We have a new blog that we will be posting to on a much more regular basis! The address is:
teamelger.blogspot.com
It will feature a chronicling of letters to our daughter, Niall Rebecca, about her adventures with her family. Please join us there to hear about updates from Team Elger!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
I Love GEORGIA!
And no, I'm not talking about the one in the American South. That's right, after three months of alternatingly brilliant and frustrating moments, Georgia is firmly in my good graces. Why, you ask? Ladies and Gentlemen, without further ado I present...Azerbaijan.
The last three days (and part of two nights, thanks to a healthy 14 hour train ride each way) I have been in Baku, Azerbaijan coaching the New School Falcons' boys and girls soccer teams. We are members of the SRAA (Silk Road Activities Association), which is composed of 6 teams in two different countries (4 in Azerbaijan and 2 in Georgia). Early this year we hosted the SRAA Cross Country Championship in Tbilisi, but for the Soccer and Volleyball tournaments we headed over to Baku.
New School brought their biggest contigent ever to this year's tournament, as 30 kids travelled to compete for 6 different teams. We had two senior (14 and older) boys soccer teams, one junior boys soccer team (10-13), and one senior girls soccer team. We also had one senior boys and one senior girls volleyball team. Soccer is 7 v 7 for this tournament, while volleyball is the traditional 6-a-side. Multiple games were played over the three day tournament, and good fun was had by all. Our senior boys volleyball team finished 3rd, while the senior boys soccer team lost the final on penalty kicks (after finishing group play undefeated - heartbreaking). Our girls soccer and volleyball teams recorded their first ever tournament wins, and our junior boys soccer team tied the eventual champion (the only team in the tournament not to lose to them!). Most importantly, the kids came home with the sportsmanship trophy, voted on by their fellow athletes and coaches. We were very proud of all they accomplished.
While our hosts at TISA (the international school of Azerbaijan - AKA "The BP School") were fantastic in every sense, my experiences getting to and from Azerbaijan were interesting to say the least. The Azeri behavior was especially incongruent with the proclamation made earlier that year by their country's president:
see link here: http://www.today.az/news/society/79485.html
Obviously the message didn't reach the following elements of the Azeri tourism infrastructure...
1. Former USSR Trains - Rustic is a kind word. Ratty beds, faux wood panelling and heaters cranked to the max make this "kupe" rooms quite the experience. Throw in the bathroom that smells like someone urinated in a bucket and threw it everywhere, and you have a certified winner!
2. Border harassment - Talking to previous travellers, this is an Azeri tradition dating back to Soviet times. Bribes are suggested, delays are excessive, and answers are cryptic. Fortunately, our incidents were minimal outside of the guard scolding me for letting my passport corner get knawed off (Thanks to Ellie our boxer!).
3. Service - truly a four-letter word in Azerbaijan. Despite having all documentation in order it took a full hour to purchase our return train tickets to Tbilisi after arriving in Azerbaijan. No, it wasn't a language issue, as I had a Russian-speaker with me (Gia, one of our school guards - the true hero of this trip). No, it wasn't a traffic issue, as there were roughly 10 station agents "helping" four people. We had a few things going against us - #1 No ticket agent wanted the daunting task of putting in 33 passports and hand-printing each ticket. Way too difficult. #2 If they were going to take it on, they wanted some sort of "bonus" (bribe) for doing their job. We were escorted to 8 of the 10 ticket agents at first, who all declined our request. The station manager (who also wanted a "bonus") who was escorting us eventually convinced 6 different agents to do 5-6 tickets each. Did they make sure our group was in the same car? No. Did they spread out the adults? No. Frustrating, but not a big deal in our minds, as we could just switch around the kids once we got on the train (we had done that on the way from Georgia to Azerbaijan). Or, so we thought...
When we arrived to board the train at the Baku train station on Saturday night, we were told by the stewards that everyone would have to sit in the seats we were assigned to. No switching was allowed! These burly old Soviet ladies then proceeded to verbally assault my fellow coach on the train. Her crime? Walking down the aisle in the adjoining car (which has to be walked through to get to the dining car). Despite the numerous attempts to be nice to them, the ladies took a firm stand against customer service. However, just when we thought all karma was against us, in comes the Georgian border police...
