Kargaaad! An adventure in Georgia: September 17th to September 28th: first and second week of school

My first week of teaching has been stunning, teaching at this school is fantastic, and I enjoy coming in to work, these two weeks has past by so quickly, I fear the second half of my stay in Georgia will zoom by before I realize that it is over. My work schedule is sparse, I teach one or two, and sometimes three classes a day. I have a lot of free-time in the village, so I usually come to school early, around ten and leave much later usually at two or three. While I'm at school, I attend my designated lessons, and sometimes I go to extra lessons!

Students are very happy to see me. I am accosted frequently between and during my lessons. I have conversations of varying complexity to almost student. Some are more shy, and others will jump right out in front of me with a hearty "Hello! How are you!" or simply speak and try to explain Georgian to me. I often try to sneak English words into their vocabulary, often saying "I will see you later" "I am glad/well/happy." instead of a simple "Good" or "Goodbye."

Inside the classroom, I try not to be too much of a distraction, regardless if the students would be distracted with out my presence! Most of my duties inside the classroom consist of helping with pronunciation or spelling. Both of my co-teachers are adequate in explaining material, but sometimes will have difficulty in idiomatic expressions and with pronunciation themselves. Apart from an occasional comment, I try not to distract too much attention from my co-teachers. They are the main teacher, and I am their auxiliary. Because they will be their when I leave, I want the students to have complete confidence in them. Outside the classroom however, I try to get the students more involved in their English. I challenge their lexicon and conversational skills.

Walking home is an enjoyment in itself, I often am accompanied by a party of children and teenagers. We get to speak to each other much more than at school. Conversations in English are so abundant during these walks I'm starting to believe that I am doing more help outside of the classroom than when I am actually working.

School is in remarkable condition, being renovated a few years ago by an American NGO. My school is made up of thirteen classrooms, covering two floors, which are connected by two staircases often heavy with traffic of students uniformed in black and white. Portraits of famous Georgians, poets, writers, politicians and artists are hung along the staircase walls, giving their name and birth/death date in Georgian script underneath their black and white image. The floors of the classrooms are made of unpainted wooden planks, which make a earthy sound when walked on, and give the rooms a pleasant, fresh-cut timber smell. The walls of the classrooms are covered in smooth plaster, painted a pleasant light yellow. In the second-floor common area, hung from the walls, before and after photographs of the school are displayed, showing the crumbling facility of only a few years back. The school has new windows, often open, letting in sunlight and a cool breeze; It being early fall, my village is still frequently hot during the day. In each classroom are radiators, newly installed. The students, staff and faculty are very proud of their renovated school, and have been taking good care of it. Of all the students I've spoke with, all have a profound respect for their school, and are keen on showing me their facility often asking me "Do you like our school?" Already I hold this school as dear as I do the schools of my childhood. The memories and experiences inside these walls will be cherished.

On the second floor, the teacher's lounge is often loud, but always the mood of the room is of jubilance. A group of teachers may be complaining loudly of their students, or laughing about how the new English teacher speaks Georgian. The school director may be giving a speech, oftentimes hotly interrupted by another one of the staff. The room's conversations, speeches and arguments often overlap with each other, it is not uncommon to be speaking several conversations at once!

A small room, away from the din of the teachers lounge is the coffee room. On waist-high cabinet, A propane gas burner, a jar of coffee and a canister of sugar make the coffee station. Second hand tables, desks and chairs make up its furniture. My co-teacher, our Russian/music teacher take breaks before and after our lessons here at least once a day. The room is more peaceful than the teacher's lounge, and we are able to communicate and speak about things (and gossip about the other teachers)

This week, I attended my other co-teacher, Mariami's class. Most of the classes I sat in they were about older students, and were enthusiastic about speaking to me. Classroom was still chaotic, but more English was spoken. The students are very inquisitive on who I am, and about America. I try to answer all of their appropriate questions, and ignore the inappropriate, questions such as: "Do you like Georgian Girls?" or "Do you like Georgian wine?" are ignored. My future plans at Gorgadzeebi involve me attending these upper classes, although TLG doesn't allow volunteers to teach grades 6th thru 12th. The past volunteers must have had disciplinary issues with the older students, causing complaints. As a result, TLG forbade their volunteers from having mandatory lessons with the older students. I however, see no harm in attending, provided my presence in their lectures are productive.

I spent time speaking with the math teacher, about math and such. She seems enthusiastic about having me be more involved in math classes. I hope to become more involved in teaching math. If not, I can always start an English club. Many of the students would benefit tremendously if they had a quiet place to do their translations and grammar exercises. I hope to set up a time and place for such a club, my co-teachers think this may be a good idea. Next week, I'll ask my school director if we can make the arrangements for an English studying center.

The highlight of the two weeks was when I taught the children cha cha cha. Ballroom dancing has been my hobby for the last three years. On Monday, At the request of some of my students, who were interested in dancing, I showed the basic steps of cha-cha-cha in one of the classrooms after school. The children are hilarious to watch, but they learned the steps so quickly! This first lesson was such a success, I must try and make more lessons, or even start a dance club. When I teach, I teach in English, introducing new vocabulary by pointing to the body. Similar to the song "Head, shoulders, knees and toes" will say "Step forward" or "Straighten you leg" and do the action. I would like to get more students involved. Dancing lessons were a trade of dance ideas as well as a lesson of English. Studying has its place, but these lessons could motivate students, making them want to learn and study English.

September 18th: Wine making.

Today, I participated in making homemade wine! Grape vines surround my house. Vines are present above the garden, along the stairs up to the second floor, and along hill, flanking the yard in the back of the house. The harvesting began earlier this week, with gathering the grapes. Today, the vines were stripped bare, their leaves given to the neighborhood cattle. The grapes were all gathered in wooden boxes.

In the afternoon, I came home from teaching my second day of school, to find my sisters sorting. In our driveway, there they were, sorting the good grapes from the leaves, spiders, and other un-savorables. Quickly, I donned some work clothes and went out to help sort. An hour later, I found myself in galoshes, ankle deep in assorted grape, separating the grape juice from its flesh and skin. Together, Romani and I poured the grape mixture (seeds, skin and flesh included) into a 50 galleon plastic tank. I asked my father (ramdeni tvit?) Which means "For how many months?" where he responded by holding up all his ten fingers, replying "Ati dghes" The grape mixture shall ferment for only ten days! From visiting wineries in California, I thought making wine would be a more complicated process, however I can't assume the wine will taste like a Merlot, I am excited to taste something I had a part in making.

Once the grapes are properly smashed, they are placed in this blue barrel. The mixture ferments and is stirred twice a day, to release the CO2 gasses from the wine. As it ferments, the sugars are consumed, the alcohol is a byproduct of the reaction.

Here is my driveway. Past the gates, you can see the bare vines after the harvest.

On a Saturday, my sisters and I were going to go to a dolphen show in Batumi. Unfortunatly, the weather became so bad and we called it a day. To the right is my sister Khatuna, to my left is my friend Nino.

My sisters Shorena (middle) and Khatuna (top) and my friend Mari (bottom)

All of us together!

I took this picture at my house. Can you see the ship floating on the water? Are you able to distinguish between sea and sky? I thought this was so neat!