Couch Surfers part II

So my friend, Lo had two couch surfer dudes over for 'drinks'. One was from Turkey and the other from Poland. She and I had had plans to meet up, it so happened that she was with these dudes.
We automatically paired up, you know what it's like whene there are two guys and two girls? We weren't couples! At least, the Polish and I weren't (I've to speak for myself, right?).

We went for a walk around the city and bumped into T. Another volunteer. She joined us, she and I sandwiched the Polish inbetween us and took over his entire soul. He probably wanted to die, or scream out loud with excitement. We were slightly ooc (out of control). It was okay though because he threw some punches back our way as well. We sat at the square, near the "vulgar" water fountains as Lo called them because they have female statues with water sprinting out of the ladies boobies. After hanging out there for a bit, we walked further to find something to eat and ended up at, I think a Turkish restaurant by the Black sea. It was beautiful! I love the seaside at night, especially when there are ships/boats, the lights make it look so magical! The Turkish Delight (Turkish guy) "read" Lo's fortune from her Turkish coffee grinds. And T's. Polish and I were sceptic. We left for home around 11.

The next day, I got a call from Lo, she wanted to meet up at a cafe this time. I called T up, she was with another volunteer. The more the merrier, right? I met up with them where they were eating. We sat it out for a bit and then joined the gang, including the couch surfers at the other cafe. There were about 6 people over there! It was interesting. It's always fun having that many English speakers in one room! As in any big group of people, people talked to the ones closese to them. As the night progressed, T and I got deeper and deeper in conversation. I was enjoying out talks when everyone got up to leave. I decided to remain behind to finish our conversation. It turned out the surfers were staying behind as well. AWKWARD! Two girls and two guys! Then T and the Turkish paired up, then I was left to talk to the Polish, who at this point I had had enough off. I couldn't help but wish I'd left with the gang. I didn't even try to make small talk with Polish. It was pouring outside, really pouring, cats and dogs! the streets were flooded! I thought I'd take a cab with Polish and share the cost. His hostel wasn't far from my place.
 After some more awkwardness and third wheeling, We agreed to share a cab. I got dropped off first and couldn't have been more relieved to be out of that awkward situation.

The next day, T called to ask me for hotels in Tbilisi for Turkish Delight, enough said!

Sex Ginda?

Friday, 21st October.

My friend D, invited me over for the weekend. She's from Africa, I met her my first weekend away to Tbilisi when I still lived in Akhaltsikhe. We kept in touch via phone, but never met ever since.
I decided to hitch hike, because I had so much fun with it the first time I did. I took a bus to the hiking spot, just outside the city. I must have stood there for two minutes and I got a lift from a dude that was going to Rustavi. Past Tbilisi. I hit a jackpot! He spoke some English, was dressed really nicely, very stylish, he was a gentleman, he said nothing about sex or any such awkward conversation. He did call just about everybody he knew and told them that he picked up a zangi (Nigger) on the side of the road. He dropped me off outside D's house.

I had told my Georgian friend, B that I'd be in town. We agreed to meet up after his dance practice. My friend, D, had cooked for me: rice and fish cury. It was delicious! We never eat rice at the house and the fish was so delicious, and the fact that I was famished, because I don't eat when I travel, due to motion sickness. It's a 5hr drive from Batumi to Tbilisi. We had dinner and chilled, talked about Georgia, Georgians and life in General. D has lived in the country for 3years, her friend A, who was with her at hers when I arrived, 2. Their experience is different from what I'd expect from life in Georgia. I didn't want to jump to conclusions, I'd only just got there.