When going through the train to do their customary passport check, the Georgin border patrol struck up a conversation with a couple of my senior boys soccer players. The players informed them about the treatment we had suffered at the hands of the Azeri stewards on the train, as well as their unwillingness to help with our seating arrangements. Realizing how ridiculous the situation was, the policmen ripped into the ladies for their treatment of us and threatened to not let them into Georgia if it didn't change. While this was going on, I was outside the train helping one of my students obtain her Georgian visa. When I approached to re-enter the train, the Azeri steward harassed me for leaving the train (despite the fact I did so with permission from the Georgian border guard). When the Georgian guards heard this they screamed at her, shut her up, and dragged her off the train for some much needed attitude adjustment. Needless to say, she didn't say a word to any of us on the last hour of our train ride. Literally one of the best karmatic moments I've seen in awhile and another reason to treasure the Georgian people. They're not perfect, but their timing sure was that day!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
So, here we are in the other Georgia. We arrived on August 21 at 3:45am after about a 24-hour journey, complete with an epic 8-hour layover in the Warsaw airport (a post just about that is forthcoming). Hence, our blog title (thank YOU, Chris Akridge!), "Midnight Plane to Georgia." Well, that and the fact that "Georgias on My Mind" was already taken (thank YOU, Holly Borrow!).
We were met at the airport by Maia (our "fixer" in Georgia) and Misha (the school's driver and all-around GREAT human-being). Here's where we get fuzzy on all the details. We've been in our new home over a month, and no blog. Some of you might be thinking..."this is familiar, Elgers...saipandemonium, anyone?" Well, we hope the following lists will clarify our tardiness... Overall, we are settling in nicely to our new Georgia and truly embracing our adventure!
In the last month, we have done the following...
*Been surrounded by a completely different language that sounds like nothing we have ever heard. The culture in Georgia is also such a blend of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
*Eaten lots of bread and cheese...a staple of the Georgian diet.
*Had the privilege of teaching kids who are from or who have lived in the following countries: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Iran, Uganda, Argentina, Cambodia, China, Ukraine, France, Germany, England, Zimbabwe, Russia, Israel, Holland, South Korea, Uruguay, Canada, and the good ol' US of A. I'm sure there's a few that we're leaving out, but you get the gist. We're truly teaching kids from all over the world, and it's truly amazing...on so many levels!
*Gotten two viruses, one of which sent Elizabeth and Jelly Bean to the hospital for an IV. Good times!
*Moved apartments. Our old landlords needed theirs back, so we got kicked out. Unfortunately, our new place is EVEN bigger than our last one (thanks to Maia, the fixer)...so seriously, everyone who's reading this is invited for a visit!
*Met some incredible people who have taught all over the globe. In fact, one of colleagues is from Trion, Georgia and has a delicious Southern accent...almost as good as Molly's and Holly's.
*Found out that Georgian-time is a modified version of island-time.
*Discovered that not owning a car really isn't so bad! Taking buses and walking is actually a good thing.
*Had our power disconnected because our old landlord didn't pay the bill. Then, the next day, had our water off at 7:00am because the city was doing "work." Good stretch of a couple of days!
*Been very surprised to learn of the resilience of the Georgian people... Could you imagine waking up one day in 1992 with absolutely nothing in your bank account? Just the day before, you were considered nobility or one of the countries best scientists or mathematicians, and then, everything is just gone. This has happened to countless Georgians when the country got its independence from the former Soviet Union. You would think this would make some bitter; however, Georgians have incredible hope and optimism for the future. Definitely a great deal we can learn from those in the "other" Georgia.
*Gotten frustrated with a few things that are not quite "first-world" yet. For example, lines don't really mean anything. You can cut in front of anyone at any time. Cats and their carriers with pee in them can be found on the counter in the local McDonald's bathroom (sorry, John and Holly), but it's true! There's not really a concern with cleaning up after your dog, so watch where you step. Internet? Who needs consistent and fast internet? Mail? Who needs a mail system? All sidewalks can be parking spaces. Cars can drive on sidewalks. All lanes are interchangeable all the time. Speed limits don't exist. Horns are used for everything! Pedestrians do NOT have the right of way. Good Will is a grocery store, not a thrift store. Beggars and gypsies are in every country! Big Ben is not a clock here, but it is a land mark. PhD dissertations are meant to be "shared." You too can get your PhD in Neuro-sciences from the internet! Saying the American Embassy is in Tbilisi is like saying Gainesville is in Atlanta.
*Been entertained by our fellow Georgian teachers in one of their homes with an authentic Georgian meal. Hospitality, wine, and great food were in abundance!
*Watched Spring Bok Rugby! Bok! Bok! Bok!
*Been to two soccer games, where tickets were a whopping $1.70 for the local Tbilisi team and $6 for the national team. Great atmosphere at both!
*Found an incredible mother-baby doctor who is very well-educated and speaks perfect English. Her name is Maka, and we feel so lucky to have her in our lives!
*Watched some shows on TLC in Russian but could hear the English underneath. Toddlers and Tiaras is hilarious with this combination.
*Realized that school sports are a totally different ballgame here, but Joey, the Athletic Director, is doing one heckuva job!
*Missed our families and friends and think of each of you very often!
