Rachel’s Writing Portfolio

ძალა ერთობაშია - dzala ertobashia The national motto of Georgia, this proverb means “there is strength in unity” or “stronger together”. It is common to see this motto on signs, buildings and all around the country. It really illustrated the communal mentality of Georgian culture, with everyone living, working and sharing together. It is a motto that I have adopted for my service to remind myself that no matter what I want to do, I can’t take over everything. I have to work with others because while it might be faster alone, it will be better together. ჩემი ენა ჩემი მტერია - Chemi ena chemi mt’eria This is my favorite Georgian proverb. I use it all the time. It literally translates to “my tongue is my enemy” and it speaks to the power of words. So often we say things that we regret, but we can never take them back. Our tongue has betrayed us like an enemy would. While this has a deeper meaning that really makes me think of the power of my words, I often use it in a more p...

This week was my close of service conference for Peace Corps. As I look towards the future after Peace Corps, I can’t help but reflect on the past. I’ve spent the past 2 years living and working in close proximity to some very special people. Together we have done numerous projects, activities, and lessons. I’ve spent hours holed up in another teacher's house planning summer camp, running through the school trying to improvise an activity when the electricity goes out, and so many countless hours in meetings. The culmination of all these long hours has been a very successful 2 years working to make our school better and give our students new skills that will carry them far. In an effort to share more about my service and Peace Corps in general, I wanted to write a blog detailing our major projects and accomplishments over the course of these 4 semesters. I’m proud of my service and the results of our activities; I’m proud of my counterpart who worked so hard, squeezing my obn...

If you are planning on visiting Georgia's capital city, there is so much to do. With so many great experiences, it can be hard to decide on an itinerary. Here is my top 10 Tbilisi list to give you a hand with your vacation planning. 10. A walking tour of Old Tbilisi. The old town is full of fantastic little places, old beautiful churches and cobblestone streets filled with people selling their souvenirs. Either book a guided tour or go your own way, spending an afternoon in old town is a must! 9. Dry Bridge shopping. Head down to the dry bridge to find an outdoor market that’s half antiques and half flea market. Down at dry bridge, you can buy everything from traditional Georgian craft to soviet military metals to cheap little trinkets. There is guaranteed to be something that will catch your fancy 8. A day trip to Kakheti. Located east of the capital city, Kakheti is the region most famous for winemaking. Take a day trip out to visit some vineyards and sample some fan...

My favorite part of service has been the relationships I have formed with Georgians. Everywhere I go in my community, I have someone waiting to have a chat or invite me in for coffee. They are very open to sharing their life and culture. In an effort to share this part of my service, I have completed a project documenting my community. Each person is holding something representing their culture.  1. Tea – from Shida Kartli – Tea is standing in front of the family’s petchi (wood-burning stove) holding a painting of Georgian nature painted by her father. Nature is a large part of Georgia’s identity. The small country boasts some of the most beautiful hiking trails in the world. 2. Giorgi – from Shida Kartli – Giorgi stands in his cellar, where all the family’s wine and chacha (a strong grape brandy) are produced, by him, every year after the grape harvest. Although there are modern tools available, he prefers to use the tools his family has been using forever. H...