Gamarjoba, (Hello),  so we left our orientation site a week ago and came to Khashuri - about in the middle of Georgia, where we spend 3 months learning language, business, culture, security, and health. This is lovely small town where we can walk most places, and what great exercise.  It is surrounded by mountains.

 I am staying with a a wonderful family of:
Grandma Nellie- reminds me so much of my Grama Ko! and let's me struggle with my sign language daily,

Host mother - industrious and so friendly and open lovely woman with 2 children, one at home and one in the capitol.  She owns a sundry shop, works as school librarian, and also cooks about 300 school lunches each day from 4am - 9am.  Did I say she was hard working?  But great happy attitiude, plus Nellie sure helps out!

Host father - Gocha, hard working and kind, with a quick smile and friendly demeanor.  Owns a car repair shop in front of the house.  Georgia has a thriving business of repairing imported cars and re-selling them.  We see mercedes, alpha romeas!, Fiats, etc. running around town.

Host sister - Mariam is early 20s and getting executive MBA (my term) on weekends in capitol (Tbilisi) in auditing, while working full time in gas company here, about 1 1/2 hour from Tbilisi.  She is lovely and pleasant and speaks English!  Hurrah!

We study at school 9-6 daily except Sunday. So tomorrow we have day of rest - hurrah again.  This is exhausting but so exciting.

And last Sunday I attended Orthodox Mass. WOW.  The priest was in another room and came out just to read gospel (?) and shake the incense.  Lots of singing from the choir - also in the back room - and busy with people standing and walking around. They say some prayers for the dead and touch the floor at strategic times. Then they all kneel on the floor and kiss it.  No communion but I heard other churches did.  And the priest had the famous long grey beard and hat on.  My host sister went to a wedding today, but only family and close friends go to the church. The reception is in a restaurant in town.  And she was a dressed to the nines!  Fun time for them.

A few interesting tidbits:


Bathrooms - very nice, but all outside. I don't know why.  And toilettes are often in separate room than sinks.I am learning a whole new way to thinking about showers and restrictive drinking, and I'm not just talking about wine.  Ah,  the wine - all family made and it's great!   Georgian wine is very famous too, but I don't think in America. (is it Pearl?)

Water - is usually just available in the am, so they collect it and use it all day from a bucket in the kitchen.  They have a back up for showers if you really need one. But it's amazing how little you really need.

Gardens - fabulous - it will be my favorite experience in Kashuri this summer: flowers and vegetables. Irises, roses, mums and tulips are coming up.  Tomatoes, lettuce, strawberries on the way.

Dogs - they don't get pet here I guess, so they are all around, but never even give you the time of day. Just lay around.

Turkish soap operas - on each evening- really fun and demonstrative.  and great way to learn Georgian

FOOD - I had no idea how famous the are for their food.  Incredible use of herbs and seasoning. Bread, bread with cheese in it, BBQ on skewers, cakes, salad ( all types),  I can go on and on,  but will try to keep my girlish shape for the next 2 years.

Did I mention,  girls translates to GOGO,  Dada = mother,  mama = father, and bitchy means boys.  HA HA!

Pictures coming when I can figure out the connection.  I am lucky to have wifi most of the time, but many peers do not.  We have lost 2 volunteers that left in our first week here in Kashuri.  I hear that 10% leave during training, and about 1/3 don't finish their committed 27 months.

Missing friends and family but facetime'd with Matt and Amanda and Mom, so I got my fix, ... and I sure needed it this week.  (Did I mention the tough language training!?)

Have a great weekend,  I will.  Nock von dis! (Bye)

whoops - can't forget this disclaimer - this is my thoughts - not Peace Corps or US government :-)