Made it! I'm officially a Peace Corps volunteer

I passed the Georgian language test of intermediate level, was sworn in by the US ambassador Norland,  helped sing the Georgian national anthem at the ceremony ( based on two Georgian operas, is beautiful, google it!) and had a kick off meeting for a great new project - in four days.  I am working for an incredible organization and manager,  supporting 2000 internally displaced people from the 2008 Russian invasion of Georgia.  Great people and what great cooks too!  (Just saying)

My assignment... but if you teach a man to fish...

So after six weeks of  language, culture and security training, we were given our two year Peace Corps assignment. I will be going to an IDP camp (internally displaced persons) called KODA, about forty minutes south of the capitol, Tblisi.  This is a group of 2000 Georgians that were displaced in the 2008 conflict when Russia invaded Georgia (for a second time since their independence in 1991) and took over a big chunk of land in the center of the country. In all, 20% of Georgian land is being occupied by Russia, and about 20% of its people have been displaced. It is so difficult because, as I have learned, that their land which was handed down through generations is the basis for their livelihoods in many cases from this area.

The camp has a reputation for being forward thinking and optimistic in character. I will work for a nonprofit that is funded by a German educational foundation (DVV) that has proven successful in the former Soviet states in training for new careers.  I hear these people are courageous and positive.  I hope to help with business development and finding sustainable employment and trainings for this group. I hope I can help, but I am sure I will learn more than I can offer them.

I asked to be with IDPs and, being a capitalist, I can easily relate to the old saying, " give a man a fish and he eats for a day. But teach a man to fish and he eats for his life." Many of these people believe the same, and that is why they are anxious to take training classes, etc.

By the way, if someone invaded the US and took 20% of our land, do you know what that would include?  Well I did the research. 20% of the US would cover:

Maine, Vermont, New Hamphire, New York (yep... All gone), Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia,  North Carolina,  and we even have to throw in Florida for good measure!  

Isn't it amazing. That is exactly what Georgians are feeling now.  One in every 5 people has lost their homes, many their livelihood, but they are still the giving, generous people that I have come to know and love.

And as far as the job market goes, it  also makes me think of western NC with all the lost industry the state has experienced over the last twenty years.  Maybe I will learn something I can take home with me?

... but first I have to pass the language exam in 2 weeks so I can be sworn in.  The jury is still out. :-) Happy Birthday America. It was special to celebrate it in Georgia, but great to be with a great group of special Americans too.  

Mandatory Disclaimer:  These views and opinions are mine and mine alone, not Peace Corps, or US Government or others, just me. 

Supras: great music, singing and dances!

What a great supra tonight in our garden, under the grape vines and the stars! My host family father entertained his business partners with BBQ, salads, wine, watermelon and great bread. They all entertained with a great clarinet, accordion (Matt P. I took a close up picture for you) and drums.   And beautiful songs, ballads, dances and toasts.  And yep, I'm learning Georgian dances too.

Georgian Tamadas (toastmasters) are elegant speakers, and even share poetry.  But it sure made me realize that I have missed music, and our LGBD group, and will so miss the Kiedrich visit. Have a wonderful time in the States  Martina, Ralf, and everyone!

Tbilisi : Capitol of Georgia

Tbilisi, the Capitol and largest city of Georgia, has a population of over 1.5 million.  It is an amazing city of history and current events. Election Day was last Sunday, and how exciting it was to see Georgians getting out the vote. My family all dressed up for the occasion.

But back to Tbilisi... We drove about an hour and a half from Khashuri, my town. Remember the entire country is only 5 million and less than half the size of Kansas.  So the Capitol is The Place even though I hope I have shown you some lovely historical and beautiful natural sites.

Here are some sites: Holy Trinity Cathedral, amusement park overlooking the city,  government buildings, monument to st. George, and one of about 10 wedding couples.

Mtskheta: cathedrals and a new Georgian saint

Mtskheta:  remains of towns at this location have been dated to earlier than the year 1000 BC, and Mtskheta was capital of the early Georgian Kingdom of Iberia during the 3rd century BC – 5th century AD. It was a site of early Christian activity, and the location where Christianity was proclaimed the state religion of Kartli in 337. Mtskheta still remains the headquarters of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Due to its historical significance and numerous ancient monuments, the "Historical Monuments of Mtskheta" became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

While visiting Mtskheta ( boy I sure have to turn off this spell check) we visited the tomb of St. Gabriel, 1929-1995, the newest saint in Georgia. He was canonized in 2012. How special to have a contemporary become saint. He ministered to many, many Georgians, and was known to have stood up to the Soviets throughout their occupation, and performed many miracles as well as prophesies that came true. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_(Urgebadze)

1.8 million year old demonstration of love... The Georgian Way

Anthropologists unearthed the skull at a site in Dmanisi, a small town in southern Georgia, where other remains of human ancestors, simple stone tools and long-extinct animals have been dated to 1.8m years old.

Experts believe the skull is one of the most important fossil finds to date, but it has proved as controversial as it is stunning. Analysis of the skull and other remains at Dmanisi suggests that scientists have been too ready to name separate species of human ancestors in Africa. Many of those species may now have to be wiped from the textbooks, due to the fact that buried together were skulls that reflected characteristics of Homo Erectus, Homo Habilis, and Homo Rudolfensis. 

The latest fossil is the only intact skull ever found of a human ancestor that lived in the early Pleistocene, when our predecessors first walked out of Africa. The skull adds to a haul of bones recovered from Dmanisi that belong to five individuals, most likely an elderly male, two other adult males, a young female and a juvenile of unknown sex. 

So now kimi's commentary... This homo erectus example also has anthropologists wondering. Why? Because one of the skulls shows a grown person, with no teeth, but with smooth sockets, filled in by bone. In other words,  he looked about 40 years old and seems to have lived about two more years after all his teeth fell out... Am impossibility they say?  Maybe his companion helped him, chewed his food for him? What a wonderful thought to see the first signs of human caring. 

Georgians are famous for their hospitality.  They say it may be because they were invaded so often that they just learned to be nice to everyone? But maybe this 1.8 million year old example shows they  were a caring people a long time ago!

I will be getting my permanent assignment soon, and visiting the site, a month before we finally move there. Wish me luck!   

Kim dixoni

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/oct/17/skull-homo-erectus-human-evolution.   For more info. 

A little traveling in Georgia.

We were finally given a little free time, to job shadow other volunteers in Georgian Peace Corps. I was lucky to shadow a delightful young woman in Ozergeti, Jessica Craven, working at a non-profit there.  The NGOs I feel are temporarily filling a gap left between the new government and the old Soviet Union.  Youth development, prison parole support, job skills, etc.  When the Soviets left, they took much of the industrial machinery with them, plus a very large customer market. But the Georgian citizens are doing very well in moving forward: finding new markets, new industries, etc.

New church in kutaisi... Kutaisi is one of the five oldest cities in the world! And was the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Colchis. Archeological evidence indicates that the city functioned as the capital of the kingdom of Colchis as early as the second millennium BC. Several historians believe that, in Argonautica, a Greekepic poem about Jason and the Argonauts and their journey to Colchis.

Also see pictures of Jessica's host family, Mexican night. Kutaisi also has a popular McDonaldi's ...especially for birthday parties.

Jessica and host family

McDonalds

Mexican is a BIG DEAL here.  New spices, hurrah