Exploring Gori

Last weekend I went exploring on my own around Gori.  I felt it was time that I wander the streets and learn how to navigate them without the help of my family.  I met up with Annette, another teacher stationed in Gori, and we wandered around the market, Stalin's gardens and settled into the cake house for cake and coffee.  As much as I adore my family it was nice to get out of the apartment and walk around and not worry too much about how fast I was spoke.

On Sunday and I went to church with my family.  They are Georgian Orthodox and wanted to show me the special church in their village just outside of Gori.  I felt like I would be spotted as an outsider right away and banished from the church.  But my host sisters were so excited to share this experience with me that they made sure to whisper instructions at every step.  Just as I was getting swept away in the otherworldly sound of the prayers and singing...somebody's cellphone rang.  Somethings are universal - even in a small village far far away.  The highlight was walking around the outside of church listening to the winds whip through the old stone walls.  A friendly dog was trotting around the grounds and eventually settled into the role of official greeter at the door of the church. 

In America after church people go eat pancakes (I have never been to church, but I hear this is true).  In Georgia they go eat kinkhali while dance music pumps in the background.  Later that night I attended another supra with my family.  Once more, we ate and ate and ate and made plenty of toasts (to God, to us, to friends, to siblings, to husbands and wives, and to me).

Here is my weekend summed up in photos:

 

Fortress

Market

Market

Church

 

 

 

Church

Church Dog

The youngest family member explains the important duty of the tamada.

When they toasted to me they brought out the BIG glasses and several family members said something kind and then drank the whole glass.  Then it was my turn to do the same.

They were very proud when I gulped down the whole glass.  I have never received so much applause for anything in my life.