Around 6, B was done with dance, I took the metro to meet up with him. It was so nice to see him! It always is. He took me to the mountain, Tatsminda, where I have always wanted to go. It was freezing out. I think that's why we were the only ones there that night. We spent a little over an hour there, taking pictures, talking and being goofy. Did I mention it was freezing? From the mountan, he took me back to the Metro. He somehow left with my blackberry. Luckily, I remembered it before I boarded the metro, I ran back out, tried to find him. Good luck trying to find a Georgian among other Georgians, especially in winter, where all the guys are wearing blue jeans, and black leather jackets. The ladies, are in all black! I saw a dude approach me, asking if he can help me ( At least, I thought that's what  he was saying, because that's what I wanted him to say?). I told him I needed to use a phone. I was walking towards a puclic (pay) phone. He offered me his, thank goodness, I have memorised my cell number, it took me forever but I finally got it! Just after using this dude's cell. He said something along the lines of - Sex?! Seqsi , ginda? (do you want) Asi dolari (hundred dollars). I was like, "Heck no, freak!" I walked away, he followed me for a bit, "Modi, modi" (come here, come here!). I was like, thanks for your cell, bye!

Mr. Policeman who was sitting inside the station was looking at me as if wondering what was going on, but not concerned enough to ask. I just blurted out (when I figured he spoke English), Can you believe this guy? He's offering me $100 for sex. Mr Police said, " Only $100?" I rest my case!

I got home around 11pm, after a long misunderstanding with my friend, B, whom I told to go to the wrong station, blah blah blah.

Not much happened the next day, I had planned to go to Gori, to see the Stalin museum. I went as far as Didube Station, where I was to take the train or marshrutka to Gori. I changed my mind because my friend, D, had planned to go to choir practice with me. I decided to compromise and stay, so I headed back.
Practice was from 3-4. We left the house at 3:30. We were the first ones to arrive a few minutes after 3:30. The rest of the choir arrived after 4, 5 and 6.We stayed there until 7. Call it African time! There were no Georgians there! It was different being in the company of only black Africans in Georgia! We were about 15 in there. Unfortunately I didn't know any of the song they sang, the ones I kinda knew, were sang totaly differently.

The day was over, D and I talked about life and boys and friends and it was time for bed, the next morning, I headed back to Batumi. I hitch hicked back, just for the heck of it! I got a lift to Khashuri and had to hitch from there to Batumi. I'd never been to Khashuri before, the streets are narrow and people can stare over there! They yelled at me "Zango! Zango!( nigger) And to top it off, I needed to use the loo. I asked a random lady, who took me to a house nearby. The toilet was level ground with a small, round hole, same size as a cup in circumference. It was interesting, I had to politely decline. She took me to another one, which so happened to be her house as well. The hole was a tad bit bigger, I just had to use it! I had to walk for a km or so to an open spot to hike, where I soon got a lift to about 1hr away from Batumi, then I got a lift from a marshrutka (taxi) to Batumi. It was very nice of the driver to offer me a free lift!

I got home around 6/7, not so bad. I knew I wanted to hitch hike again, next time, I needed to go somewhere, but that story didn't have a happy ending...

Why is there a hearse outside our school?

In class with my co-teacher, I saw a commotion outside, moved closer to the window and saw a hearse. Flowers were all around it. There were men, picking the flowers up and putting them on the hearse. I asked my co-teacher, 'why is there a hearse outside our school?'. "And uhm, because uhm, this is a dead person!". 'Did those floweres fall of the hearse?'. "And uhm, flowers? Ah! Flowers! Kho! (Yes in Georgian). Flowers are from Europe".
'Did the flowers fall off the car?'. "And uhm, because uhm, the flowers, uhm, yes! Yes!-".
'Why are the flowers on the ground? Did they fall off the car'. By then, I was just trying to figure out if I can get her to understand my question. "And uhm, flowers, sorry, Brook, slowly please. I think so, I uhm, don't understand. Excuse me Brook".
'Do you know what flowers are?' "Yes! Flowers! Uhm, kho! Kho! These flowers are from Europe, Germany".
'What are those men doing' "oh, Brook, that's a dead person, and uhm, because the flowers".
'Look at this! I'm going to drop it. Do you see? It just fell off from the table. Do you understand what fall means?'.
"Yes! Yes! And uhm, the flowers - ". 'Wait! So this fell off the table. Did the flowers fall off from the top of the car? Why are they on the ground?'.
"I'm sorry Brook. Uhm, I don't understand". 'Which part of the question do you not understand? (I proceeded to write my question on the board. They usually understand written English better than spoken)'. "Aaahhhh, yes! Yes! Uhm, because this is a business. This business is for dead people".
The bell rang and it was time to go home. That was a 15minute Q & A between my English co-teacher and I.

