotel, his family was not back from somewhere yet, so he was to stay at a hotel by his lonesome until the weekend. That didn't make sense to any of us. Why couldn't he stick around here and hang out with us until his family arrived seeing as we won't be working until Monday?
Harriet and I were taken to the Police station, nice building! Brand new, made of green glass! Clearly those police officers should know better than to throw stones cos people who stay in glass houses... You know the idiom! There, we were introduced and offered coffee again. It's nice how the TV's are on or dvd's and stuff at the offices here. Well, it's interesting that they have big LCD plasma's in their offices to begin with. The perks of having a low crime rate! Touch wood!
We then were asked if we were hungry, to which we said, 'YESSSSSS'. They took us, in 2cars! Just Harriet and I! To a restaurant down the road. It was very nice! We went to a special room where the table was set with some fine china. I was getting more and more emotional by the second. Everything made me want to ball my eyes out, EVERYTHING! I've got the pics for all this, let's see if at some stage, I'll be able to post them here.
I ordered Khinkali. The dumpling with a surprise mince ball inside! I've had Chinese ones before, those are smaller, these are a bit bigger and they add pepper over them at the table. Which makes them look nicer.
The food will be a whole another post as well.
We left about an hour later. I was dropped off, met my family, which was waiting outside the house for me with a few neighbours. We went upstairs, they showed me my room, I wanted to lock myself up and cry my lungs out, they wouldn't leave me alone. I had to be nice and polite.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Tbilisi by night
Training started every morning at 9 and our day would be packed until 9pm. Which was super hectic!
Saturday, 11 June
After training, we went on a walk to see the city. It started off as if we were just going to check out the neighborhood. An hour and tons of pictures later, we decided to walk back! Yup! And my group can walk fast, my gosh! It was more like a power walk than anything else. Oh and sight seeing.
I loved ever bit of it! Tbilisi is beautiful by night. I can't say anything about daytime beause I haven't been anywhere during the day.
We saw the president's palace. It's nice, like all pres' residences, it's a huge white house! We walked along this massive river on our way and finally made it home! We walked for a little over 2hours FAST! And managed to sight see :D.
I didn't even go to the bedroom, I headed straight to the bathroom, showered, jumped into bed and died! Pics will be on FB and if possible here as well. I'll inform you when I post them, where you can view them.
Monday 13th June
The 3 volunteers that hadn't had their medical check, me included were taken to the doctor's during lunch. We urinated in a cup, walked down the hallway back to reception, urine in tow, and had our blood samples drawn. Left there, driver and Tatia, gave us a bit of a tour of Tbilisi. Back to hotel, lunch, class.
we got our medical aid (or insurance) cards and bank cards.
Tuesday, 14th
We signed our official contracts.
Later on, we decided to take a marshrutka (shared taxi) somewhere to eat. It cost 50 Tetri (R2 or $0.30). We went up to the fortress. The hike took 45 mins! I went up a very high, dangerous looking, narrow flight of stairs, that didn't even have a rail on the side to hold on to. And hiked the whole thing until the tip. I'm so proud of myself. It's official! Fear of heights is no longer a fear for me! I conquered my fear! Yessssssss!
We walked back down, after posing for numerous pictures and found a small fast food restaurant where most of the guys had magarita pizzas, shwarma's, and I had a pork meal. I didn't feel like bread. So I had chips (fries), and pork. Absolutely divine and hot! We had a hot meal for the first time in Georgia! No more room temperature crap!
We walked home, it's about an hour's walk. We enjoyed it though. We passed the same route we did two nights before but this time found a powerpoint slide show thingy going on near the president's palace. It's like water sprinkling out from the ground, way up, in like a cirle. If you look at the sprinkles you see a slide show of amazing pictures of Georgia! I've never seen anything like it! We need something like that in South Africa! I reckon let's do it like in Soweto! The least expected place! That was awesome in the true sense and I'll never forget it! Everyone needs to see that even if it's once in their life.
Got home dog tired, went straight to shower. Missed my sis' calls. Felt horrible about that. She sent me an sms (text) and an email telling me not to worry her hubby just wanted to surprise me. So I stopped worrying :).
I updated my blog, atleast I tried, when I tried to post it, Opera Mini froze! I left it like that the whole night for it to defrost itself. Slept after 1am. Got up, still frozen, I had to take the battery out. Lost all the info I spent almost 30 mins jotting down. Great!
Wednesday 15th
Last day of training whoot!
Nice day all round. I didn't have to take pain killers today! I've been suffering from headaches since I got here, so yeah. I've got the flu, but I'll live. Stomach ache gone as well.
We had people from the police academy come talk to us about our summer job of teaching the police English. It'll be 18 hrs per week, for 3mnths. Hopefully I'll be able to occupy myself what with all the free time I'll have. We were placed in our areas. I'll be in Akhaltsikhe. Apparently it's a small town South of georgia, 30km frm the boarder of Turkey. Good times! I'm really excited about that! It won't take me long to get to Turkey. Whoot!