This isn't even a complete list of everything we've done, but we think you'll get the idea of how our newest adventure is coming along. It's been very entertaining so far, and we can't wait to see what happens next. Know that we are enjoying most every aspect of our life in the other Georgia, and we will post on a more consistent basis. We'd love to hear from each of you as well. So, leave a comment, or email us at elizabethelger@gmail.com or joeymelger@gmail.com.
Love and hugs!
We were met at the airport by Maia (our "fixer" in Georgia) and Misha (the school's driver and all-around GREAT human-being). Here's where we get fuzzy on all the details. We've been in our new home over a month, and no blog. Some of you might be thinking..."this is familiar, Elgers...saipandemonium, anyone?" Well, we hope the following lists will clarify our tardiness... Overall, we are settling in nicely to our new Georgia and truly embracing our adventure!
In the last month, we have done the following...
*Been surrounded by a completely different language that sounds like nothing we have ever heard. The culture in Georgia is also such a blend of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
*Eaten lots of bread and cheese...a staple of the Georgian diet.
*Had the privilege of teaching kids who are from or who have lived in the following countries: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Iran, Uganda, Argentina, Cambodia, China, Ukraine, France, Germany, England, Zimbabwe, Russia, Israel, Holland, South Korea, Uruguay, Canada, and the good ol' US of A. I'm sure there's a few that we're leaving out, but you get the gist. We're truly teaching kids from all over the world, and it's truly amazing...on so many levels!
*Gotten two viruses, one of which sent Elizabeth and Jelly Bean to the hospital for an IV. Good times!
*Moved apartments. Our old landlords needed theirs back, so we got kicked out. Unfortunately, our new place is EVEN bigger than our last one (thanks to Maia, the fixer)...so seriously, everyone who's reading this is invited for a visit!
*Met some incredible people who have taught all over the globe. In fact, one of colleagues is from Trion, Georgia and has a delicious Southern accent...almost as good as Molly's and Holly's.
*Found out that Georgian-time is a modified version of island-time.
*Discovered that not owning a car really isn't so bad! Taking buses and walking is actually a good thing.
*Had our power disconnected because our old landlord didn't pay the bill. Then, the next day, had our water off at 7:00am because the city was doing "work." Good stretch of a couple of days!
*Been very surprised to learn of the resilience of the Georgian people... Could you imagine waking up one day in 1992 with absolutely nothing in your bank account? Just the day before, you were considered nobility or one of the countries best scientists or mathematicians, and then, everything is just gone. This has happened to countless Georgians when the country got its independence from the former Soviet Union. You would think this would make some bitter; however, Georgians have incredible hope and optimism for the future. Definitely a great deal we can learn from those in the "other" Georgia.
*Gotten frustrated with a few things that are not quite "first-world" yet. For example, lines don't really mean anything. You can cut in front of anyone at any time. Cats and their carriers with pee in them can be found on the counter in the local McDonald's bathroom (sorry, John and Holly), but it's true! There's not really a concern with cleaning up after your dog, so watch where you step. Internet? Who needs consistent and fast internet? Mail? Who needs a mail system? All sidewalks can be parking spaces. Cars can drive on sidewalks. All lanes are interchangeable all the time. Speed limits don't exist. Horns are used for everything! Pedestrians do NOT have the right of way. Good Will is a grocery store, not a thrift store. Beggars and gypsies are in every country! Big Ben is not a clock here, but it is a land mark. PhD dissertations are meant to be "shared." You too can get your PhD in Neuro-sciences from the internet! Saying the American Embassy is in Tbilisi is like saying Gainesville is in Atlanta.
*Been entertained by our fellow Georgian teachers in one of their homes with an authentic Georgian meal. Hospitality, wine, and great food were in abundance!
*Watched Spring Bok Rugby! Bok! Bok! Bok!
*Been to two soccer games, where tickets were a whopping $1.70 for the local Tbilisi team and $6 for the national team. Great atmosphere at both!
*Found an incredible mother-baby doctor who is very well-educated and speaks perfect English. Her name is Maka, and we feel so lucky to have her in our lives!
*Watched some shows on TLC in Russian but could hear the English underneath. Toddlers and Tiaras is hilarious with this combination.
*Realized that school sports are a totally different ballgame here, but Joey, the Athletic Director, is doing one heckuva job!
*Missed our families and friends and think of each of you very often!
This isn't even a complete list of everything we've done, but we think you'll get the idea of how our newest adventure is coming along. It's been very entertaining so far, and we can't wait to see what happens next. Know that we are enjoying most every aspect of our life in the other Georgia, and we will post on a more consistent basis. We'd love to hear from each of you as well. So, leave a comment, or email us at elizabethelger@gmail.com or joeymelger@gmail.com.
Love and hugs!
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