First of all, I want to say that I took over 800 pictures during my entire stay in the RofG, but somehow I managed to only take 3 pictures the last two days. Therefore, I will only have maybe one or two pictures on this post. I will probably follow up with a reflection post that will hit on all the many stories that I left out, or some of the most interesting pictures that I have not yet posted.
We left early in the morning from Gavazi. Stephen and I, in the fashion we were most accustomed to, tried to get in the bed at a decent hour, and awoke to a breakfast of hard boiled eggs and buckwheat. Renee, who had the most plush living quarters from what she told us, arrived early to meet Stephen and I at our home stay house (the van was leaving Gavazi from our place...lucky). However, Dr. Williams and Heather arrived in an ever so jubilant mood; apparently they had a large time with the locals partying and dancing the night before. Plus their living conditions weren't as cozy as our so they made the best of the situation and took in some culture. And as soon as we departed on the 5-6 hour trip to Tblisi, Dr. Williams and Heather were out like a light. This would prove to be the longest early morning van ride yet.
Our arrival back at the british house in Tblisi marked the 3rd and final time we checked in, and in a little over 14 hours we would be checking out and beginning our journey back to the states. Altogether, The British house was top notch: they had a restaurant, wireless internet (sometimes...), and TV. On the TV we picked up BBC, various and sundry other news stations, and World Cup Channels. Futbol (Soccer) was not a sport that I paid much attention to before this experience, but it was almost unavoidable (especially when I was surrounded by high schoolers at the FFG Camp). Soccer was one of the many things that I learned to gain a greater appreciation for in the RofG, along with dramamine, water pressure in the shower, American soft drinks, toilet seats, and strangely enough - People. To be a stranger in a country 7000 miles from my own, and to be shown the kind of hospitality we were, almost makes me forget all the times in America where we are completely left out in the cold by our friends that our too busy to help us in times of need because they are pursuing their own agenda. In the RofG, the only agenda they have is to help one another prosper, even if that means putting business or priorities behind what they are consumed with at the moment. In America, we call that being confused; In Georgia, they call that showing love. Just a little bit different.
After a shower and packing all our bags up, Curt wanted us to experience the only restaurant that overlooked the river that bisected Tblisi. It was the last meal that we would share with Curt, our translators Teona & Sesili, and in the RofG. It was a good one. (The picture above is the Well that the restaurant was built around and me and Curt hanging around it).
Our last night in the RofG was spent reflecting about the times we had during the past two weeks, the relationships we had built, and the road that we had laid for the FFG organization. Sadly enough we got in bed pretty early (10:30), because we had to be at the Airport in Tblisi at 3:15. Departure time was at 4:00.
We left at 4:45. Not, Good. We were scheduled to arrive at the "Charles" in Paris at 11:00. We arrived at 12:15. If you see were this is going, then you know it wasn't good.
So we missed our connecter. Thankfully, we did manage to talk to some embassy people and work some tickets for the 2:30 flight to Atlanta. It was a frustrating time in Paris, and I have purposely chose to forget most of the events that transpired during the three hour layover. I will say one point of humor originated from a gentlemen who looked like Morris Day of the Time. He was a sport.
We eventually got on our flight and before we knew it, were landing at the Hartsfield-Jackson Int'l Airport in Atlanta.
After a few concourses and some customs check-thru's, we were reunited with our parents, who had been waiting patiently for us to arrive back some three hours ago. We shared hugs, words, web addresses, etc. This was an experience that we would never forget. One that we know had a great impact on those that we were focused on and maybe some we weren't. And for every bit of information that we learned about the RofG, we learned two bits about ourselves. We learned about pushing our own limits, stepping outside not just our comfort-zone - but outside our comfort-Area Code, and what our stomach could handle.
My First meal back in the U.S. was when my parents and I stopped in Jonesboro at the Olive Garden - the Tour of Italy. Delicious. I slept all the way back to Tifton.
Gogimarjos
Michael Pisciotta
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