Hello, loyal blogosphere!
Life is continuing to happen here in Tbilisi -- I finally got over my intestinal distress last week, which turned out to be something called Enteritis. For real, I think my body is trying to see how many "-itises" it can rack up in a 13.5 month period. It's not funny, body. Quit.
But yeah. Long working days four days a week, then one short working day and two nights of stimulating Tbilisi's economy, one Natakhtari at a time. Sunday has become my Day of Rest. I had this weird epiphany a few days ago, that somehow my life in Georgia started looking a whole lot like my life in America. In a lot of ways that's a good thing -- for example, I have discovered Entree, a simply heavenly cafe that serves actual sandwiches and actual salads, as well as pastries and coffeehouse coffee. Completely delish, but money spent on eating out has greatly increased recently.
But I realized that it's been a little bit since I've done anything really Georgian. One thing about living in Poti, my host family there was always cooking up a supra or going to a wedding (or once, a funeral) or inviting me out to see free concerts of Georgian dancing in the park. Now, I love living in Tbilisi, eating chicken sandwiches on crusty wheat bread and drinking with cool friends in their very own flat, but my days have been missing a lot of what makes Georgia cool. This past Friday evening, a friend and I had dinner at an off-the-beaten-path Georgian restaurant -- we ate ojakhuri and kinkhali (and shot some vodka) and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed myself there. Kind of want to go back. :) For one thing, beer was hella cheaper than any place downtown!
Also, seriously, must travel. It's getting redic. Unless it is pouring rain (or snow!), I think I am definitely getting out next weekend. Gori or Davit Gareja, anyone?
Speaking of travel -- I got some amazing news last week! One of my very best friends, my heterosexual lifemate Chris, is coming to visit me next month!! She is timing her visit with Georgia's Spring Break, and we are going to Armenia together. I'd be hard pressed to find a cooler travel buddy for my Armenia adventure, and I simply could not be more excited at the idea of showing her Tbilisi. Although I need to stop going to only expat places and find some awesome Georgian hangouts before she gets here, because "hey look! This bar is almost like something you'd find in DC!" isn't exactly the kind of Georgian experience a traveler would find particularly exciting. Guess it's a good thing I think I've finally topped out on this most recent homesickness wave.
Finally -- look! Someone published something I wrote on the Internet!! That's right, my very first official TLG blog post went up today. I don't think this one will exactly win me any awards; it's a "don't forget this" packing list from the girl who definitely brought too much shit with her to Georgia. Working on a couple posts with more actual substance, and of course I will let you know as soon as my literary brilliance hits the cloud.
All you lucky bastards back home who never had a winter and now apparently are enjoying summer, please send some warm thoughts across the ocean for me! Dying for t-shirts and flip flops here.
Life is continuing to happen here in Tbilisi -- I finally got over my intestinal distress last week, which turned out to be something called Enteritis. For real, I think my body is trying to see how many "-itises" it can rack up in a 13.5 month period. It's not funny, body. Quit.
But yeah. Long working days four days a week, then one short working day and two nights of stimulating Tbilisi's economy, one Natakhtari at a time. Sunday has become my Day of Rest. I had this weird epiphany a few days ago, that somehow my life in Georgia started looking a whole lot like my life in America. In a lot of ways that's a good thing -- for example, I have discovered Entree, a simply heavenly cafe that serves actual sandwiches and actual salads, as well as pastries and coffeehouse coffee. Completely delish, but money spent on eating out has greatly increased recently.
But I realized that it's been a little bit since I've done anything really Georgian. One thing about living in Poti, my host family there was always cooking up a supra or going to a wedding (or once, a funeral) or inviting me out to see free concerts of Georgian dancing in the park. Now, I love living in Tbilisi, eating chicken sandwiches on crusty wheat bread and drinking with cool friends in their very own flat, but my days have been missing a lot of what makes Georgia cool. This past Friday evening, a friend and I had dinner at an off-the-beaten-path Georgian restaurant -- we ate ojakhuri and kinkhali (and shot some vodka) and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed myself there. Kind of want to go back. :) For one thing, beer was hella cheaper than any place downtown!
Also, seriously, must travel. It's getting redic. Unless it is pouring rain (or snow!), I think I am definitely getting out next weekend. Gori or Davit Gareja, anyone?
Speaking of travel -- I got some amazing news last week! One of my very best friends, my heterosexual lifemate Chris, is coming to visit me next month!! She is timing her visit with Georgia's Spring Break, and we are going to Armenia together. I'd be hard pressed to find a cooler travel buddy for my Armenia adventure, and I simply could not be more excited at the idea of showing her Tbilisi. Although I need to stop going to only expat places and find some awesome Georgian hangouts before she gets here, because "hey look! This bar is almost like something you'd find in DC!" isn't exactly the kind of Georgian experience a traveler would find particularly exciting. Guess it's a good thing I think I've finally topped out on this most recent homesickness wave.
Finally -- look! Someone published something I wrote on the Internet!! That's right, my very first official TLG blog post went up today. I don't think this one will exactly win me any awards; it's a "don't forget this" packing list from the girl who definitely brought too much shit with her to Georgia. Working on a couple posts with more actual substance, and of course I will let you know as soon as my literary brilliance hits the cloud.
All you lucky bastards back home who never had a winter and now apparently are enjoying summer, please send some warm thoughts across the ocean for me! Dying for t-shirts and flip flops here.
OK! This one sounded real good. Love the new/old rest find; glad to hear you're over the homesick jag; so glad to hear your friend will visit you! Next I'm off to the TLG blog. Horay for Chris & horay for Armenia! You should check the NPR site - so much I wish I would read; something about a homesick blog? Love and kisses!
ReplyDeleteHi Mom -- I think the NPR article you're talking about is this one: http://www.npr.org/2012/03/24/149005201/julia-nunes-homesick-anthems-spawn-an-internet-star?
ReplyDeleteI wonder if anyone would buy into a Kickstarter Campaign to help finance my just continually being awesome in various locales around the globe? I've gotta get to Bali, Fiji, and Tuvalu somehow!