Week 40: Wine & Dine

One of the first 3 words anyone learns when they come to Georgia is 'modi', 'dajecki', and 'jami' or come, sit, and eat! And there is a reason why! Food and drink are perhaps one of the most crucial aspects of not only wider Georgian culture, but also, day to day life!

My first meal in Georgia!

For breakfast, there's a focus on homemade bread, sweet fruit jam, and tea with the occasional egg, while lunch and dinner tend to be heavier dishes! Often, Georgians eat breakfast around 8 A.M. before they go to school while lunch is around 2 or 3 P.M. and dinner can be anytime late in the evening. For special occasions, Georgians throw a 'supra' or a feast! Guests will expect MOUNDS of food and I mean this literally; plates are stacked upon plates! Of course, all of this comes with a rich wine culture! The tamada, or toastmaster, will be sitting at the table giving toasts and tradition dictates the men must 'bulumdi' or finish their glass while women will often sip! If you're lucky (or unlucky depending on how you look at it), the Horn might make an appearance! Ranging from 2 glasses of wine to as much as 10, the Tamada will 'bulumdi' the drinking horn (in addition to the honorable fellows around). Usually, this particular drinking utensil is reserved for special occasions (is casual alcoholism a special occasion???). Regardless, a great time will be had by all!

Homemade Apple Jam

With the horn!

What makes all of these meals particularly special is the namesake dishes and drinks that pass the table! Here are some of Georgia's most delicious!

In my natural habitat

Khinkali
Just the name of this delectable dumpling can send any Georgian into a craze! This delicacy is filled with either seasoned beef or cheese (a slew of other varieties exist as well), and broth. Norms dictate that you must bite into the bottom, suck out all the juice, and eat everything except the top! If any juice touches your plate, it's bad luck!

Khinkali!

Khacapuri
This cheesy quesadilla is ready to hit your arteries with 3 striking varieties: Imeretian, Adjaruli, and Megrelian! Imeretian Khacapuri is the classic option slathered in butter and served hot! Bebia (my host grandmother) has remained Georgia's reigning champion in the Khacapuri Heart Attack Classic with her award winning, artery clogging contraption. Unfortunately, this is not a real contest, but she deserves the praise! Anyways, Adjaruli Khacapuri is a beautiful bread boat filled with a cracked egg, melted butter, and cheese ready to sail it's way into your left ventricle (and ultimately dock there until you die). Megrelian Khacapuri is a spicier version of Imeretian! 

Imeretian Khacapuri

Adjaruli Khacapuri

Lobiani
Because Georgians can't add too many ingredients to a single foodstuff, Lobiani is exactly like Khacapuri, but with BEANS! And it's equally as delicious!

Lobiani!

'I distrust lobiani'

Mtsvadi & other meats
Mtsvadi is simply a grilled kebab, but with larger sticks and, often, larger chunks of pork! Although Georgian cuisine is heavy on bread and cheese, Georgians enjoy fish, Gupta--hefty meatballs--and roasted chickens!

Matsoni & Cheese
Like sour cream, Matsoni is a thick homemade yogurt paired with other dishes but delicious by itself! Meanwhile, cheese in addition to hot homemade bread is served at almost every meal! With most people owning a cow/s, it's no surprise one sees such frequency of these lactose-based products!

Matsoni is in the jar with the red lid. Kartopeli or mashed potatoes on the top right. Near the bottom is ghomi

Tkmali & Adjicka
My favorites, Tkmali is a flavorful plum while Adjicka is a spicy tomato sauce!

Adjicka

Lobio
Another staple of the Georgian diet, Lobio is simply boiled beans with a splash of dill and onions! Best eaten with cold tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese, Tkmali, and steaming hot bread!

Lobia in all of its glory

Kartopeli
Kartopeli simply means potatoes in Georgian! It often refers to a potato quesadilla, but Kartopeli can be fried or mashed potatoes. The fried variety is excellent with Adjicka, Tkmali, or ketchup!

Soupi
As the cognate implies, Soupi is just that: SOUP! Anywhere from a thick broth with meat to a pea filled stew bursting with vegetables, visitors will find soups of all varieties around the country!

Deliciousness!

