MacGyver

Last weekend we ended up at Ethnic Bar.  I haven't been there since mid February and  I really think that my first few weeks back were really bad because I kept going there.  That place is so drab.  It’s the same thing every freakin’ time.  Overcrowding, no real dancing space coupled with meh music.  I really can’t explain how much better it is in this country when the cold weather isn’t molesting you everywhere you are.  With the weather getting nicer, I’ll be able to escape the wrath that is Ethnic Bar and go off and do my own thing in the club district while I diva it up *finger snap* The only good thing that came out of going to the “tomb of doom” was getting one of the best laughs I’d had in a while.  So imagine this, you are in a semi-crowded bar, people more or less everywhere and there is a smaller rectangular room off to the side that houses a big long thick wooden table.  On the side furthest in you see a couple very heavily making out and on the other side of the table closest to the door, they are beautifully framed by 2 others in a hard-core game of chess. *crickets* I’d never seen anything like that in my life and I’m from Romania folks—I’ve seen a lot of weird stuff in my time.  My real question is… WHO PLAYS CHESS IN A BAR ON A SATURDAY NIGHT?! Imagine how LAME a bar has to be that it is 2 in the morning and you are playing chess. 

On a more interesting note, one of my girlfriends is teaching the police in Rustavi.  Wednesday night around 7 is our usual date night time but due to some very random circumstances we ended up meeting at 8 last night—in the mean time she ran into one of her “students” and he ended up taking us out.  It was a surprisingly entertaining night seeing as there was a massive language barrier in play but everything that needed understanding was understood as it always is.  It also turns out that he is cousins with one of my beloved co-teachers.  What a small world! Teaching police also sounds like damn fun minus the fact that it isn’t as rewarding as teaching children. Today in my favourite grade 3 class-- aka Goga's class-- I got to teach them Mr. Sun-- my favourite song of all!! There seems to be a sunshine theme in my life seeing as I also am a big fan of 'You are My Sunshine'.  Not only did I have them singing but I also had them learn the choreography to it too.  Yes there is a "dance" and I will be happy to show anyone that is interested what it looks like.  I also had some grade 1s reading today—stuff like that makes my day.  I’m in a really big mood to find some Dr. Seuss books or activities and bring that sunshine into their minds.  Granted, my co-teacher would have to translate but we haven’t had story time ever in the class.  I FREAKIN’ LOVED STORY TIME when I was their age.  Actually let me not even lie though, I was obsessed with The Cat in the Hat even as a high school-er.  I’d like to thank my mom for putting up with my craziness seeing I was 17 years old and had a Cat in the Hat bed spread, night lamp, drapes, wallet, backpack and the list legit goes on!

Tomorrow I am going to be watching a Georgian play rendition of A Clockwork Orange.  In all fairness, I tried watching the movie a few months back; 20 minutes in I’m like I don’t get it so I downloaded subtitles and continued watching the English version of the movie with ENGLISH subtitles and still had zero clue what was going on so I gave up and took a nap.  So the play should be interested, I think I’ll just go in enjoying the movement on stage rather than the story being told—I have no clue if that even made any sense.  I like to try new things now and then.  Since there is only so much I can sleep or entertain myself on the internet a day, I’ve started to make dream catchers in my free time.  Yup.  Dream catchers.  I am totally digging doing it but I am having a very hard time finding circles.  There are only so many hoop earrings and bracelets a girl can find in Georgia and I want to make bigger ones!  I made one out of a hose/pipe tightener last week but it wasn’t as pretty as I’d wished.  Sorry Kiyoshi for the ugly birthday present. Then again, they don't call me Herta "MacGyver" Bolgar for anything.  Really Herta? MacGyver? Who calls you MacGyver?!

