Friday, February 22, 2008

No Electricity and Frozen Pipes

February 21, 2008

So the pipes are still frozen in Sighnaghi. And now we don't have electricity. Apparently when it gets really windy here it knocks the power out. We have been without electric for 2 days now. It's not so bad during the day because its bright enough to see to read and write. In the evenings well there isn't much to do besides sit and stare at one another in the candlelight! I know it sounds fun and you wish you could do it too. It's totally different when the electric goes out in the states. It usually only goes out because there was a really bad storm or there was an accident and the lines will be repaired in the very near future. Usually you are only without for a few hours at most. Here it's not like the power lines are great and they probably haven't been replaced since before Georgia was a part of the Soviet Union. Of course it's not uncommon here for the electric company to turn off all the electric in an apartment complex because somebody hasn't paid their electric bill. I have a friend who recently lived through 3 weeks of no electricity because somebody didn't pay their electric bill in the apartment complex. Imagine if the electric company did that in the US. Thank goodness it doesn't work that way.

On a side note I'm currently without email at my site & not because we don't have electricity either. When the host family moved from the house here in Sighnaghi they had the service disconnected. And my office doesn't have Internet service right now either. I'm told we might get it again in March, but I'm not going to hold my breath. So at this point I only have Internet access when I make it to Tbilisi. So know that I'm doing well and I'm still alive if you haven't heard from me in awhile. Remember I'm not in America and things don't work the same way here!

My trip to the Beach!


February 13- 18th

Usually I'm on a warm tropical island right about now relaxing and soaking up the sun rays. So maybe I'm not there this year but last week I was in Batumi which is a port city. So at least I got to see the water of the Black Sea and the beach. Can't say it was as warm as the Dominican Republic but it was definitely warmer than my town. Unfortunately I didn't get to do any sight seeing because I was there for a conference. While I was there I got to enjoy taking a shower everyday. That was worth it all by itself! My priorities in life have changed some since moving here.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

My Trip Home to Missouri

February 8, 2008

It sure was nice to visit the states, to remember just how good central heating is. Most of the time I was hot while I was there because everywhere you go it’s warm. I always knew that Americans were fortunate for the way we lived but now I truly appreciate it. Not to mention that it isn’t an ordeal to shower everyday. The pipes are still frozen here and have been since two weeks before I left to come home. Being able to shower everyday really does make a person a feel good about themselves when that is what they are used to doing.

Anyways, the main reason I came home was that Sarah got married to Mason on the 26th of January. The week before the wedding we spent our time running around taking care of the last minute details. One of those very important details was for me to get my hair cut, pedicure and manicure. Thursday night we had bachelorette party for Sarah at Vivian’s and then went to Mill Stream in St. Charles. Friday evening was the rehearsal and dinner at Trailhead. Everybody enjoyed themselves at dinner and got a chance to visit with each other.
Saturday was the big day! The stretch hummer limo came to mom and dad’s to take all the girls to the salon around eight am. We all enjoyed a morning cocktail or two on the way. After the morning at the salon it was off to the church, New Town Chapel in St. Charles, for the main event! All the bridesmaids and bride had a great time getting dressed in the tiny dressing room with all our stuff. I may have started crying when I took Sarah upstairs for her encounter with Mason right before the ceremony. (I bought waterproof mascara just for the occasion.) Sarah was by far the most beautiful bride I have ever seen! The ceremony was absolutely gorgeous and went off without at hitch. We did the picture thing at the church with the families and full bridal party. Afterwards we loaded up the limo to the riverfront in St. Charles to take pictures. As we all know Sarah loves pictures so we spent a lot of time getting our pictures taken. We made it to the reception shortly after 7pm. Mason gave Sarah a piggy back ride into to the reception. Everything at the reception was great and everybody had a great time. Sarah didn’t miss a detail when it came to all decorations at the chapel or the reception. It was a perfect winter wedding. Sarah was a beautiful princess and Mason didn’t look to bad in his monkey suit either. (I really wouldn’t be surprised if Sarah put her dress on again for their first anniversary.)
Sunday the happy couple opened gifts at the hotel and wished out of guests a farewell as they made their journeys back home. (They ended up with 7 crock pots. Mason said he would be able to make all the food for the church socials!) Afterwards Sarah lost Mason. Really he got in the car with his parents to head back to Sarah and Mason’s house where we were dropping off their gifts before heading over to mom and dad’s for a little BBQ. (It was a nice warm sunny day. I might have missed having normal BBQ.) Little cousin Catherine and her dad, Brian, enjoyed riding dad’s tractor. I enjoyed the BBQ. After dinner we played a nice friendly game of cards with the whole family. It was like the never ending game but lots of fun.
Monday morning we stopped by Chesterfield mall before meeting up with mom and the rest of the family. The electricity was on in half of the mall but not in the other half. I heard someone say that they couldn’t flush the toilet or wash their hands. I had to laugh and think about where I was for a minute. Later Sarah and I met the family went to lunch at Red Lobster and Old Town St. Charles to do a little shopping. Monday evening I went to Court for old time sakes. Same people still show up with maybe a slightly different story.
Tuesday evening was pot luck dinner and pictures of Georgia night. (That was the last party that mom and dad have to have at their house for a while.) It was nice to share more stories and pictures with everybody. There are many stories that I didn’t get tell but don’t worry they will all eventually come out.
Wednesday I went to City Hall to visit. I spent the whole day up there visiting and going to lunch. I enjoyed getting to see those that I did see. For the most part it seems that everything is still the same around there just a different day.
I spent Thursday shopping for things I needed and wanted to take back with me to Georgia. Mason was a good sport shopping with the girls during the day. Thursday evening we all watched movies while the snow fell.
Friday morning Sarah, Mason and I ventured out to the store to get the ingredients for a nice pancake breakfast. Later that day we went shopping again.
Saturday my last full day home I didn’t do too much. I had my last real meal with my family, shared more pictures. And oh I finally started packing about 10:30 or so! I said my good-byes to Sarah and Mason since I wasn’t taking them to the airport at 5am. Only because I was going to spend the next two days traveling back to Georgia.
Sunday arrived. I took my last real hot shower and was off to the airport. Mom and dad dropped me off at the curb and I began my adventure back to Georgia. I flew from St. Louis to Chicago. My flight to Munich left at 5:50pm. I had a nice salad and fountain soda with ice for dinner at the airport. My flight left on time and unfortunately I didn’t sleep much on the 8 ½ flight. The plane landed in Munich around 9am. I stored my carry-on for the day and headed off to see downtown Munich since I had a 12 hour lay-over. There was a carnival in the city center that day. My guess was it was all related to Mardi Gras. I did go to one museum while I was there. I might have actually tried to do more if I hadn’t been so dang tired. I went back to the airport and took a little nap at the gate waiting for my flight to leave around 9pm.
By the time I landed in Georgia it was 4 am on February 5th. I took a taxi back to Peace Corps so I could pass the time until the public transportation started. I truly knew I was back in Georgia when I walked into a store before my ride back to site and spotted a pig’s head on the ground. I made it back Sighnaghi around 1pm. I got my bags in my room and lay down for what I thought was going be a short nap only to wake up at 7:30 that night. I found out that while I was home my host family (father, mother and 3 sisters) moved. I knew they were going to be moving but I hadn’t expected them to move while I was gone. So now I am living with the host grandparents until I move out.