I have finally settled in to a groove here after a little shaky start, jet lag and getting used to the diet. Most of the dishes here consist of bread, cheese, and meat so I can kiss dieting goodbye for the summer! We had an amazing, traditional Georgian Supra to welcome us to this country, of which you can see the destruction below. A Georgian Supra is a long, traditional dinner, with plates and plates of food piled on top of one another. I made the mistake of indulging too much too quickly and by the time the actual main course of shish-kabobs came around, I was too full to speak!
Georgia is legendary for its hospitality, and judging by the amount of food we are supposed to be eating I can say this is true. Everyone here is incredibly keen to show you a good time, their country, and their culture. For example, Khinkali is eaten with your hands, not a knife and fork. (woops.)
We started class this week and the discussions have definitely been interesting. Within such a small region there are so many actors (nation states, energy companies, ethnic groups) that the multiple interests and goals converge or clash. For thousands of years Georgians, Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Ossetians, Abkhazians, Ajaris, Dagestanis, etc., etc., etc., lived next door and near each other with seldom clashes. However, when outside forces drew imaginary lines delimiting new nation states into such an intermixed region, conflict became inevitable. Georgia especially faces many challenges: separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, invasion and war with Russia in 2008, a declining population, and a distrust in the peaceful transfer of power between presidents (the only way power has been transferred historically is by revolution). As a guest speaker said about the conflict and lack of control over Georgia's borders, "We cannot be Switzerland." Parliamentary elections are to be held in October, and a presidential election soon after that, and it will be interesting to see if democratic forces can prevail in Georgia. Whether it becomes a model democracy for those that have just gone through a revolution, or not. Saakashvili's term limits are up, but his stamp on Georgia has certainly been made. (If you can't read, it says "Brand New Georgia: Saakashvili rebuilds a country"). Will he give up power?
Coming up this week are meetings with ISAF (NATO) and a visit to the US Fortress (sorry...Embassy) which should make for an interesting and revealing day! Then this weekend it is off to the Kakheti region of Georgia where most Georgian wine comes from!
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