I feel like the worst blogger of all time, but I need to post something on here. How to possibly explain the adventures I have had! As I said in my last blog post, we are busy 6 days a week, so our adventures are only happening on the precious Sundays. But I haven't posted in a month. Basketball games, school planting projects, and my first bout with some kind of virus/sickness have all happened since my last post. Last weekend, I job shadowed a current PCV in Kutaisi, the second largest city in Georgia. Among other highlights of that weekend trip were ping pong, a live jazz-bar-type place, and exploring the city. It was great to get out of Khasuri and see a city.
This weekend, we had the opportunity to go on a "Cultural Exchange Trip" to anywhere nearby that we would like. Along with 4 of my trainee friends (Angela, Nash, Kate, and Eugene), we chose to go to Akhastsike (no idea if I am spelling that right) which means "Newcastle." There is a gigantic, beautiful castle there named Rabati, built in the 1200's. We were able to explore it as it was lit up at night - absolutely incredible. The next day (Sunday June 8th) we woke up and took a taxi to Vardzia. Vardzia is the site of a complex cave monastery that dates to the 1100's. It is now a huge tourist attraction, and we got lucky with the weather, it was the most beautiful place I have seen in Georgia thus far. I must mention Misha, our wonderful taxi driver who stopped along the drive to allow us to take pictures of the beautiful Georgian scenery as our road followed a river through the mountains. He also drove a classic Soviet era car, and had a tape recorder with Backstreet Boy songs on it.
The language is progressing slowly for me, as it is for most of us here, but I have certainly made of ton of progress considering I knew almost nothing just over a month ago. As I've said before, free time is not exactly easy to come by during these first 3 months, but I have done my best to take advantage of the Sundays! The food continues to be excellent. All of our families want us to eat as much as possible - I think my host sister in law Nino is intent on making it so that I cannot fit through doors by the end of these three months. Anyways, still having a blast, but missing you all. Get in touch soon, but know that my Internet access is intermittent.
............ So I have been trying to post pictures for a half hour and for some reason it is not working. If you would like to see pictures, I encourage you to check out my facebook for now!
