Week of January 30
Monday: Dancing to host dad’s ringtones, flicking ants off bread, putting gloves on to get ready for bed, walking 15 minutes each way to and from school in the middle of the day to teach one lesson, correcting Ani as she recites a Georgian poem – just another day in the village.
Tuesday: Went to the internet café in Gurjaani, stared back at a small Georgian boy, attempted to start the fire in the pechi, failed at starting the fire in the pechi, passed a fox (or a dog) on the way to school. Day 9 without consistent water.
Wednesday: I’m sorry; are you speaking English or have you made up an entirely new language as a result of not knowing English; it sounds like the latter. And there’s nothing better than cake for the birthday of a teacher’s daughter who is studying in Tbilisi; any excuse for a celebration.
Thursday: One of my first grade students turned to me during class and smiled – her mouth full of blood and a tooth in her hand. My teacher looked up, asked me what had happened, laughed, and turned back to the student she was helping.
Friday: The best part about watching the illegally downloaded version of Troy with my host brothers is the English summary I get every few minutes; the movie was in English.
Saturday: Bebia decided my socks were not warm enough and put her robe over my feet. She then gave me a pair of socks, a blanket, a cup of tea and the bowl of sugar, followed by a plate of bread and cheese, all the while muttering in Georgian.
Sunday: An Idiot Abroad Season 2, Persuasion, chicken broth soup, a glass of wine, macaroni and cheese, peach compote, and sledding with Ani…all in all, a good day.
Week of February 6
Monday: Bought new, very warm, boots for the cold weather that forced me to chip away this morning at the urine-filled ice cube that formed overnight in the toilet bowl.
Tuesday: The kid in the green ski mask with a baseball-cap-like bill that sounds like he’s having a meltdown whenever he speaks (and who actually has meltdowns often) is a bright spot in my day when my teacher decides to tell me I don’t do anything in class.
Wednesday: After the first lesson of three I would apparently be teaching alone, we were sent home until Monday due to snow. 4 hours of being alone with Ani has made me understand why parents love sending their children back to school. We celebrated by eating one of Nana’s cakes.
Thursday: Out of power for the entire day, we went to Gurjaani, where we encountered two boys who – instead of yelling, “Hello!” – greeted us with “f***” ten times.
Friday: Cleaned the kitchen, worked on my craft, read Anna Karenina, and played cards while the power was out; somewhere between moving to Georgia and today, I turned into an old woman. That’s what happens when you live in a village.
Saturday: Friendship toasted with a twelve-year-old today and finished off 2 ½ bottles of wine with a group of 5 12-year-olds, 1 9-year-old, and Nana. And I thought Ani was bad enough on her own…turns out when 5 more join the group and get drunk, it can get worse.
Sunday: Played outside for 25 minutes with Ani, watched Tangled with Susan and Jenny, ate way more than I should have at dinner (khinkali, khachapuri, fried chicken, and cream puffs), and crafted on the couch while Ani did math homework: a successful day.
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