5 years ago

Thoughts on Georgian Transportation

by Rawan / Her

Transportation in Georgia is very different from the freeway jungles of Los Angeles. Here are some of my thoughts on how we get around in Georgia.

Marshutka:

When I’m not walking, I’m taking a marshutka. These mini-buses or large vans are a very soviet thing, in fact, the word itself is the modified Russian word “marshrutka.” The public transportation system is very efficient in Georgia. I can go to almost any remote village by marshutka. However, they are not necessarily comfortable. All seats are basically the “middle seat” in the smallest Honda Civic and definitely more uncomfortable than the most economical plane seat.

Even though they are very efficient and cheap, I’m just going to throw it out there that I am not a fan. Since I was 17 years old, I grew a distaste to crowded places. I’m not claustrophobic, but cramped spaces are physically and mentally uncomfortable for me. I am short and people tend to just squish me. Because marshutkas are inherently small, everyone gets squished. It is not so bad in the winter, but the summer makes for a lot of sweat swapping. Also, there is an old wives’ tale that if you open the windows and the breeze hits your chest, you will get sick. So imagine being cramped in a small space with no AC and no open windows. If you can imagine that, then you have successfully imagined every marshutka ride in the summer.

My family asks me, “why don’t you just take a bus?” And the answer is, “I’ve only seen modern, large buses in Tbilisi.” At my site, there is one route that has a bus. However, same as all the other marshutkas, the buses are given to us by Germany (not sure if donated or paid). Once Germany deems the bus or marshutka too old or unusable, they ship them off to Georgia. So the buses and marshutkas in my town (and likely all of Georgia excluding Tbilisi) are run-down and unsafe in accordance with American standards. I’ve seen broken down marshutkas on the side of the highway on the way to Tbilisi countless times.

On another note, the way we pay inner-city marshutka is also different. In the U.S, there is generally some sort of coin machine or card reader once you enter the bus. In Georgia, you generally pay when you are leaving the marshutka. There are few exceptions where you pay before the ride starts. Of course, there is not a written down system. For example, in the inner-city marshutaks, I pay when I leave. If I’m going to Tbilisi, I pay before. It is such a funny system. Regardless, drivers prefer if you pay with coins for shorter rides because there is no such thing as a coin machine or a card reader.

The driver has a stash of coins and some bills on the dashboard of his marshutka. They sometimes put a small board or plastic to keep on top of the coins to keep them from moving around.

Riding to a different village or a town, it is prudent to bring the exact change. Many times, these prices are not posted anywhere. Locals know the prices and as Peace Corps Volunteers, we learned quickly to become local when it comes to marshutka prices. Since they are not posted anywhere, the marshutka can easily take advantage of foreigners if they wanted to. However, Peace Corps Volunteers speak Georgian and we know the routes well. Thus, we don’t usually get ripped off. It may just happen once or twice in the entire two years, which is a very low number. Personally, I have only got ripped off once because I did not have exact change. Such a rookie mistake.

Private Transportation/Cars:

In regards to private transportation, as Peace Corps Volunteers, we are not allowed to drive or own vehicles in the country in which we serve. Even though many (if not most) Georgians do not own a car, some do. I still see many Soviet vehicles still on the road and some people turn them into makeshift taxis in the small villages. My friend Nicole who visited me last year jokes that I should give her one as a gift and ship it from Georgia. Seeing them on the road is like opening up a time capsule.

Two different Soviet cars back-to-back driving around town.

Of course, there are plenty of people that drive more updated versions of cars. However, if you visit Georgia you will still see plenty of Soviet cars. Speaking of modern cars, a lot of times, bumpers just somehow get lost. If the car gets into an accident, they just remove the bumper. They will tie the license plate with some rope or hammer in some nails and call it a day. I see a missing front bumper as least once a day. A lot of Taxis will also have lost bumpers and I still ride in them.

44940870_2272434322789682_9180768164596678656_n — To protect the privacy of the owner, I’m only going to provide a side image of the SUV. This picture was provided to me by a friend of mine, John.

Taxis:

Taxis are available and frequent in Georgia. Every town and village has a local taxi driver. In some remote areas, the only way in and out is by taxi. Some villages only have a marshutka going to and from Tbilisi or the next largest town once a day. I’ve visited some other Peace Corps Volunteers at their sites and I had to take a taxi. They are affordable but can get pricey if you make it into a habit. Therefore, as Peace Corps Volunteers, we usually do not take taxis unless necessary. I generally only take them in Tbilisi if I have a lot of luggage/equipment or if there isn’t a public transportation route in that direction.

Trains:

Trains, of course, exist in Georgia. They are most likely the least frequent method of public transportation that I embark on. The “fast” train does not really come through my site. It bypasses it, which is very annoying. If I were to take the fast train, I go to a neighboring village. At that point, it is just faster to take a marshutka from the bus station. Other volunteers take the take more frequently. It honestly depends where you are leaving and where you are going. For me, it just doesn’t make much sense. I do take the train when there is heavy snow and I need to go to Tbilisi. I find it safer than taking a broken down marshutka with a speedy driver through the rolling mountains of Georgia.

