Soon it will be nothing but memories...

My final day in Georgia as a TLG Volunteer has arrived.  I know I'm not technically a volunteer anymore because my contract ended 7 days ago.  That's beside the point.  I'm also saying that it's my final day as a volunteer because maybe I'll come back here again.

It's been a wild 6 months.  Looking back on my time here, I've done so many things!  That's the beautiful part of being abroad and traveling, you're feet don't want to sit still for too long.

I

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got classroom experience under my belt.  I think I'm a pretty good teacher.  That's what everyone has been telling me, so it must be true.

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attempted to learn some Georgian.  Never mastered the alphabet, but that's not important.

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been apart of/help build a community in Batumi.  I've met so many amazing people, Georgians and foreigners, and I hope to keep in touch with as many of them as I can!

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traveled throughout Georgia and managed to get to Armenia and Turkey.  Adding 3 more countries to my travel list :)

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co-directed/produced (whatever) a play with 20 crazy Georgian teenagers.  And we pulled it off!  Those kids were a blast to work with.  They are all going to go far in life.  I've got a good feeling about them.

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grew surprisingly close with my host family, the Yacheishvilis! I am so grateful to them for welcoming me into their home for all that time.  They made me feel more at home than I would have imagined.  

I miss my duck coffee cup :(

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survived the Georgian winter! Enough said.

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experienced the amazingness of the Marshutka.  I'm still alive!

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And so much more.  But I forgot.  Must not have been that important!

A few days ago, someone asked me, "What was your favorite day here?"  I think I sat there for about 5 minutes just thinking.  Trying to string all my favorite moments together and pick the big favorite.  Simply impossible.  I've had so many great moments here, I can't pick a favorite day.

MEMORY TIME (these are in no particular order)

• During orientation, we sat in the Ballroom waiting for Tamara to read off our placements.  I was the only one in my group to get placed within the city of Batumi! Woot woot.

• The first time I walked around Batumi at night and got to see the city completely lit up!

For example: This!

• The first time I taught the 4th grade by myself.  The plan was to follow the book but then we just played "Simon Says." Watching them run around the room was hilarious!

• Exploring the fantastic Disney Statue Park with Kas on my birthday! 

And then going to my birthday supra before jetting off to Armenia that night! Great 24th b'day.

• Helping Chuck rescue 2 kittens from the cruel Georgian cat world.  They're not really fans of cats. 

Meet Oslo Giorgi!

And the kitten that doesn't have a set name yet.  I call her Charlie.

• Taking the cast of Murtazi and Juliet up to the Mtirala National Park.  Hiking for hours, pretty much uphill I might add, for hours to a gorgeous waterfall.  Then a picnic... then a squirt gun fight.  I took the pictures.

• Pretty much ANY of the numerous shindigs that occurred at Chuck's apartment.  That was where I went for a little home away from home.  Thanks Chuck! I'm going to miss that more than I can put into words.

We DO have fun!

• I feel like I need to mention the nightlife of Batumi.  In a way, it reminded me so much of River Falls.  I loved that.  There were those few bars in town.  That's probably not true.  But there were only 3  that everyone seemed to stick to; Vinyl, Iredelis, and Metro.  That's just how we roll in Batumi. 

• Easter Break was pretty awesome.  That's a lot of moments to talk about though.  Trabzon, Gori, Borjomi, Vardzia... Too much amazingness for one little bullet point.

• One night I was hanging out with Chuck, James, and Raisa.  We were having our last hangout session just the four of us.  After a spectacular dinner (made by Chef Chuck), we headed out to the Boulevard and then to the beach to launch Chinese lanterns.  It was straight out of "Tangled."

• The TLG Volunteer Certification Ceremony of 2012.  Basically, all the TLGers who finished their contracts in June went to this ceremony. We pretty much went to a graduation.  It was a great way to finish up everything and say good-bye to people. Oh yeah, and I was chosen to give a speech.  No big deal.  I was the chosen TLG volunteer to represent the Adjara region.  Yes, I was nervous and yes, I stumbled.  I am so glad that I did it though! :)  It pays to have a great experience.

• The night of the Murtazi and Juliet production was one of the most stressful times and one of the greatest.  It was a great production and of course there were a few hiccups but nothing major.  The kids did a phenomenal job is that heatbox of an auditorium.  Their hearts were all a flutter and I remember a few stomachs flipping up and down.  After the performance, some of the kids practically kidnapped Chuck, James, and I.  They shoved us onto a crowded Marshutka and refused to tell us where they were taking us.  Sandro, however, kept repeating "Mtirala!"  I would not have lasted that long.  Instead of Mtirala, they took us the Riviera Restaurant for a special dinner.  There was dancing later.  That was a really fun night.  Especially when James put on the horse costume! Great fun.

That is only a few of my favorite moments.  I've been here 6 months, if that was it... To get right down to the point.  I love traveling and it's unpredictability.  You can try and make an itinerary, but there are some things you can't factor in.  The element of surprise that will take your breath away.

In 5 hours, I head to the airport and begin my journey back to the US.  I'm sad to leave. I'll probably cry when I get on the plane. I'm excited too. I'm ready to start my life back home and find my next big journey.

Until next time. Adventure is out there.