I cannot tell you…

…how much I’m looking forward to being back in Georgia. My flight leaves from JFK on Saturday and arrives in Istanbul at about 6 am on Sunday.  The flight to Tbilisi doesn’t leave for another seven hours, so I plan to take the tram downtown and see some of the sights.  I’ll arrive in Tbilisi… Continue reading I cannot tell you…

Back in the States

So I got back to the States last night, after about forty six hours of travel (and only four or five hours of sleep).  It’s good to be back, but I’m already missing Georgia and thinking about all the things I’ll do once I get back. The weirdest thing about being back home so far… Continue reading Back in the States

Still traveling

So I think I’ve clocked in about 1,000 kilometers this past week, mostly between Kutaisi and Tbilisi.  Seen some interesting things, met a lot of interesting people, made some good memories, and thought a lot of deep and poignant thoughts. Unfortunately, all this travel isn’t conducive to blogging.  I’ve got five days before I fly… Continue reading Still traveling

Still waiting…

So the finalists for the first quarter Writers of the Future have been announced, but there hasn’t been any word on semi-finalists or silver HMs and probably won’t be until the winners are announced.  I can’t really publish part I of Star Wanderers until I hear back, so that means more waiting.  Grrr… In the meantime,… Continue reading Still waiting…

Last day of school

So today was the last day of school in Georgia, with all of the craziness that that entails.  It was kind of sad to say goodbye, even though I’ll probably be coming back to the same school in September.  In the meantime, I’m going to miss being a rockstar to all the 7-12 year olds… Continue reading Last day of school

Ali and Nino by Kurban Said

At the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Christianity and Islam, the progressive West and the reactionary East, the peoples of the Caucasus lie poised between three empires and their own dreams of independence.  And at the city of Baku, where the ancient and unchangeable desert meets the oil rigs of the Caspian Sea, young Ali… Continue reading Ali and Nino by Kurban Said

მე ♥ ქუთაისი (I ♥ Kutaisi)

That’s Georgian for “I ♥ Kutaisi.” Like the New York City ad campaign on which it’s based, it’s become a part of the local culture.  You can see it on billboards, street signs, stickers, t-shirts–unlike the US, where it’s uncool to wear a band’s t-shirt at their own concert, everyone was wearing their “I ♥ Kutaisi” shirts… Continue reading მე ♥ ქუთაისი (I ♥ Kutaisi)

Life in Georgia is like a game of backgammon

Everywhere I go, I see people playing ნარდი (“nardi”), known in English as backgammon.  Men and women, children and the elderly–everyone knows how to play, and just about every family owns a backgammon set.  It’s popular everywhere in Georgia, but it’s especially popular here in Kutaisi, where it’s not uncommon to see clusters of old… Continue reading Life in Georgia is like a game of backgammon