TLG "Graduation"

On Friday we had a “TLG Certificate Ceremony”.  It was done in typical TLG fashion.  Last Saturday, an email invitation was sent out.  I read ‘Sheraton’ and the ability to take a free day off school to hang out with friends and agreed.  Others were much more reluctant, so there was a firestorm by Tuesday when TLG called to demand people’s presence at the suddenly ‘mandatory’ event.  Since it was the 2^nd to last Friday and people had things planned at their schools or travel plans for one of their last weekends, they were not pleased about the ‘mandatory’ nature of the event.  I was mostly curious as to how TLG was going to arrange transport for me as they had promised, since no one really lives near me.  When I saw that they were arranging transport from my regional center, I shrugged and figured I would just take my marshrutka into Tbilisi as usual, since I can easily get there but not to my regional center.  On Wednesday, my regional rep called to tell me that my director had been told she was responsible for getting me to my regional center.  Then, not one but two different teachers came over to tell me what the plan was.  My director does not speak Russian and both of the teachers do, but I have no idea why she sent two emissaries with an easy message.  Since it meant I had to be ready by 7 and my director had to hire a taxi to take us to Tetriskaro, I called my regional rep to ask if I could just get to Tbilisi on my own.  She freaked out a little, so I just agreed to go with TLG.

With two teachers coming to explain what was going on, my family knew I was going to Tbilisi.  My grandmother thought I was going on Thursday, so she woke me up at 6:30, asking me why I wasn’t awake.  I eventually figured out what was going on, told her I still had a day, and fell back asleep.  I woke up on my own at 6:15 on Friday, reluctantly got out of bed, and found that my grandma had gotten everything ready for me to eat breakfast.  She also ordered me to drink tea and not to leave hungry.  Have I mentioned I adore her?  I started eating at 6:45 and heard a car.  I looked to see who it was, afraid that a car this early could only have one purpose.  I was right; the car stopped at our house, so I quickly finished my tea, finished packing, and was out the door within five minutes.  My director tried to chat with me but I only know so much Georgian and was much more content that early to admire the gorgeous scenery.  We arrived at 7:40, 20 minutes early and were let into the regional Educational Resource Center.  After a few minutes, four other volunteers and their directors arrived.  It was interesting to finally meet the people in my region.  They were all male and lived in places I had never heard of, most of whom lived closer to another ‘city’ but were technically in my region.  It was nice to chat with them a bit, which we did until the bus finally showed up at 8:40, instead of at 8.  We then drove to Tbilisi so we could drive to Rustavi, the capital of Kvemo Kartli, and we picked up all the people from Rustavi, which gave me a chance to chat with more friends and people I slightly knew. 

Once at the Sheraton, we took a few minutes to register and then delighted in oversized coffee mugs and Western breakfast treats like croissants and apple pastries.  I caught up with a few more friends until it was time to “rehearse”.  Yes, we had assigned seats and had to rehearse.  This is when we all felt like it was a graduation.  We practiced walking on stage, had a few minutes’ break, and then watched the press pour in as the Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Science entered. They both gave good speeches in English, including the first legitimate total for TLG I have ever heard (over 1500 volunteers have come from over 40 countries), jokes about how the most TLG-Georgian marriages have happened with volunteers placed in Samegrelo, and how the program has succeeded despite a host of skeptics.  The press left with them, so the event became more a way for the TLG staff to thank volunteers than the press stunt we were all assuming it to be.  After a few more speeches, walking on stage for real, and a slideshow the staff had put together against a very fitting and very cheesy song about making a difference (TLG’s motto), we were unleashed into the lobby for more food and wine.  We were all hoping for Western food but got renditions on Georgian favorites that did not last long.

Thus, with a few friends, I went again in search of lobio khinkali.  This time we were successful, and it was delicious, although we agreed it would have been just as delicious as plain lobio or lobiani (lobio means bean so these are all bean dishes).  That night, four of my closest friends from my group and one friend’s girlfriend returned to the Machaxela next to our training hotel.  A long night of appreciating Georgian dancing, toasting with copious amounts of wine, feasting on food we could now order in Georgian, and reminiscing ended like one of the last nights of training: we headed next door to the beer garden.  We did not stay out quite so late as during training, but still managed to get in several more toasts and another khachapuri.  As several of us remembered that someone had requested “My Heart Will Go On” when we were here in August, we asked for the song to be played, the only time I probably ever have and ever will do that.  Thankfully, it now will remind me of Georgia and not merely middle school.

The day was a splendid one, and was a good reminder of all that this year has encompassed: making a difference in my school and community (I hope), making lots of good friends, having a lot of great memories with the people I’ve met here, and (hopefully) having grown a lot as a person.  I know I’ve changed a lot, especially since one friend said she couldn’t imagine me as anything other than a social butterfly, which made me laugh.  No one has ever called me that before.  A horrid experience in an expat bar recently reminded me of why I hate going out in America and made me question if all the boldness, risk-taking, and friendliness will disappear once I return home or if these changes are permanent.  Regardless, they have made for a wonderful year in a fascinating country with great friends.