After decades of promoting peace, friendship, and aid to countries all over the world, Peace Corps will be celebrating its 50th anniversary next year in 2011. It's exciting to be a part of John F. Kennedy's dream. Me and a few other volunteers are involved in the Peace Corps anniversary committee, where we are in charge of creating different projects to let other family, friends, and host country nationals be a part of the worldwide celebration. We are still in the planning stage but have some ideas including a Trans-Caucasus Skype party where we all can speak to the other surrounding Peace Corps posts on our side of the globe. We're looking at starting an art project to get kids and artists across Georgia express their ideas of peace, and share it with the community. Also, I'm in the process of making a video that we hope will be played on the big screens in the major city squares here in Georgia.
We would love to hear your ideas back home though! If you would like to be involved let us know. We want everyone to be able to be a part of this special occasion. You can contact me through mcraejohnny@gmail.com.
In the mean time, Peace Corps headquarters in DC have created a website project called the "Peace Corps Digital Library" that is filled with photos, stories, essays etc. from volunteers, returned volunteers, staff from all over the world.
After a brutal, hot summer here in Georgia we have finally been getting some cooler weather. To take advantage of this change in seasons, Peace Corps had allowed all of the volunteers to come into Tbilisi for an "Emotional Wellness" weekend. The event included grilled hot dogs whilst jamming out to classic American rock, playing kickball, dominating in an undefeated 15 game beer pong winning streak, and fist pumping at our favorite Georgian bar scene, Beatles Club. Suffice to say, I'm doing emotionally well at the moment.
Now that September is creeping through, harvest season will about to be in full swing which is not only a huge deal to almost every Georgian but especially the winery I work for in particular. More and more tourists have been coming to visit the area: mainly guests from Israel, Germany, UK, Australia, and Japan. In addition to doing tours on a daily basis we'll soon be going out to the vineyards to help with the რთველი, grape harvest. This is a strange time of the year because there is so much effort and time put into picking and crushing the grapes and after every major food harvest families celebrate with Thanksgiving style supras several times during the week...which leaves the businesses and streets empty of people. But I'm looking forward to this years harvest, now fully understanding the traditions and having a stronger hold on the language...also it's my last one, so I want to make this one count!
In addition to all the grape-ness here in Kvareli, Alex and I are planning a weekend trip to visit his business associates in Kiev, Ukraine. Both our tourism company (Georgian Journeys) and our wine company (Armunji) are official registered and now we will be spending a good deal of time traveling around the country and surrounding areas looking for contacts and being acquainted with some of Alex's business partners. I'm really looking forward to this because I finally get to be able to see parts of the country that I just haven't had the time (who am I kidding) money to go see. Also, Alex and I are about to implement our business trainings. We have purchased all of our equipment, and most of the students spots have been filled, so we're looking to get this thing running in late September or October. It will be exciting to see my SPA grant finally paying off.
I know, I know...not a very exciting post. But, well...nothing has been very exciting yet. I promise you once harvest starts I'll be sharing plenty of stories. Well, I'll see you (friends and family at least) in less than 11 months! Just one more winter to trudge through. But hey, since I know you want to send me a care package to help me get through it but don't really know what to put in it...you can just send me this. AKA - THE BEST MIX INVENTION...EVER.
