Georgian language time: Georgian alphabet

Hello all! I figure some of you may be curious about just what the Georgian language is like. I will be writing some blog posts about that occasionally, in a series called"Georgian language time".


Ever since I began studying Georgian, people at home always ask, "So it's like Russian, right?'. Whie that makes sense, given that Georgia borders Russia and was a part of the Soviet Union, the two languages are actually totally unrelated. In fact, Georgian is not really related to any other language in the world, and its origins are still a linguistic mystery...

The Georgian language is called qartuli (ქართული), and the alphabet contains 33 letters. There are no capital or lower case letters (which is a relief for us trying to learn it!). Although the Georgian language is very old  (as in dating back to BC), the Georgian alphabet dates back to somewhere between the 4th and 5th centuries, and is tied to the conversion of the country to Christianity under kings. The oldest example of the written Georgian alphabet are the Bir el Qutt inscriptions, located near Jerusalem and Bethlehem. They date back to 430 AD.

Here are some more inscriptions, these from 494 AD in Bolnisi Georgia in a cathedral:

Over the ensuing years, the alphabet has gone through some changes. The modern Georgian that is used today looks like this:

In handwriting and every day writing, however, many of these letters take on different forms. Here is another example of how to write the letters. Take note of the t', ch' j, and compare them to the ones above. Yeah...pretty different.

Another confusing feature of the language is that there are several letters that have multiple sounds. For example, there are 3 "k" sounds, 2 "t" sounds, and 2 "p" sounds, each with its own distinct letter. To the untrained American ear, they all sound pretty similar, but they are all in fact distinct.

Texts from Georgia: July 2016

I have decided to start a series called "Texts from Georgia", which is a collection of random/funny things that happen to me in Georgia. I had a list of these on my phone, just for my own entertainment, but I figured other people may find them funny too! It will include things like cultural misunderstandings, cultural quirks, outhouse struggles, and things that make you go, "Only in Georgia". Here is the first installment for the month of July:

July 9, 11:30 pm - Sharing this outhouse with a nice big green slug

July 10 - Our marshrutka (bus) stopped to pick up keys from 1 police station in the middle of nowhere and delivered them to another police station...

July 11, 5:45 pm - It's raining so hard that the restaurant I'm in is flooding and they just got out the bucket

July 26, 8:22 pm - my host mom and aunt are currently watching Better Call Saul dubbed in Georgian and illegally downloaded. Apparently my aunt is a huge Breaking Bad fan and keeps explaining the plot to my host mom. Unexpected.

July 27, 5:19 pm - The conversation on the marsh (bus) today hit the Georgian highlights: what my religion is, what my salary is, and who I am voting for. Only missed whether I am married and if I want a Georgian husband.

July 28, 9:55 am - A lady got on the marsh (bus) with a bag full of chickens and they are VERY unhappy at this treatment and are loudly making it known.

Stepantsminda Whirlwind Adventure

**This is a catch-up post, as it is about a trip I took during training, but honestly it was so incredible I couldn't not share the photos!**

During PST, trainees are given the weekend to organize a cultural trip to any location in Georgia! The idea is to get you to practice traveling, navigating transport, and arranging lodging.  My group decided to go to Stepantsminda, a high mountain town in Kazbegi. We actually had to get special permission to travel there, as it is very close to the Russian border, and the route to travel there goes within the restricted 5km buffer zone around the border of South Ossetia (the Russian-controlled breakaway reagion). However, we got permission and set off!

The ride up into the mountains was absolutely breathtaking! There were also cool monuments and constructions that we got to see:

some sort of monument in the middle of nowhere

a cool tunnel built into the side of the mountains!

When we arrived, we were starving so we went to a nearby restaurant, in which we encountered the strangest menu I have seen yet in Georgia...

errors in translation

Stepantsminda was named after a Georgian Orthodox monk named Stepan.

It also lies along the Georgian Military Highway, which is a major route through the Caucuses that connects Georgia and Armenia to Russia. Along the road outside of the town, there were hundreds of semi-trucks lined up, waiting to be allowed to go to the border crossing.

