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).
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 7th 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 23rd) 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.
What I do in Merkuri:
From now, it is mostly preparation (I am looking forward to start real active activities!)
I am a youth worker, we are preparing an opinion festival for the 21st 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!
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!!
