You Learn Something New Every Day

This week I went to Zaqatela to meet with Government Officials.  I met with the Executive Committee Social Services.  The meeting went well, so our next stop was the Education Ministry, the official was not there, so we went to my counterparts house and had lunch (I think it was pasta, noodles, ground meat and ketchup!).  We went back to the Ministry and he was still not there. I find that you just have to be very flexible with officials.  I then had to meet our local Officials and I asked my counterpart when will we do this.  She would say oh tomorrow, and tomorrow would come and then she would say tomorrow.  Friday was a late day for me since as I was only observing one class (in the Georgian sector), so I got up a little later, took my time having coffee, eating breakfast and I then received a call from my counterpart.  Where are you Annette?  Our meeting with the officials is at 10 o'clock (it is now 9:45).  Hmm, you didn't tell me we were going to have a meeting today! Darn, so I ran out of the house, walked (almost ran) (I am a mile from school), then a marshutka drove by and picked me up and drove me almost all the way.  I made it to the school by 10:10..whew...  The Director, my counterpart and I went to the village officials office and met with them.  This is how small this village is.  The "mayor" per se is the husband of one of the teachers at my school and his son is one of the English teachers I will be working with.  The police captain is a big man, around 6'4" and about 250 lbs, so I will be very good in this village.  All in all, I met just about everyone I was suppose to (except the Ministry of Education). Apparently in this village, a PC volunteer was here a few years back and he ended up taking about 300 days (yes 300 days) of vacation with friends and not teaching at all.  I have a lot to make up for.  I also went to Zaqatela to the local library and I saw an English book I wanted to check out, but the librarian would not let me check it out unless I left my passport (no way).  Another Peace Corps volunteer several years ago borrowed a couple of books and never returned them so they are a little hesitant about lending out books to PC's. They do not forget...

I learn something new every day here. Walking to school, I always see this yellow liquid in bottles on tables out front of farmers house.  I was told in training that some farmers make alcohol and sell it to the locals. It is cheap.  So I didn't think anything of it until a tractor pulled up along side of a stand and the farmer comes out and takes two bottles and pours it in the gas tank. Hmm... that powerful moonshine, oh no it is gasoline.  Each bottle is a litter (they use the 2 liter Coke bottles).  I guess the roadside "gas" station is cheaper.

When I was in Zaqatela, I took some pictures of the Caucasus mountain range and my counterpart took a picture of me at one of there many beautiful parks:

Caucasus Mountain Range

Another view of the mountains

Me in the Park at a monument

Life Challenge: I love this by Mark Twain:  "A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way" (I feel like that sometimes!!)