Couch Surfing in Batumi

Yesterday was a bit of a slow day! Mondays to Wednesdays are my busiest days at school. Yesterday, however, my co teacher with whom I had 50 % of my classes, was off sick. And our classes were cancelled.

My last class was also cancelled because, we had to go to the department to - Well, S thought we were going to meet someone. She didn't know who. On our way there, S bought pizza, we sat on a banch on the side of the road to eat and chat. I met one of the teachers from my org. She was going to the opposite direction. I asked if she wasn't part of this 'meeting'. She said as far as she was concerned, it wasn't a meeting but we were supposed to collect our new books. Great! Finally!

When we arrived at the Resource Centre, there was a long queue of confused teachers. They had their ID's in hand and didn't even know what exactly they were about to sign for. It turned out we were signing for the books we already received. Seriously? We walked all the way to sign for books we ALREADY received? Couldn't this be done at the school on receipt of the books?

On my way from the Resource Centre, I talk a nice stroll and did some window shopping. I foun d a huge shop with cool clothes my size! Shocker! Lo called and was on her way back to Batumi. We met up and she told me about her latest endeavours. Very exciting stuff that I can't post here. Oh and I found out some cute guy I met here last month told Lo, I 'stole his heart'. Aaawww :(

Lo had an appointment with a couch surfer. We met this lady together. It was kind of nice! We sat along the port, in the dark, facing the sea and talked and talked and talked. The big boats (or ships) started moving. One by one, really slowly. It was awe striking! I'm gonna go back there, just to watch them again:).

The couch surfer was heading to Tbilisi on the night train, we got to hang out for more than an hour. Gypsies and random drunk men bothered us, but we survived.
After taking the surfer to a taxi, we went to the nearest bar, Lo had a bear, I inhaled 2nd hand smoke from dude that was sitting across us. Chain 'smorking'. He didn't really smoke the cigs, talked on the phone until they died and lit the next one.

Thereafter, we walked home. Turns out, Lo only leaves 3 streets from mine. She promised to take me for bicycle lessons with the random bicycles (I suppose - for hire), near the beach. Deal!

I got home around 10 pm, I was so tired. I went on line, researched my next destination, and went to sleep. My host family arrived just after me. It's very interesting how they almost always come home just after me, no matter what time I get home.

I must have slept around 1am.

Blonde Moment

I slept right through the night last night. I was up around 5. That's good for me,because either I sleep around 1/2am and wake up at 6/7 or will sleep early and be up from midnight until 4 and then sleep for one more hour.
Anyway, I watched The Real Housewives of Orange County for a bit and rushed through my morning routine. The rush is part of the routine. It 's the part I'd like to lose. I've literally only been on time two times in the month that I've worked at the school. Luckily for me, when I get to school, I usually find out thaty the first class had been cancelled or moved, or something. However, it's still a bad habit!

I start at 9:50 today. That's the class I'm usually late for! 9:00 is never a problem, it's the 50 that I can't calculate well. I left the house and people just wanted to chat me up on the way. I left at twenty to and it takes me 15 minutes, so I was already late. First, my host mom thought it would be cute to have the 3yr old calling me out the window as I walked away to school. I kept looking back, but cos I was rushing, and you have to look down when walking here, or you'll trip and fall, that's how bad the roads are, I just gave up and walked on.