A main attraction of the town is Gergeti Trinity Church, a church located at 2,170 meters! The church was built in the 14th century. During the Soviet times when religious services were banned, the church remained a tourist destination. After the fall of the Soviet Union, it has now resumed as an active religious establishment. When we visited, many Georgians were trekking up to the church for a religious holiday.

The townis overlooked by Mount Kazbek, just south of the Russian border. The mountain lies at an elevation of 5,047 meters or 16,558 feet! Mount Kazbek is associated in Georgian folklore with Amirani, the Georgian version of Prometheus, who was chained on the mountain as punishment for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to humans. For more on this myth, read here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amirani

 The cave where he was imprisoned later became an Orthodox hermitage called 'Betlemi' (Bethlehem) located at about 4,000 meters. According to legends, this cave is believed by the Orthodox to have housed many sacred relics, including Abraham's tent and the manger of Jesus.

We hiked up to the Gergeti Trinity Church the next morning, and although the trail was EXTREMELY steep, the views at the top make it totally worth it!

medieval defense tower

the group minus Susan who was exploring the church

the whole group!

Down the hill from the church itself is a small shrine. We explored the shrine, and then had a picnic in the field, just taking in the great views of the church and surrounding mountains. We also made a dog friend.

the shrine and the church in the background

dog friend!

Unfortunately we had to be back to our sites by 7pm that evening, so we did not get to spend any more time in Stepantsminda, but I am definitely planning on returning to explore more!

Family Vacation + Georgian Cowboys

In my region, Guria, we have the best of both worlds: mountains and coast! This summer, I got to go with my host family and extended family for 9 days to the mountain resort of Bakhmaro! 

Bakhmaro is the highest alpine climactic resort in Georgia, at over 2,000 meters above sea level! Therefore, it made a perfect getaway from the suffocating summer heat of my site near the coast! It also is unique in its air: air from the Black Sea mixes with mountain air, and is supposedly very good for people with respiratory problems. This mixing of air creates very impressive mist, that rolls in down the mountains every day. Here is a video I took of the mist coming in:

As you come into Bakhmaro, you are treated immediately to amazing views:

The houses in Bakhmaro are all wooden, and give the feel of old fashioned mountain living. The house my family stayed in looked like this:

I got to have a good taste of Georgian big family vacations; there were 8 of us (plus 1 baby) staying in this small house! But it was a really great way to get to know my host family and extended host family!

Every day I went on small hikes in the mountains surrounding Bakhmaro. There are many little paths to discover that lead up to smaller villages, so it is a very walkable place! Here are some of the amazing views I got from these walks:

To get to the other side of town, it is necessary to cross this bridge, which I lovingly named the 'Bridge of Death":

Gurian horse riders:

The Guria region is famous for its horse riders, and this was very apparent in Bakhmaro. All the locals ride horses as normal transport, as well as for business, going around on horseback selling local products to visitors. Walking down the main road, you will find horses barreling along, young boys expertly clinging to their backs.

Gurians were actually the first Georgians to go to the United States. In the 1890's-1920's, Georgian horse riders, mainly from the Guria region, participated in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Shows. They were called "Cossacks", because at that time Georgia was under Russian rule, but were in fact Georgians!

Gurian riders with Native Americans at a show

To learn more, read this really interesting article: http://cbw.ge/georgia/west-georgians-left-a-legacy-in-cowboy-culture/

Furthermore, on August 19 every year, riders from all over Georgia compete in a horse race that celebrates the Transfiguration of Jesus. The race takes place in Bakhmaro. Last year, a woman (!) from Poti won the race! I really want to go this year!

Sunset Mountain:

In Bakhmaro, there are several mountains that are popular to climb, because of their views. My family and I climbed Sunset Mountain (მზის ჩასვლის გორა). When it is clear, you can see the sun set over the Black Sea. My host cousin said that he had only ever seen this once in his life! It was cloudy when we went up, but nonetheless we got good views of the mountains!