Salata, & Viniagretti
A particularly seasonal dish, Salata is often sliced cucumber, tomatoes, and the occasional lettuce leaf with a dash of vinegar, salt, and--you guessed it--dill! In general, viniagretti *can* refer to other appetizers, but it references the mayonnaise slathered cubed potatoes, carrots, and peas with a dash of dill. My other favorite appetizer is the shredded chicken with mayonnaise!

Soupi on the bottom. Salata in the middle. Pizza on the right. Fresh white cheese on the top.

Sweets
If there is something all visitors should know about Georgia, many Georgians LOVE sugar. Perhaps, the most notable dessert is torti or cake! For any celebratory occasion expect at least one cake with enough frosting to send you into shock! Chocolate of all kinds is extremely common and I absolutely love Kada! This swirly sweet is full of sugar and butter with a crisy exterior and a soft interior!

'We Love Keegan' cake!

Wine
Georgian has a rich wine tradition that has lasted for centuries! Most families have a complete operation where they grow and stomp their own grapes, and ferment the wine! At peak, my family had around 800 liters (211 gallons) of wine! My personal favorite is my family's wine (of course), but I thoroughly enjoy Pirosmani's Saperavi!

If Georgia had Better Homes & Gardens, this would have cover potential...

Grapes in the garden!

Cha Cha
This deadly alcohol, Cha Cha is what I imagine the devil drinks. Made from grapes, it's, realistically, lighter fluid and feels like such. If you want to dance, make sure you specify which Cha Cha you prefer otherwise you'll have heartburn for weeks. Although most people drink it, Cha Cha is widely used as an antiseptic.

The Devil!

Cognaci & Liquor 
Like Cha Cha, Cognaci has a high alcohol content, but tends to be thicker and sweeter from it's fruity origins! Meanwhile, sweet liquors of all varieties can be found. Unfortunately, there is not a brewing culture here, and I've never had a beer here that I enjoyed.

Lemonade & Soft Drinks
Interestingly enough, Georgians are very fond of original, pear, and taragon lemonade! Other popular soft drinks include Fanta and Coke! Juices are widely available and 'Compoto' a homemade fruit drink from a fruit i've never seen before is really popular!

Water!
Natural springs are all over the country and Georgians are proud of the myriad of mineral waters! Borjomi is, perhaps, the most well known outside of the country! If you're sick, Borjomi is a local cure!

Fast food
Strangely enough, fast food is extremely popular here! With McDonald's (9 total), Wendy's (the largest one in the world is in Tbilisi), and other chains like KFC and Dunkin Donuts, globalization has graced its presence here. In fact, most of these chains are viewed as classy establishments! Having visited most of the McDonald's in the country, I must agree!

Although Georgian cuisine contains a handful of ingredients, the fresh flavors and farm-to-table mentality keeps me coming back for more! Come to Georgia for the food and stay for the company! 

My goodbye supra!

Week 34: Climate & Geography

After a quick scan through, I realized, to much dismay, that I completely failed to include any maps or geography of Georgia! This post is here to remedy that!

Map of Georgia!

Geography
Nestled between the Northern and Southern Caucasian mountains, Georgia is a surprisingly diverse nation despite its small size. ***Extremely*** mountainous in both the north and the south, the country is strikingly flat in the western Imereti and Samagrelo regions with rolling hills everywhere else. In fact, this pancake-like topography reminded me of Ohio! 

The mountains of the Svaneti region in the north

As for its general size, it takes about ~7 hours to travel from the eastern part of the country to the southwest and maybe several hours from the the north to the south depending on how you travel and where you are going.

The country is within the Black Sea and Caspian sea watershed with all rivers and streams heading to their respective bodies of water. There are many lakes dotting the country, but, none, in my opinion, that are notable. The Black Sea and it's beaches are the ideal places that many vacation-goers flock to.

Politics
The country is divided into 12 unique regions with Tbilisi, the capital, being some sort of federal district. However, due to the civil wars, Abkhazia and South Ossetia are currently under Russia's control (more on that in a later post) and Adjara remains an autonomous republic. The regions are further divided into municipalities with an anchor city as the respective capital. Parliament was moved in the 2000s from Tbilisi to the center of the country in Kutaisi.

