End of deployment...

I'm writing this final blog from Kutaisi airport, as I wait for the flight that will take me back to Rome. It's hard to sum up everything that has happened over the past few months and draw any final conclusions, but I'll try to share my reflections.

WORK

Without a doubt, this has been the most rewarding part of my experience. I had the privilege of working almost exclusively with the same group of beneficiaries, which allowed me to build strong and authentic relationships over time. Initially, I was worried that some of them would drop out after the first few meetings and wouldn't want to commit to a long-term project. In reality, out of the 12 women who started, only two dropped out, while the others continued until the end. The greatest satisfaction came from hearing their feedback at the end of the training: many of them remembered and appreciated aspects that I thought hadn't fully sunk in or might have been forgotten. They also expressed a desire to delve deeper into these topics in the future.

The relationship with my local NGO, unfortunately, wasn't always smooth, especially as time went on. However, I have to acknowledge that without the spaces and logistical support provided by the organization, I wouldn't have been able to carry out any of the activities I worked on.

LIFE IN ZUGDIDI AND GEORGIA

It has been an incredible experience. I met wonderful people who showed me beautiful places, introduced me to unique individuals, and gave me the opportunity to live unforgettable experiences. Despite the challenges I faced, Georgia is a fascinating country full of surprises.

Looking back, I realize how much this experience has enriched me, both professionally and personally. I've learned so much, not only about work, but also about the culture and the people who surrounded me over these months. I'm grateful for every moment I spent here, and I leave Georgia with my heart full of memories, experiences, and valuable lessons that I'll carry with me wherever I go.

PS: Georgia isn’t too far away, so I’ll definitely be back next year to visit everyone. Plus, by now I can’t go too long without Georgian food! 😄

Yet another shout-out to Georgia’s stunning nature—if it wasn’t already clear from the thirty times I’ve mentioned it before, I’ve absolutely fallen in love with this country!

Laura, my Belgian friend who’s practically a local by now, has been an incredible source of inspiration and knowledge. Without her, I’d probably still be stuck in some remote Georgian village, desperately searching for a marshrutka to get home!

Ode to Georgia

Before arriving here, I knew almost nothing about Georgia. I barely knew its location on the map and the name of its capital, Tbilisi.

But once I got here, I discovered a whole new world.

A world of people who, with great effort, are trying to free themselves from the burden of Russian occupation and who desire so intensely to join the EU that they protest for months, day and night, to prevent their government from passing a Russian-style law.

I discovered that Georgian food is unexpectedly delicious, that people always give thanks for what they have, even if it's very little (and unfortunately, many people live in extreme poverty).

I learned that food is taken seriously here, especially the Supra, the traditional Georgian feast (it's no coincidence that there’s even a special role for the "toastmaster," the Tamada).

I discovered a country surrounded by woods and forests that hide small earthly paradises, and, last but not least, I met incredibly welcoming people, where no one remains a stranger for long.

After seven months, I can say that I have fallen in love with this nation. Of course, it's not all perfect; there are issues and challenges to face. But this article aims to celebrate the beauty of Georgia.

So, here’s a collection of photos showcasing its wonders.

Enjoy!

a Georgian woman invited us to her house to show us her farm. We ate so much that I couldn't touch food for one day!

Cows and pigs have full freedom of movement, they go everywhere, you find them especially on the street.

One of the natural paradises I was talking about... I mean, look at this 😍

a field of hazelnuts trees, one of the main businesses in the agricultural field in Georgia.

A Georgian supra. As you can see, there are at least three layers of plates full of food, it's a tetris! there isn't even space to move

A small lake hidden among the hills surrounding the Zugdidi valley

Traditional dance clothes during the National Day of Georgia. Search for traditional Georgian dances on Youtube, they are something incredible (besides the fact that it requires a lot of physical preparation, especially for men, because it requires a lot of strength and physical endurance)

Campfire with expats and local friends

Me doing pet therapy with a dog from a Georgian family (here too, I ate a lot... it was a mix of pet therapy and food-comahaha)

The end of the deployment

The last few months were strange for me and I had to find some coping mechanisms to deal with the stress of the situation. For several weeks, Georgia faced some political changes (very hard to explain and impossible for me to summarize). This situation worsened the working climate and many things were really difficult to understand here.

