You know you are back in Georgia when...

I just returned from France for Christmas back to Georgia . My first reminder I was back was in the airport luggage claim.  So many women in the their thirties and forties wearing all black.  I hate that - then looked down at my black jeans, black jacket and gloves, black turtleneck and black socks.  I quickly pulled out my bright green scarf and proudly displayed my tan cowboy boots, just to be a rebel. 

2. They still give out bottles of famous Georgian saperavi wine at passport control  :-)

3. You drive down the highway and see:

 - 20 inch fish from the local river strung across the open trunk of someone's car pulled over on the side of the highway

 - more sales tables - obviously recycled bottles - some have motor oil in them,  some sell wine in them

 - more Turkish fruit stands - oranges, pineapples (especially at holiday time) pomegranates, and persimmons, and the ever present wide selection of famous Georgian apples 

 -  a rack of ribs hanging from a small white cabinet next to the road with the words painted on a sign on the top ხორცი ( hortsi = meat). Refrigeration? 

4. You hop on the local marshutka and everyone says "hi kimi", and how was my son in საფრანგეთი (saprangeti = France). They all know I was away and invite me to their homes after I rest up.  That night in the Istanbul airport must have taken its toll.

5. Cows, sheep, and a recent addition of goats, now share the roads.

6. Gulf gas station signs all read გშლფი - or gulpi  -  since (remember) they have no F letter and all nouns have to end in a vowel.

7. SAFETY - All of France had a lot of rifle toting police patrolling the streets, as would be expected this year. And we have a lot of police in Tbilisi, but I don't even think most carry guns.  They are helpful and kind. Tbilisi is one of the 5 safest Capitols in the world, according to some article I read and can't remember where.  I believe it and missed it while away.

8. BAGS - went to the local grocery store in Tbilisi and walked out with 6 plastic bags, for 7 items.  In France you take your bags with you, or you walk out with everything in your hand.  (like Boulder, Colorado)

8. TRADEMARKS - Still no respect.  Bad picture, but this says Mc shawarma  - the turkish kabob.  Honest.  

Good to be 'home.'   Villages are full of fire works and crackers now.  I will work a few more days this year, help set up a more professional profit statement in excel for our social enterprise which successfully shared an almost living wage to 8-10 women in the settlement ( final numbers pending), then off to my training host family in Khashuri for the new year. New year is like Christmas in the US.  It is THE PARTY.  Can't wait.  

Christmas in Paris!

Cathedral in Auxerre - by moonlight.  Nice job, Matt!

Christmas in France with my son was a great plan. What a nice break from a busy December at the Koda Community Education Center. We wrote a big proposal for a cross border cultural initiative with Azerbaijan. It was a great experience.  And our social enterprise - Art Koda - had many successful Christmas shows.  But more about that later. Georgia doesn't celebrate much in December, except for the ex-pats.  Their big celebration is New Years, then Orthodox Christmas on January 7th, so it was a great time to escape to France to visit Matt.

Matt finished up for his semester abroad at IAU in the Aix en Provence business program so I flew into Marseille to meet him. We spent 2 nights at his host mom's home in Aix, driving over to Marseille to eat the best seafood at a highly recommended restaurant, Toin.  Aix is a lovely, cozy, college like town and a good landing for a semester abroad.  Matt studied French, media in conflict with a famous journalist, International Business, and photography.  Then we drove to Paris, by way of St. Etienne, Lyon, Auxerre, and Versailles.  Here are just some of the highlights.

my first non-Georgian restaurant...in a LONG time

Just looks like a nice college town, eh?

   

  Our Lady of the Guard Basilica

Marseille old port from basilica, highest point in Marseille

Avignon

The short cut to Roman theatre of Orange - built in early 1st C. AD

Auxerre old town - beautiful at Christmastime, and a nice resting spot

Had a wonderful time with our Servas friends near Lyon.  And a REAL french meal.  The most relaxing and interesting time of our entire trip. Great food, new and different drinks, local cheese, interesting conversation,wonderful hosts.  What more can I say?

St. Etienne, So great to stay in a real french home, and meet such wonderul, helpful folks.  THANKS!

