It's a snail!

Yes, it's a snail. My life at the moment that is. School is still going really slowly...mostly due to the fact that this week was test week. This week most of the classes I would have been co-teaching had tests, so I didn't really have anything to do. Again. I got to sit at the computer a couple of days, both of which the internet gave out on me for a period of time before I finished everything I needed to do...just a little complaint. It's better than nothing though!

The weekend was another slow one...I just went into Samtredia, the city I'm in, and looked around and  went to the bazaar. Traveling is going to take a lot of confidence from me. Mostly because the easiest way to travel is by Marshut'ka, mini-bus, and it is not conventional. It doesn't have certain stops, you tell it when to stop, and it involves reading Georgian QUICKLY and knowing what part of the city it's going to. I'm still very slow at reading the Georgian script. I can do it but it takes me five times as long as the normal person. It certainly helps me understand what my English students are going through when they stare at English words and try to read them. At least their words look exactly like they sound.

Bazaars are fun, I wish there were bazaars in America. I only bought a little over a kilo of apples for 1 lari 50 tetri, but it was still fun to look and see all the vendors. Stalls full of shoes and slippers, hair clips and earrings, a few bottles of nail polish. Even some clothing vendors. It's more fun than just walking into a store. At least I think so. The apples I bought were, by the way, delicious. Soft and sweet and yum.

I'm counting on next week being more exciting, I have shared my ideas with my co-teacher, and hopefully I will get a chance to use them and teach some about Halloween. I want to design jack-o-lanterns, but I haven't figured out how I'm going to do that yet. I would like to color them, but not all the students have their own coloring utensils (some have colored pencils and some have oil pastels) and I don't have any to at least make them orange first. I also had a wake up call trying to tell my co-teacher about ghosts and zombies. Not two average words, but try defining them...ugh. My picture of a ghost certainly didn't do the trick, and I've found pictures to be very helpful when you're trying to convey meaning.

I have no real plans for the weekend again. I'm hoping to either just pluck up my courage and go to Batumi or try to follow the directions this other person from the program posted on facebook to go hiking. Or just wimp out and take day trips. I'm trying really hard to be one of those people that just goes with it. So far I've gotten as far as Samtredia and making that decision. We'll see how it goes. Send lots of courage my way, I need it!

By the way, if you ever visit Georgia, don't drive. It's crazy. Insane. Unsafe for Americans who actually follow the rules of the road. Just saying. Much love to you all!