Later on, a random Old man, said 'Superrrr! Delicious!' Then a woman, halted as she walked past. I was praying inside: please don't talk to me, please don't talk to me! I've got to get to work! Prayer not answered this time around! She stopped! And talked to me in Russian. That's English to them. They're convinced the whole world has Russian as a 2nd language. News flash! She asked me something. I just said 'sorry, I don't understand'. Because if I'd said it in Georgian, that would've started a whole another conversation 'Kartuli itsi? Georgia like? Khachapuri like? Khinkali like?'. I do didn't have time for that!

As I approached the school, I saw that people were still gathered outside. I was like, 'wait a minute! Maybe I've mastered this walk and it now only takes me ten mins instead of 15'. So proud! I quickly checked the time, it was 8:55! I'd have still been 5 minutes late, it does STILL take me 15mins to get to school, it's just that I left AN HOUR EARLY! Whaaaatttt!? I contained myself and decided 'I'm not telling anybody! That'll give them something to talk about! - small wonder she was on time! She's never on time, blah. And I wouldn't blame them. Tardiness isn't cute!'.

I guess I'll just chill at the cafeteria for a bit until my first lesson. Oh well!

Acclimatisation?

 I spent Friday at home, it was freezing, I couldn't be bothered to go anywhere. I did have plans to go dancing at night though. Unfortunately, my friend was too tired to go, he had to cancel. I was also half asleep by then.

Saturday, the weather was great! I went for a long walk in Batumi. I met two guys from Ghana. We talked for a bit. They're selling African Jewellery and have been here since the Summer. I went to the Swimming pool to enquire about swimming lesson rates. Too expensive for me! GEL 45 per lesson. (That's R180 per hour). Then I went on a hunt for a moisturiser. (Preferably with glitter;)). Most stores don't sell them, body cream, lotion, moisturiser, nothing! Which makes me wonder what all the Georgians use! Some Pharmacies have lotion, the cheapest is GEL 29 (R120). Clearly I'm not in SA anymore. Where you can get lotion for R10 (GEL 2.5). I went to 'the biggest' supermarket, Populi and they don't sell such a thing. Seriously! A supermarket that doesn't sell body lotion!

I made my way back home, feeling rather weird. My whole body hurt! Especially my back. On my way home, I met a random Georgian middle aged man, who went, 'Hello, my darling, how are you?'. I thought he was being kind of forward calling me his darling. 'How are you, honey?'. Oookkkkaaayyyy! We talked for a while. He lived in the States for 14yrs. He told me everything about himself, his life, Dallas Texas, and everything he knows in a matter of minutes. He's a cobbler, I'll be taking my shoes to hid for repairs, I've got lots that need fixing. He was impressed with my English for someone from South Africa. I didn't know whether that was a compliment or an insult.

I got home and stayed in bed for the rest of the evening. I went to sleep early, around 8. The next day, I felt worse! My whole body hurt. My back was literally in pain, pins and needles! I got a painkiller from my host mom and stayed in the entire day. The weather was fine, I wished I could go for a walk or something.

 Today, I still feel weird, my back doesn't hurt as badly as yesterday, but my throat! It's interesting because I'm recovering from the flu, but, it somehow seems as if, I'm coming down with it all over again.
I looked in the mirror at my throat, my tonsils are swollen and gross. And my throat has the same grossness that's on my tonsils. I won't disgust you any further with the gory details.

My friend had something similar last week, she told me it's some kind of an infection going around, because her friend had it the week before. So, yup! I'm a statistic!

 I'm at school right now, supposed to be in class, but apparently, my co-teacher has left, which means this classes have been canceled or the schedule has changed again. All I want to do is go home and sleep.
Update: I talked to my co-teachers, S said It's probably the climate change that causes me to get sick all the time. She said it will take me +-5 months to fully adjust.
I hope she's wrong!

I left school early, bought some meds at the chemist and came straight home.