Parliament of Georgia in Kutaisi

Climate
For the most part, the climate is fairly temperate with parts of the west being more marshy and the east being more desert-like. The climate varies depending on region with the more mountainous areas being significantly colder (obvi). In my experience, the winters are brutally cold here which are simply highlighted by the lack of indoor heating! It can be anywhere from -10 degrees to 32 degrees Fahrenheit and several inches or feet of snow in the winter while the current weather is a comfortable 80 degrees! My friends in Svaneti stated that the snow melts from most of the mountains much later than the rest of the country. The spring and fall, much like the Midwest, are characterized by rain! Georgia very much experiences all seasons!

December in Chiatura

Population
Georgia is made up of about 4.3 million people with much of that population concentrated in Tbilisi (1.5 million people). The other notable cities are Kutaisi, in the center, Batumi in the southwest, and Zugdidi in the northwest. Outside of that, villages are scattered about! Often, many villages can be extremely isolated from the rest region and it can take hours to go to the nearest city center.

The Bridge of Peace in Tbilisi

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the wars that followed, large swaths of the population have either left the country or moved to the city centers. It's not uncommon to see former communities' populations nearly halved! In my own hometown, Chiatura was a boom town of 40,000 with a current population of 20,000!

Before I bore you with any more facts, I wanted to share an excellent video that explains Georgia in a much more entertaining medium! I'll be highlighting the environment, and cuisine in the weeks to come!

Week 31: Traditions & Customs

Throughout my time in Georgia, I have noticed some stark cultural contrasts to my American lifestyle! Although this is is an incomplete list (more subjects will be covered later), and barely encompasses Georgia's diverse peoples, I hope you enjoy what makes Georgia special!

Svaneti!

Shoes!
Walking into a Georgian home, you will find yourself taking your shoes off before entering! You will have your specific indoor slippers to wear and you might even have special shoes for the area outside!

However, what is most surprising is the importance of CLEAN shoes. People constantly glance at your shoes and I've found myself in the habit of cleaning my shoes every morning!

Dance
Dance is a spectacular sport here rich in rhythm and style! Expect lots of jumps, twirls, frills, and thrills with some ~casual~ knife-throwing! I've seen varying styles with singularly men or only women while others consisted of almost a non-verbal conversation between both!

Greeting
Between almost anyone, expect one cheek-to-cheek 'kiss' especially for friends who haven't seen each other in quite some time (and even those who saw each other yesterday!). Admittedly, it varies depending on the person, the relationship between the individuals, and the frequency in which they see each other, but I still find the gesture rather sweet!

As for verbal salutations, i've learned that 'Gamarjoba' or hello is simply reserved for only once a day! Many older teachers at school will give a 'hard blink' and a slight smile to recognize your presence after the initial 'hello'.

Lines
Perhaps my least favorite part of Georgia, queuing is practically non-existent in Georgia. Georgians will swarm anything that requires a line and waiting boils down to jockeying to the front of the line. 

This pic isn't from Georgia, but it gets the point across

Time
Life is much more relaxed here in Georgia. A sense of urgency and advanced notice are constantly left to yesterday, and don't get me started on planning!!! It can be frustrating working here sometimes, and I'm still not accustomed, but the leisurely pace of life can be pleasant.

A picture of what life feels like every day (half joking)

Death
Mourning is much different than in the United States. When someone dies, the body is placed in the house for 5 days and, then, finally buried. In the cemetery, there is usually a gravestone with the person's portrait, and family and friends will visit to celebrate the person's life. They do this by bringing plenty of wine and food and reserving a plate of food and drink for the deceased. In cemeteries, there are picnic tables for almost every grave so as to reserve a space for this celebration. Easter and the dead person's birthday are particular times to have a feast in honor of those passed away.

Hospitality
Georgia is renowned for their hospitality; in fact, there is a saying here: 'A guest is a gift from god'! As a foreigner, you are constantly invited in to sit, eat, and drink! There is not such a thing as overstaying your welcome and being charged for staying the night is unheard of!

A Georgian 'Supra' or feast

Gestures

Georgians hand signals are, perhaps, some of my favorite parts of this culture! To signal confusion, people twist their open hands as if they were twisting two knobs in front of them! Usually, this gesture is accompanied with 'ra vici' which translates as 'What do I know?'

To invite someone to drink wine or 'Cha Cha', Georgia's vile vodka, a man will flick his neck with his middle finger!

As for the bad gestures, your thumb in between your middle and pointer finger is the equivalent of the middle finger and making a fist and slapping it with other opposing hand's palm implies something like 'F*** you' or, simply, 'f***' in the sexual sense. The more you know, am I right?

