Thursday morning, August 4, 2011
OK…how about some random observations of Georgia?
v Local Trash Collection: women wear orange vests and sweep the sidewalks, gutters, and streets; men wear orange worksuits and ride/hang on the back of garbage trucks to pick up what the women gather (in bags) or empty large, silver, metal trash bins
v The Game in Town: “fute-bol” or soccer. Neighborhoods have fenced in soccer areas, usually with worn astro-turf. Young people and adults play pick up games in these areas early in the morning, at night…anytime the sun is not blazing hot
v History – it is measured in centuries, not years or decades. A drive through the city or the country is a display of this ancient wall, castle, fortress, monastery, church. Many of this elevated on the crowns of landscapes, on the sides or on top of rising mountains.
v Georgian, please! While the fingerprints of the Soviet era are still evident (buildings, some signs, etc), there is a definitive move to be Georgian. Speak Georgian, write Georgian. The second language for the next generation is not Russian, but English.
v To Drink or Not to Drink? The legal drinking age in Georgia is 18. But, in the flow of life here, beer and wine are not considered alcoholic beverages. Yesterday, the pastor of a conservative, Baptist Church bought us the best bottle of Georgian red wine, and had us raise our glasses to no less than 6 toasts (to various things, including the Lord and His work in Georgia). Imagine a conservative Baptist pastor in the USA doing that!
v Smiling Authorities! Well not all of them, but yesterday, two policeman near Gori gave us helpful directions on our way home, with a smile and a wave. They are not feared here, nor thought to be corrupt, but honored.
v Brunettes, not Blondes There may be no such thing as a natural blonde Georgian. “If you see one,” Jim commented, “it is probably a Ukranian.”
v Lari < > Dollars 1.645 Lari to $1.00 US, give or take a tenth of a Lari from day to day. Cost of living, if using American dollars, is relatively inexpensive.
v Centigrade < > Farenheit I relearned how to convert. Multiply the Centigrade temperature by 1.8, and then add 32. (ex. 29o Centigrade would be 84o F. It was 40oC when we arrived).
v PUMA…not Nike or Addidas. You see PUMA gear and stores, but not the others.
v Mercedes, BMW, Honda…and some Russian left overs. Georgia does not have an auto manufacturer in country.
v Russian Oil? Forget it! Yesterday, we wondered why two fuel stations, side by side, were so disparate when it came to customers. One had a long line waiting for a chance at the pump, the other had but one car. “Luk-Oil” was practically deserted. Gia explained. “That’s owned by the Russians. We Georgians have no interest in lining the pockets of Russian Oil barrons!”
We are off to Batumi, a city on the western side of Georgia, on the eastern shore of the Black Sea. I’m unsure of internet for the next 3 days. Thanks so much for your prayers and encouraging emails.
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