Metro:

There is only one metro system in all of Georgia and naturally, it is located in the capital, Tbilisi. While I’m in Tbilisi, I take the metro every single time. It is incredibly convenient and cheap. The metro only has two lines but Tbilisi is not a very large city compared to other capitals in the world; therefore, it works fine. It is 50 tetri for each ride, so it is cheaper than taxis and faster than walking. If you ever visit Tbilisi, I recommend the metro. It was built during the Soviet era and it still works great.

If you are curious about other people’s thoughts on transportation, read this article here.

6 years ago

Some of my Favorite Georgian Food

by Rawan / Her

In my two and a half years here, I have noticed that not once did I do a blog about Georgian cuisine. Here I present some of my Georgian foods. Yum Yum.

Georgian food is different from Russian and Turkish, two of its neighbors. When I went to Russia for the FIFA World Cup, I realized how popular Georgian cuisine is in the region.

It would almost be criminal if I write a blog post about food without discussing a Supra. What is interesting is that Supra technically means tablecloth. However, now, it really symbolizes a “Georgian feast.” For any special occasion, Georgians will put together a Supra, whether it is for Easter, for Christmas, Birthdays, or anything. Above, you will find a picture of one of my first supras with my coworkers at a “supra-ish” restaurant. There is chicken liver, mushrooms, chicken, wine (the jug on the left), bread, and much more. Below, I will talk about some of the foods that you will see at a Supra or just in daily life.

One of my favorites is definitely the tomato and cucumber salad with walnut “sauce.” I put the sauce in quotation marks because it is not really a dressing, a sauce, or a paste. Georgians mix walnuts with a bit of vinegar, salt, and I’m assuming water. It comes to this thick mixture and it is blended with tomatoes, cucumbers, white onions, and parsley. In contrast, I am so fatigued by its plain cousin- the tomato and cucumber salad. At home, a salad is honestly just cucumbers and tomatoes. Half the time, it is not even cut up in pieces and there is so such thing as a dressing. The most that the “salad” gets dressed with is a pinch of salt. Thus, the salad pictured above is not only welcoming but also delicious. I will miss this salad for sure. You can also find this salad frequently at Supras.

This is arguably one of the proudest dishes that Georgians serve. Khinkali is the Georgian dumpling. Typically, it is served with minced meat, parsley, and onions rolled up into a soft, thin dough and then boiled to serve. Other popular options include cheese khinkali, mushroom khinkali, or potato khinkali. My favorite is probably just the meat and the second is probably the potato. It actually took me a while to like this dish, but now I even crave it. There is a very unique and proper way to eat this dish, here is a video of a Georgian woman explaining it. Watch it here.

Although this is not technically Georgian, you will find it on the common Georgian supra table. This dish is called, “Mexican Potatoes,” which is ironic because it is not Mexican. Regardless, it is one of my favorites. Georgians cut the potatoes in wedges and season it with paprika and other spices. It is served with a mayonnaise-based dip with paprika, as shown on the left of the plate in the picture above. Georgians do eat a lot of fried potatoes though.

Mtsvadi is probably one of the manliest dishes in Georgia. Just as the average man in the United States loves to barbeque, so does the Georgian man. Mtsvadi is the Georgian word for basically barbeque. Typically, it is is pork, but sometimes you have it chicken (the second most popular) and then beef. Featured above is beef (top) and then pork (bottom). The featured picture of this blog is the chicken Mtsvadi.

Georgian cakes are amazing. There is not a single prepackaged mix in Georgia (that I know of). Cakes here are made from scratch. They are moist and fluffy. A lot of cakes have fruit fillings as well. On birthdays, they will put these firework type of candles on the cake as well. It makes it extra festive. I never liked birthday cakes in America, I found them to be too sweet, especially if it is bought at a grocery store. Meanwhile, I look forward to eating cake in Georgia.

IMG_20160925_242231392 — bleeneys or Blini

Technically, these are not Georgian, they are Russian. Above is pictured the Russian pancake, called Blinis or Bleeneys (same word, but not sure how to spell it with Latin letters). Instead of maple syrup, I eat this with apple or peach jam. They are thicker than American pancakes and they are also smaller in size. They are also not necessarily served for breakfast. I’ve eaten these for dinner or lunch. Thus, ironically, it took me a while to figure out these were pancakes when I first came to Georgia since I ate them at all hours of the day and night. Do note that you will not find these blinis at a supra.

Time to talk about drinks! I have come to love Georgian wine. I find that bottled Georgian wine has more flavor and it is stronger. House wine is inconsistent so I won’t talk about that in this post. Ironically, white wine is not necessarily chilled. In the above picture, you can tell from the glass that this white wine was served cold. However, most white wines are not. In fact, sometimes, I have even had cold red wine. Rules and guidelines about wine are very different than our typical western European or American standards.