My host brother, Gio, the proud mountaineer

made it!

Bonfires:

A central part of the evenings in Bakhmari is the bonfire, when families and neighbors gather around to socialize and eat. Our neighbors had a couple of these gatherings:

Mushroom hunting:

Mushrooming is also a very popular activity in Bakhmaro. I went along on an excursion and actually succeeded in finding a couple of mushrooms. My host mom knew the difference between poisonous and edible ones, and I always asked her before picking one. Here she is inspecting one:

All in all, it was a great way to relax and bond with my host family, and I definitely hope to go back!

Poti adventures

Today was my friend and fellow volunteer Konstantin's birthday! He is posted in Poti, which is about an hour away from me by bus. This was my first time visiting, and I definitely will be going back!

To give you some context, Poti is a coastal port city in the northwestern region of Samegrelo. It is fairly large, with a population of a little under 50,000.

While waiting for the entire group to arrive, a couple of us wandered around the bazaar. I bought a wild neon pink fuzzy bathrobe (which had actually been on my list of things to get because once winter comes walking outside to my shower will be a nightmare). The fact that it was neon pink only added to its charm. Also, now I will fit in with Georgian ladies who all rock fuzzy bathrobes.

Then, once the group had assembled, we went to Kolkheti National Park, which is just on the outskirts of Poti. One of the Poti volunteers works there and so we got the full experience. We went kayaking on the river, which was amazing! The crazy part is that it looked just like the coastal plains and wetlands of North Carolina! If I forgot for a moment I was in Georgia, I could have sworn I was paddling around home. Unfortunately, due to a desire to save our phones from a watery death, we did not take any pictures. However, the Internet knows all, so here are some photos of where we were:

It was really fun and relaxing! And the staff were the absolute best! They gave Konstantin a cupcake and a bird book because it was his birthday! I will definitely have to go back on my birthday...

We also got the chance to visit Poti Cathedral, which is an absolutely beautiful example of a Georgian Orthodox Church!

As you may know, in the Georgian Orthodox Church, women cover their heads and wear long skirts in church. Luckily, most churches keep scarves and skirts at the entrances! Here I am regretting my polka-dot fashion choice:

Then we ended the day by going for a quick bite at a restaurant that is a pirate ship. It actually is a floating boat! I was sufficiently geeking out and will have to return to get the full experience later.

All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by Poti, and will definitely look forward to returning!

New site, new family

Hi everyone! I am writing from my new site where I will be for the next 2 years. Peace Corps sores not want us to reveal our exact locations for security, but I will say that I am posted in a small town of about 8,000 in the region of Guria. Guria is a tiny region in the West of Georgia, sandwiched in between the regions of Adjara and Samegrelo. It is a beautiful region with both mountains and beaches - my town is about 15km away from the Black Sea!

My host family is small by Georgian standards - just a mom, dad, and son. My host mom and dad, Nino and Vakhtangi, are in their 50's and my host brother, Giorgi (Gio for short) is 10. We live in a house about 10 minutes walking from the center of town, and only about 1 or 2 minutes away from my school where I will be teaching in September. In fact, I can see my school from my balcony I am so close!

My house is unique in the fact that is is actually made up of several different buildings, so you go outside to get to the different parts! We also have a huge garden, bee houses, a cow enclosure, and tons of chickens running around. My room is upstairs and overlooks the garden and bees. I also have a great view of the small hills outside of town! I also have the interesting experience of having an outhouse - I have said goodbye to flush toilets.

My town itself is pretty small - it is bisected by the main highway that goes from Batumi to Tbilisi. Along the highway there are stores and restaurants, as well as a small park. The neighborhoods branch off on either side of the highway. We also have an outdoor fruit bazaar and an indoor bazaar that had everything from clothing to household goods to sports equipment.

Today, I took a trip about an hour and a half away to the town of Ozurgeti, which is the Guria regional capital. It is up in the hills and is a lot bigger than my town - it has about 20,000 people. It has a big bazaar and lots of restaurants and stores. It also has a really cute American-style coffee shop that I am excited to go to on some weekends to get work done.