From the beginning it was not easy for me to settle in such a different cultural environment. I found hard to understand such a different mentality and lifestyle. Several times I asked myself if it was better to remain in Zugdidi or to go back home, but with all the effort made and all the time spent to join this project I decided not to give up and to try to find a meaning in the situation around me.

I was lucky to find a supporting social context which helped me overcome the difficult moments. My friends tried to show me the reality from a different point of view and they offered me the opportunity to share moments together.

Furthermore I decided to travel and see many places around Georgia, meeting more people, exchanging experiences and collecting memories. I decided to see the good of the situation, understanding that also from bad experiences you can learn something.

TWO MONTHS LATER - Deal with the solitude -

It's April and I have been living here for more than two months. Three weeks ago I finally changed my accommodation. Now I feel that I have a safe space where to refuge after my daily work and where I can easily communicate with my landlady because She speaks English. The location of my new house is good because it is near to the office, to the bazaar, to the local pub, to the library and to my friends' houses.

Day by day, I realize that living in a country whose culture is so far from mine is hard. I also think that it is not easy because I am no longer so young (I am 33 years old). What I find most difficult in general is to deal with other cultures without judging them.

Even if Zugdidi is a small city, here I have the opportunity to meet different people and this is what I most appreciate about experiences abroad. In Italy I live in a small city where I find it difficult to meet new people. Here instead, it is paradoxically easier to approach the few expats, probably because we both have the same need to communicate and share (as I said in the previous post, it's not easy to find English speakers, that is why sometimes I feel lonely).

One of my goals at Merkuri is to understand how to attract young people and how to involve them in the activities that I am implementing for them at the office. I don't find my job easy and I am feeling that the effort I put in does not lead to the desired results. As I explained, in the previous post, I like to plan and keep things under control, that is why for me it is hard to take things lightly.

At this moment I want to focus on what I can learn from this life experience. I realized that my mood and well-being too often depend on other people's actions and behaviors which I cannot control or predict. That is why I would like to learn how to accept other people's differences and be able to spend more time in solitude to better define my boundaries and needs.

Being able to stay

I am Elena and I am from Italy. I selected this project because it was one of the few that allowed me to be in contact with the beneficiaries and because I have always been curious about living in an eastern country.

The first days here were really hard for me. Before moving to Georgia, I was afraid of the potential linguistic difficulties. Then, when I arrived, I found that all my fears were real.

Most of the people of Zugdidi don't speak English, except for the youth.

My main problem is that, during my daily life, I have to interact with mean age or old people who usually only speak Georgian or Russian. I also live in a family with two old people and their son.

Communication difficulties strongly frustrated me. Despite this, they pushed me to find the few expats who live here. 

I know these manners of saying which really expressed my mood and feelings: “drink or drown” or “when life gives you lemons, make a lemonade”.

A good idea was to go to the library where, at the American Corner, I found people of my age from the United States who joined a program to teach English here.

Another good place to find people is Megobar which is a pub frequented by youth and some foreigners. In this way I could meet someone to talk with and who shared an experience similar to mine.

Also being selected with another Italian volunteer is a good resource.

Here we have the opportunity to follow Georgian lesson as well. Even if I, after one month, I only learned some words, I can say that it is better than nothing.

At Merkuri, Olga is our trainer and She gives us a weekly space where we can share our feelings and problems. I personally find it useful. 

I have just started the job, so I don’t know what to expect yet.

From what I experienced, Georgian people are welcoming and their food is very good.

Life here is cheaper than Italy: for example a middle pint in a pub costs 3 GEL which is almost 1 euro and the same is for the street food: you can have a meal for less than 3 euro.

What I hope to learn from this experience is to accept the impossibility of controlling any life situations, because events and relationships are not always predictable.

So, my aim for the future is to improve my ability of “being able to stay” within situations and events that are difficult to control or predict.

What's on a person's face is not always what's in their heart.

