Moons ago, someone carved me a nickname into the sand. The tide came and swept my name away. That name was "Sputnitsa," which means "fellow traveler" in Russian.
Tag Archives: Peace Corps
Death Be Not Proud, though Some Have Called Thee, for I Haven’t Yet
A decade ago, I opened up Long Day’s Journey into Night, but I never got past the introduction. There, I read of Eugene O’Neill’s youth, of his sailing the world and battling tuberculosis. This summed up everything that was wrong with me. I had never … Continue reading
What the Russian Invasion Taught Me
In August 2008, the Russians invaded Georgia. This was not expected. I was there at the time. When the first explosions hit, my friend J texted from the US. “I think there’s a war going on.” “No, no. It’s just a … Continue reading
Gori, Georgia
Posted in Central Park, Georgia, Peace Corps, Republic of Georgia, travel
Tagged Caucasus, Peace Corps, Republic of Georgia, travel
19 Comments
Tbilisi Meanderings II: Sameba
Posted in Caucasus, Georgia, Peace Corps, photos, Republic of Georgia, Tbilisi, travel
Tagged Caucasus, Peace Corps, photos, Republic of Georgia, Tbilisi, travel
4 Comments
Tbilisi Meanderings I: Old Town
Posted in Caucasus, Georgia, Peace Corps, photos, Republic of Georgia, Tbilisi, travel
Tagged Caucasus, Peace Corps, photos, Republic of Georgia, Tbilisi, travel
13 Comments
Cold, cold ground…
I remember last winter very well. I remember how the cold never died; how I never shed my layers, not even indoors. How I wore all I could to bed. How my water bottles froze by my bed. The wind … Continue reading
Posted in appreciating life, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Caucasus, challenges, coming back to America, culture shock, Georgia, goals, helping others, life, Marneuli, Republic of Georgia, scenes, writing
Tagged awards, Caucasus, challenges, life, Peace Corps, photos, Republic of Georgia, scholarship, something new, whatnot, winter, writing
2 Comments
Who Needs a TV?
That is, when you don’t have curtains. Winding down for the evening, I shut the lights at my new apartment. That second, a hundred different screens blinked into life–windows across the way. Truth is, not much is “on” when your screen is someone … Continue reading
They told me I’d be asked. Told me to have an answer ready
But I was otherwise engaged, and besides, I didn’t know how to answer. And they were right; people do ask. “So, what was Peace Corps like?” Some expect a two-line answer. Others want to really get into it, to imagine … Continue reading
Posted in challenges, communication, culture shock, drop in the ocean, escape, Georgian, international service, language, learning from others, Marneuli, Peace Corps, photos, Republic of Georgia, volunteering, volunteerism
Tagged challenges, cultural differences, escape, language, Marneuli, Peace Corps, Republic of Georgia, volunteering
10 Comments
God, How I Scoffed.
You give Peace Corps two years and three months of your life, and you know what they say they’ll give you in return? I’ll tell you. 1. Patience 2. Flexibility Their words. Now this, to me, didn’t seem like too … Continue reading
Posted in advertising, Caucasus, challenges, character development, culture shock, dysentery, first drafts, Georgia, international service, life, Marneuli, Matthew McConaughey, Peace Corps, photos, Republic of Georgia, the unplanned, volunteering, whatnot, writing
Tagged advertising, character development, discipline, first drafts, flexibility, international service, Marneuli, Matthew McConaughey, patience, Peace Corps, photos, PR, PSA, Republic of Georgia, unplanned, volunteering, writing
13 Comments
Grabbing the Bull by its Horns, or:
Or the pig by its legs. Whatever works for you, I say. 🙂 Today’s a writing morning. This photo brought to you courtesy of my beloved bazaar in Gori, Georgia. I’ve got 2K more words to write this morning to … Continue reading
Posted in Peace Corps, photos, Republic of Georgia, writing
Tagged goals, Peace Corps, photos, Republic of Georgia, writing
4 Comments