Overall, I am loving my site so far and am excited for the next 2 years here! Sorry this post does not have pictures -- I don't have Internet in my house (working on it) and so am writing this on my phone.   I will post picture when I am able!

Job Shadowing in beautiful Samegrelo

Over my birthday weekend, I was away from my permanent site to job shadow a current volunteer to see how they teach and get ideas and advice for our service. The volunteer I shadowed was Lilya, a volunteer living in Samegrelo, in the northwest of Georgia.

The day after we arrived, I went and shadowed her at her school. She has done a lot of work at the school - she got a grant to make an "English Cabinet" at her school, which is essentially an English classroom. Georgian schools are different from American ones in that students stay in one room, and teachers come to them to teach. This can be inconvenient for teachers as they do not have resources and visuals to use in their class. So, many volunteers choose to create an English classroom that students will come to for their class that has English resources, books, and posters to make classes more interactive and engaging. Lilya's classroom was amazing -- it had a new floor (important because most Georgian schools have terrible wooden floors. In Lilya's school, many classrooms were missing pieces of the floor because during hard times, people would take the wood to use) and she had so many books, and posters up on the walls! She had even set up a "reading corner" for students with a carpet. Here are some pictures of her classroom posters:

We happend to be at school on the "last day of class" celebration for the 12th graders. Lilya's school is very small, so there were only 8 12th graders. Basically what happens is the families come and there are performances by the 12th graders and other students. There was singing and dancing and lots of speeches!

After this, we headed home and ate. We had decided to go on a hike with the volunteer in the neighboring village (who also happened to be hosting my clustermate, Phil). Another crazy coincidence: this volunteer is also from NC AND has my same birthday!!

We started out walking to to his village, Balda. Samegrelo is a beautiful region, and we had incredible views:

Lilya's street

the road to Balda

road sign pointing us to the village of baldo

SO MANY PIGS EVERYWHERE

When we got to Daniel's house, I was amazed. He has probably the best house set up in Peace Corps. His family has 3 houses. He stays in one of them and has his own bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom WITH A FLUSH TOILET AND SHOWER! The view from his balcony was amazing as well!!

We started out on our hike. Our destination was a waterfall. Here are some views from the road:

This part of Samegrelo is famous for its canyons, and here is one we came across. Don't be fooled by the picture -- the drop to the river below was at least 40 feet!

We also stopped off at a beautiful old church. Here are some pictures from the church:

looking out the door

the outside of the church and the graveyard

Walking further along, we came across this old Soviet truck -- complete with the CCCP logo (USSR in Russian alphabet)

It started to pour rain, but we persevered. Our determination was rewarded when we finally reached our destination. The waterfall was so beautiful! We spent a while here taking pictures and relaxing.

We also couldn't resist taking some funny pictures. Phil has a photo series of him "eating" various landmarks in Georgia, so here is the waterfall installment:

As far as Lilya's host family was concerned. my favorite part was all of the baby animals they had. They had the CUTEST baby calf, and tons of baby turkeys running around the yard. The baby turkeys were hilarious looking as well and provided me with many laughs.

The villages had many World War II monuments to villagers who died in the Soviet army. Here is one such monument, complete with a bust of Stalin (and pigs...because it is Georgia).

The next day, we went to Kutaisi, the nearest city to Lilya and Daniel's sites. They accompanied us and we had a great couple of hours in the city. Here is Bagrati Cathedral in Kutaisi - built in the 11th century, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site! It was very impressive, and had great views of the city below.

The view of Kutaisi from the cathedral:

On the walk down from the cathedral, we saw this statue - I think it is a famous Georgian writer receiving inspiration from an angel.

Lastly, we ate pizza at a restaurant that overlooked the river. Here is our amazing lunchtime view:

I had an amazing time job shadowing in Samegrelo, and a great time meeting other volunteers! It gave me so many ideas and a lot of inspiration for projects to do at my permanent site!