Day 10: Home Stay in Gavazi

Gamar joba! After a journey from Buknari to Tbilisi and Tbilisi to Gavazi, we arrived in the mountainous region that we would call our home for the next two days. Gavazi was easily as rural as Chala was, except for the fact that people from Chala (as well as everyone else in the RofG) make fun of people from Gavazi, because they value the simplicity of life and have a glorious absence of refinement. In our country, most would call this being a "redneck". 

The house where we would be staying at (left) seemed very primitive compared to the hotels and hostels we frequented on our journey. However, Stephen and I had a real bed (Dr. Jen and Heather slept on boards with sheets on them), a furnace to heat water for hot showers ( Dr. Jen and Heather had pans w/ lukewarm water, ladles, and some assembly required), and each other (renee braved the home stay by her american lonesome). Therefore, we were very blessed. The son of the family we stayed with, Giga, was 15, tall, goofy, and loved american rock music. His favorites were The Doors, Bob Dylan, & The Who and in recompense for us listening to music on CD's at night with him he would show us the way to Gavazi's High school in the mo

rning. 

Stephen and I found out the house was equipped with a natural alarm clock as well - half a dozen roosters outside the house. After a breakfast of buckwheat, fruit, and a very cheese-grits-like substance, Giga, Stephen, and Myself hit the dirtroads en route to Gavazi's High school. In a semi-serious moment, we passed an military base equipped with soldiers pac

king up their jeeps for a days trip to the larger city of Kakheti, which we

 would be traveling to the following day. Many of them were smoking and burly in build, but as we passed they raised their hands and waved followed by an ambitious "Hello America!"  I found this to be a sign of reassurance that we would make it through the next two days. 

Gavazi's High school had a very rustic feel to it, but it did have a computer room, a wood shop, and  a full greenhouse/garden/vineyard/Beehives outside of the main building. The principal of the school was Paata- the father of the FFG's National President, Nino. Following the school visit we had a supra at a local restaurant and saw all of the hot spots, including a grist mill and this 3rd century church....

Stephen and I retired early as we would be visiting our friends in Kakheti, Shota and Gorgi, doing a school visit, seeing a monastery, doing a supra, and possibly some recreational activity. A big day ahead of us.