Georgia is not Russia

I realize that this is obvious, but I am pleasantly surprised by the ways that Georgia seems different from Russia.  By default, I treat Georgia like Russia (assuming it will be different than the US in similar ways).  Here are some things that surprise/please me.  I'll try to update this on a regular basis, as I know I've already forgotten some things.

• Americans do not need a visa or any other special documents to enter Georgia for up to a year.  
• Unlike in Russia, Americans do not need to register with the police within three days of entry (or ever).  Americans also do not need to fill out/always have with them a migration card.
• I don't have to carry my passport around all the time.
• Georgia and America have a good relationship.  USAID has several projects here...people like toasting to the friendship between Georgia and America...the road outside the Tbilisi airport is named in honor of George W. Bush
• Ice!  My host family actually bits of ice floating in our water.  It isn't exactly the same, but closer than I ever saw in Russia (outside of McDonald's).
• Georgia has taken down the majority of its Lenin statues and lots of other reminders of Soviet rule.  There is a pedestal in the park in Manglisi.  I was told that there was once a statue of Hitler, then Lenin, and now there is just the pedestal for kids to play on.  About every place I went to in Russia still had at least one Lenin statue.
• Georgia has peanut butter (or at least Tbilisi does).  I brought a jar to share with my host family.  They liked it, and our family friend, David (who is from Tbilisi), said he loves it and can find it in Tbilisi.  I could sometimes find bad and expensive peanut butter in Moscow at the foreign supermarkets, but it seems more easily accessible in Tbilisi.
• How could I possibly forget what I'm doing?  I'm teaching English to the police.  I can't imagine ever doing that in Russia, at least not officially.  I was terrified the one time I had to go to a Russian police station.  I had no problem chilling in the one in Manglisi.  Georgia is redoing all of the police stations, making them all glass.  This is part of a sweep of reforms going through.  The glass is a very good visual reminder of the transparency that Georgia is hoping for, trying to wash away memories of what was.
• To that effect, here's a link to an opinion piece in the Moscow Times (a pro-Western English language paper in Moscow that was responsible for my favorite quote from studying in Moscow, "There were no such winters under communism.").  Obviously, this should be taken as an opinion, piece, but it shows other differences between Russia and Georgia, like other countries like Georgia, for good reason.  Although, the author says Georgians like Russians. I've heard differently, usually right before people talk to me in Russian. 
• Much to my delight, I found that the Georgian train system is much like the Russian one.  Conveniently, Georgia doesn't require as much identification.  I just needed my passport to buy a group of tickets, as opposed to needing at least a copy of everyone's passport who wanted a ticket.  Russia also requires you to show your passport as you board the train, since your name is on the ticket, but Georgian just wants to see your ticket.  
• In case you've been following news on the Georgian-Russian front, the two are cooperating for the first time since 2008 (or at least starting to play nice with each other).  The Swiss have negotiated an agreement between Georgia and Russia about trade going through Abkhazia and South Ossetia (the two regions that declared independence from Georgia but Georgia views as occupied by Russia), so that Georgia will agree to Russia joining the WTO.  Yes, although Georgia is a member, Russia still is not, even after 20 years of discussion. 
• Here's hoping that Georgia is not Russia and Misha does not 'pull a Putin' and switch power over to the new position of Prime Minister so he can retain power while not violating the Constitution.