Georgia on my mind. May 9, 2008 9:12 AM Subscribe
Update to this thread.
So, after getting offered an assignment that I felt I couldn't take, I got contacted by the Peace Corps on Monday. They wanted to give me an invitation for an assignment in Easter Europe/the Cauaus that leaves mid June. I got the official assignment yesterday, and it's for Georgia. I'm grabbing it.
So, thanks to everyone that wrote in that thread and/or has been in touch with me since then. It's been a strange trip that didn't turn out as I had planned, but I'm excited (and terrified!) and I feel for a large part, I have this community to thank for this whole situation.
So, after getting offered an assignment that I felt I couldn't take, I got contacted by the Peace Corps on Monday. They wanted to give me an invitation for an assignment in Easter Europe/the Cauaus that leaves mid June. I got the official assignment yesterday, and it's for Georgia. I'm grabbing it.
So, thanks to everyone that wrote in that thread and/or has been in touch with me since then. It's been a strange trip that didn't turn out as I had planned, but I'm excited (and terrified!) and I feel for a large part, I have this community to thank for this whole situation.
Good luck, and take lots of photos. Keep them. 30 years from now, they'll be incredibly important memories.
One of my biggest regrets in life is the 10,000 or so photographs that I had from my years in Thailand, Japan, and other places around the world from the early 1970's that were lost during a series of household moves. I'd literally give anything I owned to have them back.
posted by pjern at 9:21 AM on May 9, 2008
One of my biggest regrets in life is the 10,000 or so photographs that I had from my years in Thailand, Japan, and other places around the world from the early 1970's that were lost during a series of household moves. I'd literally give anything I owned to have them back.
posted by pjern at 9:21 AM on May 9, 2008
Drink the wine. Enjoy the legendary Georgian hospitality, and especially try the "kharcho" (spicy lamb stew with rice), "suluguni" (fried goat (?) cheese), and definitely "satsivi" (a kind of magnificent roasted chicken in a special nut sauce, takes 24 hours to cook if done properly).Learn how to make a proper Georgian toast (often a half-hour-long parable). Get used to seeing watermelon everywhere. Ride a donkey through the mountains. Avoid being shot by separatists.
posted by nasreddin at 9:23 AM on May 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by nasreddin at 9:23 AM on May 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
I'd guess it'd probably be smart to avoid being shot by anyone, anywhere. Then again, I guess I'm not entirely 100% up to date with the Peace Corps' long-term strategy, so maybe the shooting thing is a little more nuanced in the handbook? I say RTFM.
posted by Plutor at 9:37 AM on May 9, 2008 [4 favorites]
posted by Plutor at 9:37 AM on May 9, 2008 [4 favorites]
This is a song by Bulat Okudjava about the hospitality and awesomeness of the Georgian people.
It's in Russian, but the gist of what I'm trying to communicate is... how wonderful! Have fun!
posted by prefpara at 9:39 AM on May 9, 2008
It's in Russian, but the gist of what I'm trying to communicate is... how wonderful! Have fun!
posted by prefpara at 9:39 AM on May 9, 2008
Oh, and read some Shota Rustaveli to get a feel for the culture.
posted by nasreddin at 10:33 AM on May 9, 2008
posted by nasreddin at 10:33 AM on May 9, 2008
That's cool. Easter Europe is way better than Christmas Europe.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 10:46 AM on May 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by EndsOfInvention at 10:46 AM on May 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
Have fun, piratebowling! If you can make it down to Macon, there are some beautiful antebellum mansions to explore.
posted by deern the headlice at 10:57 AM on May 9, 2008 [4 favorites]
posted by deern the headlice at 10:57 AM on May 9, 2008 [4 favorites]
I have always wanted to go botanzing in the Caucausus. I hope you have a rewarding time on your assignment and meet some fun people.
posted by oneirodynia at 11:00 AM on May 9, 2008
posted by oneirodynia at 11:00 AM on May 9, 2008
Obama is doing well in the Caucuses!
posted by found missing at 11:24 AM on May 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by found missing at 11:24 AM on May 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
Aw man, wish I hadn't missed the original questions so that I could have thrown my recently experienced hat in the ring for Africa - I'm so bummed that didn't work out for you.
But Eastern Europe will be great. Kudos on you for doing this - look forward to touching base back here at a meetup when you return and seeing how it went.
posted by allkindsoftime at 11:24 AM on May 9, 2008
But Eastern Europe will be great. Kudos on you for doing this - look forward to touching base back here at a meetup when you return and seeing how it went.
posted by allkindsoftime at 11:24 AM on May 9, 2008
I am enormously envious. Georgia! Enjoy it, and enjoy it a little bit for me.
posted by Wolfdog at 11:29 AM on May 9, 2008
posted by Wolfdog at 11:29 AM on May 9, 2008
Drink the wine.
I was going to say that! Wine may have been invented in or around Georgia. Also, everything else nasreddin said. And try to learn at least a little Georgian (you can start with the greeting gamarjobat!, which is unusually easy to say for a Georgian word; 'thank you' is gmadlobt)—they'll really appreciate it.
Eastern Europe will be great.
Georgia is not in Eastern Europe. But the Caucasus is great too.
posted by languagehat at 11:35 AM on May 9, 2008
I was going to say that! Wine may have been invented in or around Georgia. Also, everything else nasreddin said. And try to learn at least a little Georgian (you can start with the greeting gamarjobat!, which is unusually easy to say for a Georgian word; 'thank you' is gmadlobt)—they'll really appreciate it.
Eastern Europe will be great.
Georgia is not in Eastern Europe. But the Caucasus is great too.
posted by languagehat at 11:35 AM on May 9, 2008
Very cool. Take pictures, have fun, and be safe (in whatever order you like).
posted by quin at 11:50 AM on May 9, 2008
posted by quin at 11:50 AM on May 9, 2008
Georgia is one platypus of a country. Insanely old, not in Asia and not in Europe and somewhat poisonous when irritated. Their language, ქართული ენა is very representative of the weirdness. Whatever happens, you will have stories to tell.
posted by Free word order! at 12:21 PM on May 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by Free word order! at 12:21 PM on May 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
Remember, keep it clean, no hitting below the belt, and release on a tap out.
GO!
posted by blue_beetle at 12:52 PM on May 9, 2008
GO!
posted by blue_beetle at 12:52 PM on May 9, 2008
Be sure to eat a lot of yogurt.
posted by Dave Faris at 1:10 PM on May 9, 2008
posted by Dave Faris at 1:10 PM on May 9, 2008
Wow, excellent news sister! Inshallah I will see you there some day. Yes, the psychedellic squiggles you see on all the signs is actually a system of writing. :)
posted by Meatbomb at 1:43 PM on May 9, 2008
posted by Meatbomb at 1:43 PM on May 9, 2008
I'm in Armenia right now. Congrats for going to Georgia. If you have any questions about the region, please email me.
posted by k8t at 7:14 AM on May 10, 2008
posted by k8t at 7:14 AM on May 10, 2008
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posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:14 AM on May 9, 2008