My room mate will be staying in a village like 12km from my place. And Clint, another teacher will be 30km away from me. Mine's apparenty a Jewish area, where people mainly speak Armenian.
We start work on Monday, the 20th. Which means, freedom this weekend with new family!
I wonder what we're all do? I wonder if anyvody speaks English. Omg, what? I actually wrote that with a British/New zealand accent. Can you tell? Smh!
We went out last night. All of us, a small group left earlier to go to the bookstore, another one took a marshrutka, we walked! Yup! I was in the group that walked, can you see a change in me and my attitude already? I know! I know! Thank you!
We met up with the rest of the guys, found a cafe, bought some drinks and drank on the side of the road. Yeah, you can do that here and not get into trouble at all! We hung out outsied for more than an hour just bonding. The gypsies (bos slaapers) came and caused some havoc! They grapped a huge chunk of one of our guy's shwarma! Then he pulled his hand away, and another gypsy grabbed the rest of the thing frm behind him. I've got pics to prove it, but won't share them cos he was not impressed with me taking that money pic of him. I still think it was hilarious. Especially cos it happened to him!
We took pictures, got drunk, went to a bar, called something like Budapest or Budebar, dunno! they closed at 2, and that's when we left, took a cab for GEL 5, (R20 or $3). Got home, hung out for another hour or so and most of us went to sleep. Not before I went to Michelle and Amy's room and we talked about, you know, girl's stuff.
I slept before 5 am and got up after 7. Gotta go shower, it's just before 9 and they serve breakfast until 9:30.
Saturday, 11 June
After training, we went on a walk to see the city. It started off as if we were just going to check out the neighborhood. An hour and tons of pictures later, we decided to walk back! Yup! And my group can walk fast, my gosh! It was more like a power walk than anything else. Oh and sight seeing.
I loved ever bit of it! Tbilisi is beautiful by night. I can't say anything about daytime beause I haven't been anywhere during the day.
We saw the president's palace. It's nice, like all pres' residences, it's a huge white house! We walked along this massive river on our way and finally made it home! We walked for a little over 2hours FAST! And managed to sight see :D.
I didn't even go to the bedroom, I headed straight to the bathroom, showered, jumped into bed and died! Pics will be on FB and if possible here as well. I'll inform you when I post them, where you can view them.
Monday 13th June
The 3 volunteers that hadn't had their medical check, me included were taken to the doctor's during lunch. We urinated in a cup, walked down the hallway back to reception, urine in tow, and had our blood samples drawn. Left there, driver and Tatia, gave us a bit of a tour of Tbilisi. Back to hotel, lunch, class.
we got our medical aid (or insurance) cards and bank cards.
Tuesday, 14th
We signed our official contracts.
Later on, we decided to take a marshrutka (shared taxi) somewhere to eat. It cost 50 Tetri (R2 or $0.30). We went up to the fortress. The hike took 45 mins! I went up a very high, dangerous looking, narrow flight of stairs, that didn't even have a rail on the side to hold on to. And hiked the whole thing until the tip. I'm so proud of myself. It's official! Fear of heights is no longer a fear for me! I conquered my fear! Yessssssss!
We walked back down, after posing for numerous pictures and found a small fast food restaurant where most of the guys had magarita pizzas, shwarma's, and I had a pork meal. I didn't feel like bread. So I had chips (fries), and pork. Absolutely divine and hot! We had a hot meal for the first time in Georgia! No more room temperature crap!
We walked home, it's about an hour's walk. We enjoyed it though. We passed the same route we did two nights before but this time found a powerpoint slide show thingy going on near the president's palace. It's like water sprinkling out from the ground, way up, in like a cirle. If you look at the sprinkles you see a slide show of amazing pictures of Georgia! I've never seen anything like it! We need something like that in South Africa! I reckon let's do it like in Soweto! The least expected place! That was awesome in the true sense and I'll never forget it! Everyone needs to see that even if it's once in their life.
Got home dog tired, went straight to shower. Missed my sis' calls. Felt horrible about that. She sent me an sms (text) and an email telling me not to worry her hubby just wanted to surprise me. So I stopped worrying :).
I updated my blog, atleast I tried, when I tried to post it, Opera Mini froze! I left it like that the whole night for it to defrost itself. Slept after 1am. Got up, still frozen, I had to take the battery out. Lost all the info I spent almost 30 mins jotting down. Great!
Wednesday 15th
Last day of training whoot!
Nice day all round. I didn't have to take pain killers today! I've been suffering from headaches since I got here, so yeah. I've got the flu, but I'll live. Stomach ache gone as well.
We had people from the police academy come talk to us about our summer job of teaching the police English. It'll be 18 hrs per week, for 3mnths. Hopefully I'll be able to occupy myself what with all the free time I'll have. We were placed in our areas. I'll be in Akhaltsikhe. Apparently it's a small town South of georgia, 30km frm the boarder of Turkey. Good times! I'm really excited about that! It won't take me long to get to Turkey. Whoot!