Week 26: #Blessed

As those residing in Georgia know: there is ALWAYS room for Jesus! As the crosses and churches dotting the countryside portray, Georgians are overwhelmingly apart of the Georgian Orthodox church! However, religion is a bit different than the United States. More on that below...

Mtskheta

Throughout Georgia's history and despite foreigner invaders, Georgia has remained a proud Christian nation. Even during Soviet times, many churches and monasteries were left untouched and Georgians--albeit secretly--practiced Christianity. That is not to say the Soviet project didn't suppress the church and the cross was left in the shadows of the hammer and sickle

Sameba

Nowadays, there is a close relationship between Church and State. Schools have alters in almost every classroom and religious holidays are considered national holidays! Honestly, just look at the flag! 5 crosses is pretty telling! Even in the private sphere, it is rare to see a home without an ornate shrine and a Georgian without a wearable cross. Of course, passing a church will insight a marshutka full of Georgians to cross themselves feverishly.

Frescoes in Bagrati's Cathedral

However, in my opinion, religion is more of a cultural experience than a zealous belief system. People will call themselves Orthodox and cross themselves near a church, but whether they truly believe the Patriarch--the leader of the Georgian Orthodox Church--or not is a totally different story. Many complaints I've heard regarding the church has been surrounding leadership and corruption. Recently, there was a scandal of a successive pope attempting to poison the current Patriarch who has severe Parkinson's and it is even difficult for him to perform public functions; but, I guess, someone was eager to seize power...

Katskhi's Cathedral

As for practice, some people believe church attendance is not a mandatory part of spirituality unlike many Americans. Furthermore, many people can attend church as frequently as they choose. Prayer and worship is based on lighting a candle and standing while praying for many hours at a time. A church service is very much a sermon delivered by a bearded man clad in long black dress to a standing crowd (reserved seating for the elderly) and people often follow strict dietary regiments when fasting (i'm still confused which days people can eat what!). Admittedly, I still do not fully understand the ins and outs of Georgian Orthodoxy, but I find it fascinating!

It's lit!

Of course, it is important to note the religious minorities in the country! You'll find large numbers of Muslim Azeris in the southeast, and the Adjara province, bordering Turkey and having a history of being flipflopped between the two nations, has a sizable Muslim population. Atheists are everywhere, but, I think that is a very private matter. Unfortunately, religious tolerance is not all 'kum-ba-ya''. I'm not sure Islam invokes a positive connotation in a Georgian's mind; however, that goes without saying, I have met some extremely accepting individuals here. Until my personal population sample is larger, it's difficult to make these ~hasty~ assumptions!

Bagrati's Cathedral

Overall, religion is fascinating concept in Georgia. Behind the centuries old churches, there is--or not!--a Georgian's personal journey with the heavens above (or even those below!) I'm #blessed to be here ;)

Katskhi's Pillar A.k.a A little closer to the heavens

Georgia, Turkey, & Greece: 3 Countries, 2 Continents, Infinite Gyros

As Easter break commenced, I decided to head west to revisit my ol' stomping grounds (Turkey) and see what was all the fuss about in Greece!

Athens, Greece

Day 1: Departure!

Being the poster child of frugality, I purchased a 70 lari (30 dollar) bus ticket from Zestaponi to Istanbul! Well, the day certainly didn't go as planned! I took the marshutka from Chiatura to Zestaponi and I was 5 minutes late (AH!!). To add insult to injury, I sprinted to the Metro Bus Company's office there and it was closed INDEFINITELY! So I was freaking out! Where was the point of contact?!?! It couldn't get any worse, right? IT WAS RAINING BUCKETS! After running, (literally running) around the city, I finally got ahold of the company and, to my excitement, they told me the bus was 30 minutes late! However, it was more like an hour and I was freezing!! Needless to say, I was thrilled to get on that bus .... for the next 20 hours. Surprisingly, I had a great time (with the exception of the very cold border crossing and the frequency which I woke up). Overall, 9 out of 10 recommend!

Day 2 & 3: Istanbul, Turkey

Admittedly, Turkey has changed a lot since I last arrived. The tourists sparsely populate the city and many shops have closed. Of course, what dominated the skyline were the 'Evet' and 'Hayir' posters or the 'Yes' and 'No' campaign banners, respectively. I arrived the day before the referendum in which Turks decided if Turkey's current president could consolidate his power. Unfortunately, the referendum barely passed.