Off the highway - wind power and nuclear power plants too.

Lyon - rainy, but the shops were still wonderful

 On to Versailles.  Matt was anxious to spend enough time there, and I wanted to see what the town was like as more than a day trip from Paris.  Our Airbnb was fabulous, with a lovely host.  I love seeing what the locals prioritize - like fresh squeezed orange juice, good jams, coffee in your room... It was a fun, and easy time.  Gardens, even in the winter, were beautiful.

                                   

 Turned in the car for a fast train and we were on to our airbnb in Montmartre.

The D'orsay had a special exhibit of female photographers. This is one of my favorite photographs.  I saw it in Elton John's collection in Atlanta once.  Funny juxtaposition of Impressionists and American Depression photographs.  Still amazingly poignant.

I forgot how much I liked this lesser known Monet, with its heavy brushstrokes

Just time to see the Rodin garden.  Good excuse to return.

 

Mass on Christmas at Notre Dame, of course.  Only difference was the policeman that processed in behind the Arch- Bishop.

Magnificent as always

Matt had to tell me about the bridge of locks. 

Left bank was a ghost town on Christmas day, but Luxembourg gardens, and palace,  the first Jeu de Paume if you will,  was still bustling.  

 

On business trips with IBM I often hung out here in the evenings, on the square just west of Sacre Coeur.  Loved it then, love it now. 

I was so pleased Matt could join me for Christmas and his first trip to Paris.  We missed Amanda, but glad to hear she had a fabulous Christmas skiing.  Then, exciting trip to our homes. Matt to tornadoes in Dallas which delayed his return to Colorado.  I flew through Istanbul for the night, then back to Koda.    Good to be back in Georgia... for another six months.
Here are a few random parting shots from the airports.

I have definitely become integrated. Now this makes perfect sense to me.  Squatting is better for your bodily functions, exercises the thighs, and more sanitary.  Of course!

One for men too. It's to wash hands, face, nose, ears and feet, before you pray

 

Festivals are somewhat different in Georgia: Tbilisoba

Tbilisoba -The annual festival committee, in the capitol of Tbilisi, worked to improve the format this autumn, after 35 years.   The winner of a public competition to rejuvenate the Festival planned for more cultural events be part of the Festival, not just drinking in the streets.(I sort of liked the wine tasting, since it is a rarity here)  First place winner Nino Lelashvili was chosen by the Tbilisi City Hall commission and online voting. By winning the top prize she also received 14,000 GEL. ($7000 dollars - really good money here!) Lelashvili recently finished a Master’s degree in Marketing Management at the Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University in the Netherlands and has since returned to Georgia.  I point this out because it is indicative of the many young people are being educated all over the world, yet seem loyal and ready to come back to Georgia. I like the diversity of events at the Tbilisoba. Game tables everywhere, gymnastics, dancing, music and performances, craft booths, new food sample booths, and international food court.  

Above right was one of the ancient Queen's palaces

This 16 year old girl challenged seven chess players, at the same time. And she beat them all.  It was amazing to watch. And sometimes she would instruct and not allow her opponents to make a bad move.  I also played chess with a local young man a while back.  He was world champ when he was 9, for that age group.  I learned so much.  Chess is very popular here. And good to see the girls compete as well.

gymnastic demonstration

Nardi, or backgammon is a popular, and testosterone driven game in Georgia. 

Who knows why? I played a fellow and he wouldn't even compete.

 Like he was being polite by not playing aggressively. How boring!

I love how they celebrate fresh fruit and
vegetables. Kids even love raw broccoli - a rare treat. 

Dance demonstrations

Peace Bridge - a very modern design surrounded by 9 + centuries of
historic buildings.  Oh well. The past president, saakashvili, named this
for the crossroads from the old way to Peace and liberty. 

More games for everyone to play

Street Vendors

kids were entertained all day

Food booths from many nations were on the river walk:
Georgian pork BBQ, Israeli, Ukraine, Greek,
Kazakhstan, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Turkish

My Art-Koda Social Enterprise colleagues: Ilia and Nunu

a successful and fun day