IMG_20170414_120903378 — My friend Sarah trying Tarragon flavored soda

Since I’m talking about food, I have to mention the obsession of tarragon soda. Now, I do not have the obsession of this flavor, but Georgians do. When my friend Sarah visited me, I made her try it because it is a staple on Georgian supras. If you are curious, it does in fact taste exactly like tarragon, it is uncanny.

IMG_20180727_124706 — Lemon flavored soda. I took this picture in Kazbegi in the summer of 2018.

However, I will miss Georgian soda, particularly the lemon flavor. I am not a fan of American sodas, I find them to be too sweet. Georgian sodas are as well; however, their flavors tend to be more realistic to the real thing. Lemon soda actually tastes like it has lemon in it. If you have never had 7-Up or Sprite, you will have no idea it was trying to mimic lemon-lime. Another favorite flavor of mine is pear soda. Georgians have unique soda flavors that are not typically found in American stores. Secondly, they are not called sodas in Georgia. They are called “Lemonadi.” Yes, like “lemonade” but with a “y” sound at the end.

That is it for now. There are Georgian restaurants in America, most are found in New York or D.C. If you see one, check it out and see if they have any of the above on the menu!

6 years ago

17 Random Facts about my Peace Corps Service in Georgia

by Rawan / Her

Normally, I post a story or an experience on this blog. For this post, I thought I’d post some quick and dirty fun facts about my Peace Corps service. Some of these facts are mentioned in other posts.

We had a pet rooster for about two months. Justin tried training our rooster like a dog.
Cows are everywhere in Georgia and I’ve been obsessed with them lately. Each time I see a cow while walking, I attempt to take a selfie with it.
This is technically a calf, but this still counts as a cow selfie
In my office’s bathroom, there is a bathtub. This is because our office is actually a home converted into an office.
I am the only foreigner at work. All my colleagues are Georgian and we speak Georgian at work.
Georgians are obsessed with mayonnaise. They sell it in tubs and they also drizzle it on pizza.
Here is an entire section of mayo at the market.
I’ve had food poisoning about half a dozen times during service. I’m so well versed with the symptoms that I can predict the play-by-play by the hours.
I strive to combat racism during service. In Peace Corps, I co-lead a diversity awareness summer camp, called DREAM Camp, for Georgian youth. At the end of my first camp, a teenage girl hugged me and told me that she has realized her biases and will strive to change for the better because of my session.
Last year for Thanksgiving, the only way I was able to procure a turkey was to pick one out alive. My boss, Justin, and I went to a live poultry market and paid a grandmother a couple of dollars to kill it for me. I later cleaned the insides and baked it.
During Easter, Georgians only dye their eggs red. There are multiple shades of red. In America, we dye our eggs cute and various pastel colors. That is not a thing here.
At the bazaar during April 2018. You can see the different shades of red for the Easter eggs.
I created a gender-equality committee in Peace Corps called Saqartvelo Smashes Stereotypes. I wrote about the committee on this blog and a prospective Peace Corps applicant read my blog and discussed the committee in her Peace Corps interview. Now, she is a volunteer here and is on the committee with me!
During my Peace Corps Pre-Service Training (PST), I only used an outhouse that was located next to the pig stye and chicken coup. No one in my village had an indoor or western-style toilet.
I currently live without a dishwasher, a dryer, a couch, a TV, a radio, or even an indoor toilet.
I do not have a wide variety of food where I live. Thus, I currently make up my own recipes and I now I consider myself an amateur chef.

I made up this marinara pasta sauce that is incredibly healthy and delicious. No recipe here.
In my first week of Peace Corps, I witnessed my host family’s pig give birth to her nine piglets. She immediately proceeded to murder most of the piglets by eating them and burying them in her feces. I helped my host family save the remaining piglets. Months later, my host family killed the mother pig and we ate her for dinner. I am still traumatized.
The average price for a haircut for females is less than $4 USD. This includes wash, cut, and style. I have cut my hair in Georgia three or four times thus far.
My most recent haircut in the summer (2018). I only paid 10 GEL at this fancy place in town, which is equivalent to about 4 USD.
My office is about a 15-minute walk from my home. I walk every day to and from work.
Georgia sells Oreos, M&Ms, and Pringles. We buy them frequently and consider them great snacks during my long transportation rides to the capital.

Which fact surprised you the most? What else would you like to know?

Share this:

Transportation in Georgia is very different from the freeway jungles of Los Angeles. Here are some of my thoughts on how we get around in Georgia.

Marshutka:

Private Transportation/Cars:

Taxis:

Trains:

Metro:

Share this:

In my two and a half years here, I have noticed that not once did I do a blog about Georgian cuisine. Here I present some of my Georgian foods. Yum Yum.

Share this:

Normally, I post a story or an experience on this blog. For this post, I thought I’d post some quick and dirty fun facts about my Peace Corps service. Some of these facts are mentioned in other posts.