Trip to Racha

"On weekend 18-20.05 our Rustavi team decided to have a trip and go to Racha. Friend of our common friend has there a house, where he said we could stay and enjoy the neighborhood. We started our trip on Friday around 9.30 in Rustavi hitchhiking first to Tbilisi, where we met one more friend and then, after splitting into two groups, to Nirkotsminda.  First group arrived just before 17, the second one few minutes later. After checking the house, we went to the nearby lake (Shaori) to touch the water. Next day we did short hiking to the ice cave (where really was a bit of ice at the end) and Udabno monastery. After coming back we realized that we run out of gas, so in order to cook anything we were forced to use the old style oven, where in order to make fire we had to use wood. It took a lot of time to cook anything on it, but it was fun and something unusual. The next day, Sunday, we went to Ambrolauri, where we started our 12 km trail in mountains. It wasn’t very tiring, weather was perfect, views amazing, so nothing more to expect. After all we came back to Nirkotsminda to relax, eat dinner and enjoy our last evening in Racha. Monday morning we started our way to Rustavi, which we reached in the afternoon. The trip was great, Racha is an amazing part of Georgia, even though we saw only a small part of it. Anyway, everybody enjoyed it so much and this weekend only confirm my thoughts that Georgia is amazing country with amazing mountains!"- Mariusz Tomaszuk

Mariusz First month in Georgia

"Thursday, 15 March 2018, 3 am, Warsaw – time to wake up, collect luggage, call taxi and go to the airport. Soon, my life will be completely different to the one I had so far. I am on my way to Rustavi. Georgia to do my EVS. Never heard about Rustavi before, my knowledge about Georgia is not do broad, but decision was made.

After a month of living there I can say it was good decision, so far. During that time I adapted to the new environment, met new people – in my organization, my flat mates as well as other volunteers living in the neighborhood. Just after arrival I participated in the on-arrival training, which gave me chance to think more about my time there, my goals, activities I will be taking part in as well as to meet other volunteers from Georgia and Armenia and exchange thoughts and ideas. Moreover, I participated in one youth exchange with youngsters from Denmark, which was a great time and opportunity to meet new people and spend time on activities, which I had never had time for before. My first month here is also about discovering Georgian culture with amazing supra tradition, super delicious food (so far khinkhali and eggplants with walnuts are my bests), amazing wine, beauty of country and hospitality of locals.

I started on-going job in my organization – helping with events organizing by it, organizing and leading clubs for youngsters as well as organizing other activities aimed on making live in Rustavi more vivid and interesting. They also help to be more integrated with local society, feel like at home and be part of the people living there.

First month passed really quickly and I’m pretty sure this same will happen with the remaining time. I hope it will be as interesting and full of emotions as the past month and at the end I would be able to say: “Wow that was amazing time!” However, right now is time to focus on my time here and enjoy every second of it"-  Mariusz  Long Term EVS Volunteer From Poland

On-Arrival Training

Aga and Mariusz Polish Long Term EVS volunteers. "Meeting new people, with whom you have many things in common. Attending a dozen of lectures, sessions and activities where you gain new knowledge which helps you in many aspects of your life. Going out of place where you live for couple of days. Conversation with people you want to meet again in remote places in Caucasus. Georgian supra and folk dance… All that stuff in 5 days and only during On Arrival Training in Misaktsieli. Two brave and hungry of knowledge volunteers (Aga and Mariusz) from GYE in Rustavi had a pleasure to experience that all. 

Fourteen newly come volunteers from different European countries and their trainers have come to meet each other for and intense training for EVS volunteers in Caucasus Region. International community was represented by young people come from countries: Poland, Latvia, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, United Kingdom, Luxembourg. This variety made the atmosphere kind of special because of different attitudes, experiences and also duties performer by volunteers on EVS program. Activities and training lessons were useful and full of new knowledge which helps to improve personal skills and also volunteer’s work. Talking to other participants and also integration with them gave us new perspectives for our work in GYE and also brought us closer to quite new reality for some of us.

 Despite our schedule was tight, organisators found time for factors which made this training special according to getting to know Caucasus culture much better. I think all Georgians and people who have been already participating in this special event, will agree with me that Supra is a big part of culture captained in one evening spent with friends who are close to our hearts. For many of us it was an unique occasion to see and also be a part of this amazing event and admire traditional Mtiuluri /Georgian dance. Breathtaking and sometimes scary looking moments (saber fight)  impressed the audience the most. It is also obligatory to mention Georgian delicious food. Table was full like never before" ;) 

See you soon Party to Jessica

Hey you! 6 months passed, this is my last week like a volunteer in Georgia (I stay one week more before I leave!)

My point of view doesn't change about Georgia, I love Georgia. I had time during 6 month to visit some places and for sure I will come back and see other places and also will meet people whom I know here.

I'm not ready to leave and go back in France, even I like my country it's better to be abroad and live other ways.

So After 6 months in Georgia, I realized that I really want to live abroad and meet lot of people! Also if I make a conclusion of my EVS here, it's was great even I had some difficulty but I things I grow up more, my English is better than it was before and I'm happy about my decision to do EVS,  it was one of my Greatest experiences.

Also during 6 months I had time to see and discovered 2 others Caucasus country Azerbaijan and Armenia, now I have 23 magnets (8 per country) for my mom and friends from 3 Caucasus country ... I know that crazy!

28 of February it's my Birthday and first time in my life I'm abroad and I will celebrate that correctly 😀!

If I miss Georgia? Yes, of course! I will miss a beautiful country! If I miss the foods? Of course, I will! How I can live without Khachapuri, Lobiani, Khinkali, Lavashi ect ...If I miss wine? Oh yes, I arrive here and I didn't like wine at all, I leave and I start to like Georgian wine that crazy! And of course I will also miss everyone I meet here, GYE team, the youngsters in the association, Friends from all over the world!

So that it for me! Georgia it's a good country, people are great, my EVS was great. I learnt so many things about myself and peoples. I will miss Georgia so much! 💜

It was Jessica! End of my stories here! Bye, see you in our World!

Agas first impression

Aga Wiechecka Polish Long term EVS - "February ends, spring is at the doorstep, almost two months have passed since I arrived in January. Rustavi has become my home for this time and will be for the next 10 months. During this time, I experienced a lot, I met interesting people whose stories influenced me. The first impression about Georgia? Well, I remember the snowy night when I arrived. The view from the airport was quite depressing because it was snowing and I really wanted to escape the winter. Warm welcome by the members of GYE was a kind of consolation prize :) Later it was getting better also learning Georgian language ;) Step by step and I finally will be able to have a little conversation  :) Beginnings aren't usually  so easy. Especially in a new country where you do not know anyone. The adaptation process sometimes takes several months, but in my case fortunately it hasn’t been so long. Working at GYE gave me reasons to do new things, meet new people, and try to find myself in new situations. Every day  brings something new, including teaching my mother tongue for the first time and working with children. The geography and environmental workshops are among my favorites because I consider myself responsible for these things. Also discovering the country is one of the things that I like most. Spontaneous hitchhiking trips are the best way to get to know the country, people and local culture. Also, the workshops I lead and some that I participate gave me great opportunity for spending my time in useful way. Being part of such a community is one of the things that everyone should try without the risk of losing time and regret".