Quote of the Week:
“But I’d no where to go. I was in the countryside. In the village. No supermarket to load up on snacks. No pizza delivery to save me. No restaurants. So I had to adapt.” - Increasing my fruit and vegetable IQ

Georgian holidays, supras, and fate

December 18, 2013
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When I first arrived in my village in Kvemo-Kartli two years ago I’d already decided to stay in Georgia over the winter. I’d come to Georgia in mid-October and it’d have been premature to go back home after only two months—and besides, I thought I’d be a great opportunity for traveling around the country, experiencing […]

Posted in: Culture, Food and Drink, Holidays and Festivals, Home and Community, Life in the Village, Supras

Increasing my fruit and vegetable IQ

December 5, 2013
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When discussing or recommending Georgian cuisine people focus on the well-known dishes, such as khatchapuri, mtsvadi, lobiani, and khinkali, rather than the ingredients of the regions, the fruits and vegetables, or the terroir. This is understandable. After all, when discussing Chinese or Italian or Mexican food we tend to think of recipes that represent the […]

Posted in: Adaptation, Culture, Food and Drink, Home and Community, Life in the Village

Giorgoba nostalgia

November 26, 2013
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When I first arrived in Georgia more than two years ago I was immediately thrust into a holiday celebration which at the time I knew nothing about. It was Giorgoba. First, a little history. Saint George’s Day (known in Georgia as Giorgoba, literally “day of George”) is one of Georgia’s most popular holidays, celebrated twice […]

Posted in: Culture, Holidays and Festivals, Home and Community, Host Family, Life in the Village, Supras

Tbilisi’s three modes of transportation

November 22, 2013
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If you’re new to Georgia, having arrived in the most recent orientation group before being quickly transferred to your villages across the country, you may not have had ample time just yet to explore Tbilisi and grow accustomed to ex-Soviet public transportation. I thought I’d explain the basics of Tbilisi’s three primary modes of public […]

Posted in: Advice and Guides, Transportation, Travel and Tourism in Georgia

My arrival in Georgia: Journal entries from two years ago

October 31, 2013
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Last week marked the two year anniversary of my arrival in Georgia. After a week of orientation I went to Javaxi, a village in Kvemo-Kartli that showed me why it was worth staying longer than I planned. I kept a journal from that day forward and I’d like to share a couple entries. 21 October, […]

Posted in: Adaptation, Culture, Georgian Friends, Home and Community, Host Family, Social Life of a Volunteer

Georgia’s three most legendary mountains

October 30, 2013
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For many tourists coming to Georgia the primary activities consist of a cultural tour of Tbilisi, centered around the Old City and Rustaveli Avenue, and then a trip to the Black Sea. Fewer are interested in the magnificent peaks of the Greater Caucasus, which is a shame, considering that the peaks of Georgia and Russia […]

Posted in: Advice and Guides, Travel and Tourism in Georgia, Trips/Adventures

My favorite Tbilisi street food

October 27, 2013
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Although not of Georgian origin, shaurma (შაურმა) holds a place in my heart as Georgia’s best street food, whether I’m shopping around Aghmashenebeli, Leselidze, or Rustaveli and looking for lunch, or simply out late at night a few beers deep and craving something filling to ward off intoxication. Shaurma stands are ubiquitous in Tbilisi, second […]

Posted in: Culture, Food and Drink

Backstage at my first Georgian dance concert

October 26, 2013
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I pulled off my warm fleeces and slipped into the traditional parikaoba shirt. It was too big for me. I glanced at the faded tag: it once belonged to someone Lasha. A few boys tried to get a fire going in a rusty petchi (i.e. a small tin wood stove balancing on wobbly legs), making […]

Posted in: Arts/Music/Dance, Culture, Holidays and Festivals

What I’d find difficult about English

October 5, 2013
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English is a peculiar language, being an amalgam of Old Norse, Germanic languages, and French from the Middle Ages and further back. While teaching English I’ve encountered many difficulties explaining certain grammar and pronunciation concepts. Often it’s simple to explain a rule or an exception to a rule, but when a student asks for a […]

Posted in: Culture, Languages

Love for a place

October 4, 2013
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In my first post of the new school year I’d like to introduce myself. My name’s Matthew Pizza. I’ve been with TLG since October, 2011. Starting this month I’ll be managing this blog, which entails editing posts, directing content, communicating with contributors, and writing lots of posts. I look forward to providing a range of content, […]

Posted in: Culture, Making a Difference in Schools, Travel and Tourism in Georgia

The Origin of the Georgian Alphabet

October 1, 2013
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The origin of Georgia’s unique alphabet is controversial. Whereas the Greek and Latin alphabets are the results of slow and gradual transformations of older scripts (rather than deliberate creations), the Georgian alphabet shows up in history out of nowhere. This makes it plausible that it was invented, either by one person or several. So the […]

Posted in: Culture, Languages, Literature

Georgia’s fiery water

September 25, 2013
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Almost every country has a signature drink that can be divided into one of two categories. First, it can be smooth and pleasing to the palate, appealing to the senses and tasting delicious. Second, it can take your breath away, leaving you gasping for air and your esophagus feeling like it’s been burned by a […]

Posted in: Culture, Food and Drink, Home and Community, Supras

Interview with Dato Tsomaia, Georgian Rock Star

September 24, 2013
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Through a Georgian friend I met Dato Tsomaia, the drummer from the popular band LOUDspeakers. The band has a new wave indie sound with deep, dark undertones. Think Interpol-meets-Joy Division. I wanted to find out his thoughts on the Tbilisi music scene. Dato speaks English fluently and provided all the answers himself. Interviewer: Please introduce […]

Posted in: Arts/Music/Dance, Culture

Get Out of Kazbegi

May 23, 2013
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With the numerous vacation days in early May and the fast approach of summer many volunteers will be traveling throughout Georgia. Batumi, Svaneti, and Kazbegi are top locations for everyone’s itineraries. I’ll provide a description of the last one, and why you should get out of Kazbegi to explore the lesser known routes around the […]

Posted in: Advice and Guides, Travel and Tourism in Georgia, Trips/Adventures

Miscommunication Mishaps

May 1, 2013
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Coming to a country where both the language and the alphabet are unknown to you is a mission many may find daunting.  Regardless, all of us TLG volunteers took the metaphorical plunge, packed our bags and came to Georgia, after explaining to everyone back home that it’s the country, not the state in the USA. […]

Posted in: Languages

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