Thursday, July 21, 2011

Is that hair in my cake or is it happy to see me?

Sunday 10th
I found out there's only one marshrutka back to Akhaltsikhe and it's at ten. Or eleven. Michelle's mom got up early to make me what I told them was my favourite Georgian dish and we left before she finished. Sorry:( and Thank you!
Her host dad walked us to the rank. I got myself soething to eat, Khachapuri (cheese bread) everything costs double in Kobuleti and Batumi what it does in my town. I also bought caramel cake. Fun times! Not - as I found a long lock of blonde hair in it later, and it hardly tastes like it looked. The cake, not the hair!
It was nice at Michelle's. That's when I knew for sure that my family is weird and abnormal and there are much micer families out there.
Motion sickness! As usual!
I slept most of the ride home. When I arrived, I bought a belated birthday gift for our baby boy, he's 5. I got him a nice police set, badge, gun, hand cuffs, the works. He threatened to shoot me with it the entire evening.
I spent a minute or 2 on the net and went to sleep.

Romantic weekend in Batumi

Saturday, July 9
We took a marshrutka to batumi, L2 (R8). 30 mins. Mich, her 12yr old host brother, Shota and myself. We met up with Caleb, one of our group members who doesn't stay far frm Batumi. We walked the city. Man oh man, I'm in love with Batumi! It reminds me so much of Durban! It looks like no other city here! Pictures! Pictures! Pictures!
People asked for my picture, they asked to take pics with me, they took my pics without my consent, I took their pics in return, just for kicks!
We went to Goodwill. Just cos! It's smaller than I expected. I took pics and was reprimanded by the cute security guard.
More walking, window shopping, literally! Cos most of the stores were still closed after 10am. We saw some cute guys! Lots! Our group arrived around 12/1. As we met up with them, our friends from the night before arrived. We waited for them and told our group we'd catch up with them at the restaurant. I saw Josh, he was so drunk, at like midday, the detox must have the opposite effect on him.
The 2 guys from Kobuleti said they couldn't join us, they had work to do. We expected the 3 nice ones. All 5 of them showed up. No problem for me, awkward for Mich cos she was practically engaged at this stage! You see if a guy so much as shows interest in you, you're his! You're married, and probably pregnant!
It was good to see Li :) he's cute, I like his long hair! I'm a sucker for guys with funky hair! Or just guys in general, really!
We met up with the gang at the restaurant. Ours was a huge s table. Probably 3 tables put together, for my group, Josh's group and our new Georgian friends. We ate some nice food. I had sea food, and fried rice. It was delish. Our Georgian friends paid! We initially had planned on paying for their meal. But oh well!
Because our group arrived hours after us in Batumi, they spent the whole daying playing catch up with us. We had to split. Our GE friends wanted to go to the beach, for a swim. Varzha wanted to buy Mich a swimming costume so she could swim, I reckon he wanted to see her naked. Pic, pics, pics! The boys changed into black shorts. I don't know if this was a coIncidence and swam! I took my leggings off, and went in the water. Can't swim:(
More pics and the 3 guys had to leave. Varza, Giorgi, Shota (the 12yr old) and I met up with the group, briefly. The museum was closed, we missed it by like 5mins. We went to the botanical gardens. Nice! Huge! Up and down hilly walking. Pics, awkwardness as Varzha spent the whole time asking me about Mich and I spent the whole time trying to get him to ask her! He practically told me he loves her and wants to marry her!

On our way out, we pumped into Iranians that were holidaying in GE, they gave us huge slices of watermelon! Oh Georgia! There were 5 of us and they had enough for all of us? Pictures! Marshrutka back to Batumi. We met up with the group again, had dinner. I had to try archaruli from Batumi, I believe they make the best in the country. I did! And I enjoyed it and will eat it again, next time I'm there cos 'I will be back!'
We hung out a bit.
Varzha said it was time to go and disappeared with the lil boy for ten mins. It felt like an hour and a half. He left his 4ne behind. Classic!
We later found out he went to buy Mich a present and all the stores were closed. It was 10pm on a Saturday night. I wonder why the stores were closed!
We bade out friends good bye. And walked towards the fountains. Man, those were awesome! They are activated by the music that plays across the fountains, the louder and faster the music, the higher the water splashes out of the fountains. Utter Awesomeness! Pics! And amazement! Oh and more pictures of me with random people. At least they asked!
Then we went to see the statue of Ali and Nino. That's a to be seen in Batumi as well. It's 2statues that rotate toward each other, kiss and rotate away from each other, only to get back at each other omg! Loved it!
All this time, at the statues, Varzha had his hand on the small of Michelle's back. No comment.
We took a cab home. An hour or so later! The guys asked us to go home with them, we politely refused. Bedtime!