Taksim Square

Despite this, I spent what little time I had there meeting with my former Turkish professor, Yeliz, and discussing politics under the extremely pleasant weather! I mostly spent my time walking up and down Istiklal Caddesi, the main thoroughfare, and eating lahmacun, a Turkish pizza!

Although my time was short, I got to peak the old city one last moment before I left! I miss Turkey a lot, and i'm afraid, if recent events continue, my return anytime soon will be unlikely.

Hagia Sophia

Day 4: Athens, Greece

The previous night, I flew into Athens, and, naturally, I had a gyro for dinner! It was scrumptious and I familiarized myself with the city that night!

In the morning, I was stuffed like a Thanksgiving Turkey! Breakfast consisted of a Greek salad smothered in olive oil, Greek yogurt with honey, the largest Jonathan apples this side of the pond, and, by far, the most succulent olives I ever had! Practically a gift from the Greek gods! I headed over to the Acropolis that morning with a friend I befriended at the hostel! The wait wasn't that long and I managed to get the student discount (saving me a bigillion Euro) and we lived like Ancient Athenians! We saw the Theatre of Dionysius, the Parthenon, and the Temple of Athena! The sites were absolutely breathtaking and I highly recommend a visit to Athens! We weren't done yet! We headed over to the Temple of Zeus after some Souvlaki! Although much of the temple wasn't standing, you could gather the entirety of the original structure based on the massive columns left! IT was absolutely incredible! The rest of the evening I spent crisscrossing the cobbled streets trying to decide my next meal! That night, my friend Meera brought me to this fine establishment serving these delectable zucchini balls, tzatziki sauce with bread, an assortment of appetizers, and the house wine! To much surprise, I couldn't eat it all, but the conversation was equally as delightful! Talk of the economic crisis and Syrian refugees filled the air! We ended the night with some laughs and went our separate ways.

Theatre of Dionysius

Parthenon

Souvlaki

Acropolis from afar

Temple of Zeus

Greek Salad

Changing of the Guard at the Greek Parliament

Day 5: Athens, Greece

The next day, I headed towards some of my favorite sites: the Olympeion, the home of the first Olympic games, the Ancient Agora, and the Karameikos! Happenstance, I found out that day was National Monument Day! All the monuments and museums were free! If I only had known earlier.... Regardless, I had an amazing experience! The rest of the night I explored my neighborhood and I had hummus and falafel (for a grand total of 3 Euro!!) at this homely Mediterranean restaurant!

Speaking of which, the one aspect of Athens that shocked me was how diverse the city really was! In Omonia, where I rested, every corner and every store advertised a unique selection of food from whichever restaurant you could choose from! There were even Georgian restaurants there as well! What a time to be alive!

Olympeion

I honestly forget what Temple this was, but it's apart of the Ancient Agora

Day 6: Athens to Thessaloniki

Perhaps, my most tragic day, I got up early, ate breakfast, and headed off for the train to Thessaloniki! Surprisingly, the carriage was very comfortable and the Greek woman next to me (who only spoke Greek) was extremely chatty! However, tragedy struck. Food poisoning befell my hapless self halfway through my journey of enjoying the Greek countryside and I was rendered useless the rest of the day. Taking public transportation in Thessaloniki was painful (imagine a cramped, humid bus) and I was thrilled to take solace in my hostel.

Day 7 & 8: Thessaloniki

Although my final days in Greece were clouded with illness, I rather enjoyed Thessaloniki. Nestled on the perfect harbor with a rich history, I admired the views and the chilly--often breezy--days. I visited the picturesque White Tower, explored the Archaeology, Byzantine Culture, and Macedonian Struggle Museums, respectively, and glided over thousands years of history at the Agora and the Rotunda! I didn't know what to expect from Thessaloniki, but I highly recommend it! I much preferred Athens, but it's worth the trip! Finally, I sailed back to Georgia on a white yacht and I savored each and every wave! JOKES! I flew back at 5 in the morning on WizzAir. C'est la vie! 

White Tower

Seaside

Another beautiful church

Thessaloniki's city walls

Rotunda

I have yet to figure out what this is. Norther fortifications?

Archaeology Museum 

Ancient Agora

Inside the Rotunda

Deliciousness!