First month, first impressions

I came to Zugdidi on January 31st. Together with Elena, the Italian volunteer who has been travelling with me since the day before, I met Olga, our coordinator. She took me to my future home where I met Tika, the owner. She showed me the room, prepared me some food, and we chatted for a few hours, amidst her uncertain English and my tiredness after the long journey. I thanked her, went to my room, layed down on the bed, and gazed at the ceiling. Despite the whirlwind of emotions, I was happy. It has been a month since that day, and even though I had ups and downs, the feeling of satisfaction has been constant.

I’m part of an exciting project, the women from the NGO are kind and helpful, step by step I'm creating new connections with locals and expats, and my host family has been incredibly welcoming from the very beginning. Honestly, I couldn't be more satisfied.

I'm not saying there are no difficulties! Language barrier is a big problem (few people speak English in Zugdidi), and I'm really scared to cross the street because Georgian drivers are crazy. I also miss some aspects of my life in Italy (like having breakfast at the café with a croissant and cappuccino XD).  

However, from the beginning, I've chosen to tackle these challenges proactively and embrace change with enthusiasm rather than dwelling on the difficulty itself. Thus, the language barrier has become an opportunity for me to strive to learn Georgian (a beautiful language btw!), the fear of crossing the street has become a way to take long walks to avoid the most dangerous pedestrian crossings and to find new corners of the city (what could be better than combining sports with sightseeing??). Finally, I replaced breakfasts at the bar with equally satisfying breakfasts on my porch at home, chatting with my host family and getting to know them better!

I understand that these examples may seem silly, but this trick has helped me a lot. I'm pretty sure it will continue to work in the upcoming months, especially when I may feel the distance from Italy more strongly.

I came to Merkuri as a Social entrepreneurship and fundraising officer. Basically, I’m gonna support the raise of financial capacity through crowdfunding campaigns, fundraising and partnerships with external organisations and, on the other side, I’m gonna carry out an entrepreneurship training for local women. The main objective of the training is to give them all the basic knowledge to start a small business. I already planned the contents and I can’t wait to start 😆. 

What are the next steps?

Georgia has ancient traditions of polyphonic songs and folk dances. As soon as I discovered this, I decided to take lessons in both. A local girl helped me a lot and found a dance school for me, while another one passed me the contact of a polyphonic choir teacher... I should start in the coming weeks!

That’s all for now, 

See you soon, ნახვამდის

ფრანჩესკა

Francesca

Here there are some photos:

Typical georgian food: Khachapuri, a sort of focaccia with cheese

Lobiani, similar to Khachapuri but filled with beans

Badrijiani, grilled eggplants and peppers filled with walnuts

Olivie, russian salad

Zugdidi Boulevard, the main street of Zugdidi.

It often rains during winter.

Random spot of the city.

Another random spot. 

Me and Elena, the other ESC volunteer, in the office

Social inclusion event for women from the Abkhazia region... We participated representing our NGO. 

My Georgian house! 

 

 My first month in Georgia:

I would like to have a communicative blog, do not hesitate to comment, ask, add information… I believe in the collective intelligence, so let’s share our point of view, opinion, feeling...

How I came to Georgia:

First to promote green travel I expose you my trip without taking a plane (plane it responsible of 3.5% of global warming but only 7% of the world population has taken a plane in their life; so in an equal world with everyone taking the plane the global warming would be nearly 50% higher).

 It is a long trip (9 days, but with 4 days in Budapest), interesting as a transition to feel the environment changing, culture changing… it is for me a way to understand a little bit more the world and to be active part of the journey.

Mondo and Merkuri supported me to do that (we needed to solve some administrative issues and they have followed me in my trip), thanks to them.

The city if Zugdidi:

Zugdidi is located in northern-west Georgia, very close to the occupied region Abkhazie.

 

I have discovered Zugdidi a charming city with mostly houses with nice gardens, the bazar is on first sight a nice big maze, there is a hill with beautiful view on Zugdidi, the Dadiani’s palace in the center next to a great botanical garden. It is located 30 minutes far from the seaside (Anaklia) and 45 minutes from the first mountains (that we see in background in Zugdidi).

