Welcome to my new blog! As many of you have heard, I'm about to move to the Republic of Georgia at the end of July to teach English to kids in Kindergarten-Sixth grades. Crazy right?! I'll be assisting Georgian English teachers in the classroom in the hopes that these kids will successfully learn another language. When I first tell people about my upcoming plans for the future a lot of clarification is needed on my part to describe the exact location.
"It's Georgia the country, not the state" etc. etc.
So to clear up any geographical confusion, the Republic of Georgia is situated on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and is north of Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. It was part of the former Soviet Union so it's located south of Russia. If you want a size comparison, I've read it's close to the size of Ireland or South Carolina. Here's a nifty little map to orient yourself to the exact country I'll be spending the next few months in:
I'll be staying in the capital of T'bilisi for seven days upon my arrival for an orientation with the program Teach and Learn with Georgia (TLG). During this week I'll be learning more about the Georgian language, Georgian culture, and how to teach English to non-native speakers. On the final day I'll find out where exactly I'm going to be living with my host family!
All geographic confusion aside, I'm really excited about the upcoming adventure I'm going to experience in this country eating, drinking, and teaching alongside some of the most hospitable people in the world. I can't wait to fill this blog with more information and stories to keep you all updated on life in Sakartvelo (what Georgians call their country)!
Love,
Kelsey