Mondo´s volunteers in Georgia

 So... where should I start? I wanted to write my first blog after a week in Georgia. Then a week became a month, and somehow now it's been almost two months since I arrived in Zugdidi . Somehow, I am still surprised by this place every day, which is probably why it has taken me so long to sit down and write. My first impression? It felt just like home... and not like home at all. /// For a bit of background: I'm from Romania, and as soon as people hear that, they usually assume I speak Russian. I don't. The frustration is often visible, but a few Georgian words I've picked up along the way usually save the situation. Learning Georgian has definitely been a challenge, but the people around me have been incredibly patient and helpful. Honestly, that's one thing I've learned quickly here: people make all the difference.                            And let me tell you, Georgia is simply breathtaking. The landsca...

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 deep...

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, whe...

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 ...

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 bec...

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 Co...