(I totally see the resemblance) 

I did another panel last week *shines nails on shirt* Not that I’m keeping tally or anything but that is my 3^rd one in a row *shines nails to an even shiner gleam*.  It was a group of 8.  YEAH. 8.  It was so weird seeing as the last one was massive. Earlier this week, my regional representative texted me to let me know that I am doing a wonderful job at school.  Let me back pedal here a bit for some clarification.  Every month I am required to fill out a report about the school and my co-teachers.  It basically about how things are going, what needs improvement, what we are doing, how we are doing it etc and my principle also fills out a monthly report about me.  Turns out I’m doing such a good job that it needed to be mentioned to me which makes me soooo happy.  I was over the moon when I got that text message.  I don’t do what I do to be recognized, I do it because I care and because I am passionate about the kids but it is always feels good to have your efforts to be acknowledged by a third party.  

I am so excited, next week at this time I will legit be in Hungary with one of my beloved cousins.  12 days of pure bliss.  I seriously can’t wait because every time I think about it, I get butterflies.  I’ve really been limiting the amount of time I spend thinking about seeing him.  I can’t believe it is almost April.  WOW. How the hell did that happen?  Next time I blink, it’s gonna be my birthday and when I unblink from that school will be over and I’m going to get to see my number 1 papa bear in the Ro-of-mania.  Life is good.  Correction.  Life is incredible and I hate that I lost sight of that when I hit a low earlier this year.  “But I know somehow, that only when it is dark enough, can you see the stars.”

Everything's Comin' Up Milhouse!

Life has only gotten better and better these past few weeks.  The weather over here is getting much warmer which means I am slowly but surely regaining some of my sanity.  Over Easter break I am going to go to Hungary/Romania and surprise my grandmother with a heart attack (and possibly a red decorative egg).  I’m really looking forward to seeing some family.

The social situation is getting much better as well.  I’ve made some new friends as well as had some old ones regrow on me. It was a friends birthday this past Saturday. Super duper awesome party :) It's about time we shook something all night long. (I hope someone gets the 80s reference).  I got to do another panel 2 weeks ago to 88 people.  (And I thought I had a big group!)  I was over the moon when Tamara called and asked if I wanted to do another one seeing as the one I last did had such positive reviews.  There were too many people to make the kind of impact I think I made on the last group but you can’t win ‘em all.

I really can’t wait for it to be Spring already—to see everything in bloom, green and alive again—it makes me giddy just thinking about it.  I’m in the processes of looking for a bike; possibly one with training wheels seeing as the only image I have of myself near a bicycle goes back to when I was 8 and my parents got me one for my birthday.  Let me just say that the first wall I saw, was also the last thing I saw, seeing as rode straight into.

There have been some funny one liners coming my way which I want to share really only so I remember them when I’m old, grey and keep forgetting my teeth in the dishwasher.  We were at a restaurant and had a group of Georgian “men” send us over a round of beers.  We thanked them but as per usual the relentlessness of a Georgian man never stops there.  So one of them comes over and offers to show us around Rustavi—it then turns out that he just MOVED there 4 days ago *crickets* I’ve been here for about 6 months.  There is not much you can show me that I already haven’t seen or don’t already know about.  Luckily, one of the guys who claimed to  be Jay-Z *crickets* sensed our desperation to get rid of our uninvited guest (aka his friend) and offered to switch positions with him. "Jay-Z come join us!” “One minute, this toast is for our wives”. Another great one liner from him was when his buddy was going on and on about how he is going to show us around to which I point blank said “The men over here are so relentless. You never take no for an answer” *cue Jay-Z that heard none of this conversation aside from my mentioning men* he looks up from the next table and goes* “Georgian men are the best, yes?”

Last Saturday was spent with Kiyoshi walking aimless around Tbilisi.  It was a grand ol’ time as a found a charger for my camera but then realized that my battery was the problem and not really the charger. *le sigh* I’ll figure it out at some point.  We found a place that serves sandwiches.  I really miss sandwiches—a lot more then I could ever articulate.  I also miss Sushi. When I get home, I’m going to have non-stop sushi sandwiches to make up for all the lost time I had with my 2 long lost loves.