As Zugdidi is the capital of Samegrelo there are some specifities, many people speak Megrelian, and the region has specific food, songs…)

My street

 

The resort park next to botanical garden

 

 

 

The Diadiani palace and the botanical garden

 

The view of Zugdidi from the hill

My arrival in Zugdidi:

I arrived in Zugdidi on The 7^th of September, welcomed by Olga, we came then to my house and I’ve met my host family, it was very nice, I am happy to live with a Georgian family!

I was welcome by my housemate Bozena, who is (was because she’s left on 23^rd) a volunteer in another organisation with whom we did many things. It was very nice to live with her as we were the only international volunteers in Zugdidi. I am feeling lonely, but I do my best to meet locals (I am very invested in learning Georgian) and I am still looking forward to take part in local activities and I see that I get some more connections.

 

 

 

 

Eating the so good Georgian food

 

 

 

Meeting locals and discovering the beautiful nature

 

 

 

Hiking in the mountains

 

 

Hitch-hiking in Svanetia

 

I came to the organisation Merkuri on Monday and I was welcomed by all the team.

 

The first meal together

What I do in Merkuri:

From now, it is mostly preparation (I am looking forward to start real active activities!) 

What is my daily work now

I am a youth worker, we are preparing an opinion festival for the 21^st of October, I am in charge of the children corner (proposing some games, activities, discussions with some other volunteers).

I was preparing a presentation for teenagers to present myself, my country and the activities we can do together. I have done my first game club session yesterday but nobody came but I do not give up, so I try to understand why and adapt and I am looking forward to do more!! :D 

Usually as a teacher I have my preparation to do, yes, but I am 26 hours a week with my students... In comparison to here 1 hour and a half in a month... not enough yet... hoping to do more later!

During my presentation

Activity to identify expectations, fears, wishes and dreams after the presentation

Dynamic survey to know what kind of activities they would like to do

My interrogations:

I have left my place, my job, the people I love for one year to do this volunteering for 2 main reasons:

1) to learn and rise my own open-mindedness

2) to take part in making a better world (support global equity, ecology…)

1) I am learning things about myself and how living in Georgia, and I am questioning a lot with essential questions about the world. But I also do much less activities than I use to do and I think I learn less, but I know it is a beginning and I can see that the things improving. My coordinator, Olga really listen to me and we always find new ideas, new ways to implement activities...

2) Do I really support global equity? 

As a volunteer, I earn more money than the average salary here (with less expenses as I have accommodation) and in many ways I guess that I am less efficient than a local.

I received a nice backpack with many nice things, but a lot of things that I do not need in Georgia or that I already had, we could do differently save money and energy to spend it in direction of beneficiaries…

 

About ecology?

My organisations claims to support it and yes, they do in many ways. For example, all the goodies were eco-social-friendly (the intention was very good, maybe for a next time, we could decide together what is relevant to have).

They support a lot of very good projects, an example: the following opinion festival in Zugdidi in 2 weeks, but it also means that the people from the organisation flying go and back even for few days. I am wondering how we could do differently so it would be more connected with the ecological values promoted.

 

I am sure that everyone always try to act the best possible…

But sometimes I feel disappointed about things which look less relevant that it could be, so I am asking myself why? (And probably the same for many people about what I do and how I act.)

Is it habits so deeply rooted that we are not questioning it anymore?

Is it because of the so known “we can not do differently”? (being out of the system in a globalised world where we need to answer and go fast).

And probably many other questions that I do not have any idea.

 

And how to improve it?

The best way for me is to communicate: share our points of view and together always try to evolve and find a better way. Let’s start!!

I figured out that I am with 2 very open minded organisations which are open to discussions and we from the beginning found out to get agreement about everything. (we figured out how I could come without taking the plane, I can speak straightly with my coordinator and always think about how we can find a way) And I trust them completely, because from the beginning they did not hide the dark sides of the projects (they explain the frustrating things that I would probably face, they give me contacts of previous volunteers: not only contacts of volunteers with good experiences…)

So I believe that we can share our point of view, discuss, learn a lot from every sides and improve together. I think it is the good place to practice collective intelligence and improve ourselves!!