Kobuleti! No, it's not Laser Tag!

We dropped some people off in Kutaisi, and off to Kobuleti we went (this is where Michelle stays, just before batumi). I saw the Sea! Exhale! Say shoop! Say shoopy, shay shoo-hoop! Shoopy doo! Hoo, hoo hooo!
5hrs later, we were in Kobuleti. Mich and her host sis' came for me. I still felt motion sick, it lasts longer than normal here. It starts off way before the motion itself and lasts way pass. Don't ask!
5mins walk to Mich's house, met the mother and Father. Lovely couple. Warm! Nice big house! With the biggest balcony ever! It's the size of 2 rooms! Michelle and her host mom speak French to one another, sick! Love it! Who would've thought they'd polish up on their French in GE?
She cooked for us! We had pizza (home made! I had a thousand slices), chicken! Omg, meat? Yesssss, chicken! {First of all, omg food! Cos I never get food at my house, and if by some miracle I do, it's bread and cheese or bread and something rotten or undercooked}. Small fried quarter chickens, potato chips, and stuff, too many to list here and dessert. It looked like strawberry flavoured maize meal porridge. I just tasted it and was good. I'm not huge on umdoko/isdudu.
Mich and I went for a walk to the beach. Yep, she lives that close to the beach! The beach here has rocks instead of sand, so it's kind of uncomfortable to walk along it. But it had to be done! How else would I get to the water? Huh? I did and Mich 2k some pics of me doing it! So yep! I can prove it!
While walking to see the rest of the beach front we say 2guys, one of them was Asian, Mich is Asian. She went all cute on me and was like, 'an Asian! An Asian!'. I said let's stalk them! We turned around and power walked behind them trying to catch up. we finally did! 'Hello! Do you speak English?'. "Uhm, my English is very poor!". It was in that instant that I fell inlove!
His name's Li, he was with his 4 friends who popped out of nowhere as we were small talking with them. They invited us to their flat close by. We agreed. We played Laser shoot. No, not laser tag! First of all I don't know what later tag is and I didn't know what lazer shoot was until that day! But apparently, it's not the same thing! We used huge machine guys to lazer shoot animals on the projector screen, it was fun! The room was super hot, I got sweaty and gross but it was tons of fun. 5 guys, 2girls, in a small dark room, shooting at animals. Perfect!
Li and Beqa are dancers, we begged them to dance for us. They did! Cute! I took videos. If I can, I'll upload them later.
More chatting, some of them spoke English, some didn't. One looked 12, he's 20, one looked 25, he's 18, you catch my drift. Li's 28, which suits me just fine, thanks!
We hung out with them until around 12am, it was meant to be for an hour. It lasted longer.
3 of the boys took a marshrutka to Batumi, 2stayed at the flat. They asked us to go back with them, we politely declined. We liked the ones that had left more and they speak English. Plus it was midnight!
We chatted at bit! It was so nice! Mich got a text frm Varzha, one of the guys who stay in Kobuleti. He was declaring his affection for her. Saying how he wouldn't sleep that night, but would dream of her blah.

Batumi?

Friday, July 8
My group will be in July this weekend.
I'm going to join them! If by some chance, I don't, then I'll go to Clint's in Akhalkalaki. I told Tyna that as well.
Somehow, she understood that we're all going to Clint's. As in Harriet, Tyna and I. Clint started getting the spare room ready, he went shopping for blankets and things for us. My mind was set on Batumi, if you know me, you'll know how much I love the sea. I was so looking forward to it. I was nervous about accommodation, it's summer time and Batumi is a tourist town. What if I don't find accommodation?
Josh is renting a 2bedroom apartment, he had told be before that I should come visit for like a week. I can't because unlike him, I'm working. He's on summer holidays. We settled on a weekend. He said he wanted to be by himself his first week in Batumi and detox, his family makes him drink all the time. Fair enough. This was the 2nd weekend. When I talked to Amy, one of our group members, I found out that she'll be staying at Josh's for the weekend. When I talked to Josh about going to Batumi for the weekend and accommodation, he offered to ask his friends for contact details of homestays in the vicinity. I got the hint, the offer to stay at his no longer stood.
I asked if he could meet me at the Rank on my arrival as I didn't know the area and my friends would only arrive the next day, Saturday, he said he didn't know if he'd be around, they were planning on going to Turkey. Fair enough.
I confirmed with the girls here that I'm def going to Batumi on Fri. Harriet couldn't come along because she had classes until late Friday and it's a long drive. Leaving Saturday morning would've been a waste. According to her.
I told my fam and my student's I'll be going to Batumi for the weekend. They told the rest of the country, even people who don't know me.