My room mate will be staying in a village like 12km from my place. And Clint, another teacher will be 30km away from me. Mine's apparenty a Jewish area, where people mainly speak Armenian.
We start work on Monday, the 20th. Which means, freedom this weekend with new family!
I wonder what we're all do? I wonder if anyvody speaks English. Omg, what? I actually wrote that with a British/New zealand accent. Can you tell? Smh!
We went out last night. All of us, a small group left earlier to go to the bookstore, another one took a marshrutka, we walked! Yup! I was in the group that walked, can you see a change in me and my attitude already? I know! I know! Thank you!
We met up with the rest of the guys, found a cafe, bought some drinks and drank on the side of the road. Yeah, you can do that here and not get into trouble at all! We hung out outsied for more than an hour just bonding. The gypsies (bos slaapers) came and caused some havoc! They grapped a huge chunk of one of our guy's shwarma! Then he pulled his hand away, and another gypsy grabbed the rest of the thing frm behind him. I've got pics to prove it, but won't share them cos he was not impressed with me taking that money pic of him. I still think it was hilarious. Especially cos it happened to him!
We took pictures, got drunk, went to a bar, called something like Budapest or Budebar, dunno! they closed at 2, and that's when we left, took a cab for GEL 5, (R20 or $3). Got home, hung out for another hour or so and most of us went to sleep. Not before I went to Michelle and Amy's room and we talked about, you know, girl's stuff.
I slept before 5 am and got up after 7. Gotta go shower, it's just before 9 and they serve breakfast until 9:30.
Welcome to Tbilisi, the city that loves you!
Friday, 10 June
I arrived in Tbilisi, smallest airport I've ever come across. A little interrogation from the passport control, supervisor was called cos OMG! THERE'S AN AFRICAN IN GEORGIA! Supervisor was like, so? Then I was let through. I couldn't find my luggage. I looked all over the show. Eventually found it with a huge red sticker on. There was aready a police guy standing by to ask me if I had anything I needed to declare. I was like, 'like what?'. He said 'anything you think we need to know about?'. I'm like ' well, here's my laptop, camera and...'. He said, 'no, here in your suitcase! What's in there?'. I said 'my clothes!'. He said, "ok,". And removed the sticker.
In my head, I'm like, why not just search the bag, and leave me alone dude! Gees! Anyway TLG was waiting for me at the entrance with 2other teachers who arrived in the same flight as myself. We all had a 7hr layover in Istanbul. But didn't see each other the whole time or something.
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We were then whisked off to Bazaleti hotel in town. Had a shower and a meeting in like an hour and a half of arrival. Yup, they waste no time here! We got our work cellphones, and talked basic stuff. Got introduced to each other. We are one of the smallest if not the smallest group. 15 people. 4girls. This is the only group of people I've ever seen where there are more guys than girls. Ever!
Dinner at 8. We hung out after that. I went to bed around 11pm. My feet were sooooo swollen!
Saturday, 11 June.
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Training started at 9, breakfast is every morning at 8. I have muesli and yoghurt every morning. They also serve dinner and lunch stuff every meal, like, they have pasta at breakfast, so yeah, it's different!
The food is like interestingly prepared. The potatoes are never cooked, just half way, and there's very little salt in the food. I noticed when I was in turkey that the salt was very weak, like almost salt-free. You can't add enough salt in the food cos it itself is so weak. You'd need to salt the salt first.
Other than that the food is not so bad. I'm looking forward to home cooked meals though. I think that's where the nice-ness will be.
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I arrived in Tbilisi, smallest airport I've ever come across. A little interrogation from the passport control, supervisor was called cos OMG! THERE'S AN AFRICAN IN GEORGIA! Supervisor was like, so? Then I was let through. I couldn't find my luggage. I looked all over the show. Eventually found it with a huge red sticker on. There was aready a police guy standing by to ask me if I had anything I needed to declare. I was like, 'like what?'. He said 'anything you think we need to know about?'. I'm like ' well, here's my laptop, camera and...'. He said, 'no, here in your suitcase! What's in there?'. I said 'my clothes!'. He said, "ok,". And removed the sticker.
In my head, I'm like, why not just search the bag, and leave me alone dude! Gees! Anyway TLG was waiting for me at the entrance with 2other teachers who arrived in the same flight as myself. We all had a 7hr layover in Istanbul. But didn't see each other the whole time or something.
Dinner at 8. We hung out after that. I went to bed around 11pm. My feet were sooooo swollen!
Saturday, 11 June.
The food is like interestingly prepared. The potatoes are never cooked, just half way, and there's very little salt in the food. I noticed when I was in turkey that the salt was very weak, like almost salt-free. You can't add enough salt in the food cos it itself is so weak. You'd need to salt the salt first.
Other than that the food is not so bad. I'm looking forward to home cooked meals though. I think that's where the nice-ness will be.
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