I had 3 lessons that Friday, after the second one, well, we only do the test Fridays, I took my assistant with me to confirm marshrutka times. It was 11:25. They told me the last marshrutka'd leave in 5 mins. We ran to the shop, bought something to eat, toilet, filled my water bottle up, the marshrutka was hooting for me outside the station. They'd asked me to pay my L20 (R80) beforehand to secure my seat. I ran out and off to Batumi I went!
It was hot, dirty, it smelled and there wasn't enough room for my legs. I sat next to a girl who had tons of luggage, which reduced the space even more, she was sweet and spoke English. That helped.
I had my Lobiani (bean bread/pie) as I was starving cos I didn't get breakfast at the house. You know how they do, no food for Brook! Or Brut as their son calls me.
We stopped just before Kutaisi for a chama station! (Toilet break). 2turkish toilets, stank like hell! They don't flush, gross gross gross!
We had to pay 20 Tetri (80 cent) to use them. I got stared at and someone took a picture of me outside the toilets, all in a day's work!
I called Michelle to tell her I was halfway yo Batumi. She told me she asked her family if I could stay over for the weekend and they agreed! Success!

Uraveli Part 2

The picnic was nice. It was 2guys from the office, one of their wives, 2 more chicks and the chick frm the bank. The bank's in the same block as us, we actually share office space. People who need help from our office, have to stand by the bank. Go figure!
We ate, and drank, and toasted. They toasted to to my birthdaying peeps back home. How sweet!
I had barbecued pork and fish, my 2 favourite meats. I was too stuffed to eat anything else. You must realise because I don't get fed, my stomach has somewhat shrunk and when I do eat, I get full forever.

I wish I could've brought Martyna with me! More so because I told her about the gig and she got ready, then the colleagues made excuses when I asked if she could join us. Which sucks because she includes me in her things. We left around 9/10. My assistant needed to relieve her baby-sitter. I was dropped off at Martyna's. Apparently, Giorgi was there, 'looking' for me. Cut to, home, sleep.

Wednesday, 6th July
Work, Martyna told me Giorgi wanted to take us out for a picnic. After confirming that he was going to drive us in his big car (Pimped out Landrover Defender), I agreed!
We all clubbed up L10 each (R40). They bought food and drinks, I.e. Pork, fruit, vege, bread, pineapple juice for me. I hate it! Egg plant for Harriet, she hates it! Borjomi mineral water for me, I hate it! Clearly, we all need to get involved when shopping for our next thing-a-magic! Or better yet, bring our own stuff!
The picnic was at Uraveli, where I was the previous day, different spot, Giorgi, his wife, Martyna and Harriet and I were there. It was ok. We didn't stay too long. Frm there, I may have hung out at Tyna's and she may have walked me home in the middle of the night.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Food please! gees!

Tuesday, 5 July
No breakfast for me at the house, I'm not sure why. I bought something frm the store on my way. 2 'fat cakes'. One with vienna (hot dog) and one with potatoes inside.
It's Pru, Mbasa and Bongi's birthday. That's my sis, nephew/brother and my friend frm SA.
I called them on my way to work and couldn't get hold of Pru.
Lunchtime, 3 students showed up for class, the schedule has been changed and they're not familiar with their new one, that's why. We postponed that class for later.
That left me with a long s lunch break. My assistant, Tiko, took me home. My host sister looked like she just saw a ghost when I walked in. Of course, she had the key on the lock, so I couldn't use mine, I had to ring the bell. All in a day's work!
I took a nap, in an hour's time, Tiko called from outside. I was so hungry! I could smell food in the house, but nobody offered it to me as they usually call me to the dining table for meals. Instead when I was on my way out, Shorena, my host sis, introduced me to her family. Then bade me farewell on my empty stomach. I did one more class and was done for the day. On my way home, I bought some junk food. The way home passes by Lia's work. She asked what I had bought and subsequently grabbed my plastic and emptied it to see. She was so concerned that I'd bought food. And so much food lol, pms! She asked why, I told her I was hungry, and I didn't get any food at home. She felt really bad. She may have called shorena while I was walking home. The key was in the lock, I had to ring the bell again.
I got home, locked myself up in my room, stuffed myself silly with junk and updated my blog.
Shorena came by about an hour later Broooooooooookkkkk! I hate how she says my name! No answer! She knocked or banged the door and tried to let herself in, but I'd locked frm inside. She knocked and knocked on the glass of the door. It was really loud. She went vaime deda (aka omg). Brooooooooookkkkk! No answer. I took a snapshot of her.
30minutes later my colleagues and students picked me up! We went to Uraveli for a picnic. I didn't think about this when I stuffed my face up with junk!
More on that on the next entry, I've to get ready for work