Job Discussion Forums

[mzuri]

I'm hoping to go to Georgia via Greenheart.

Although there are no guarantees, I can express a preference re: location placement.

Generally, my ideal location would meet these criteria:

Mild climate - not too hot/humid in summer, not too bitterly cold in winter
Scenic
Architecturally interesting; parks; cafes
Population between 50,000 - 100,000 people
Decent internet access
Walkable
Good public transportation system in town
Relatively liberal for women (relatively, that is, for Georgia)

Are there any cities that approximate the above?

I'm pretty good at keeping myself occupied, so if I had to choose between lots of entertainment venues versus the temperate weather, I'd place higher priority on the weather.

Thanks in advance!

[ancient_dweller]

Brunswick

[spiral78]

You may want to read through this:

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=89141&start=0

Your Georgia experience may hinge very highly on whether you are male or female. For women, it's not really a recommended location.

[mzuri]

Thanks, Spiral, for the pointer. There's great info on the Georgia threads, as you suggest. Have also read many (maybe most) of the blogs written by Georgia teachers from recent past and present. My eyes were opened pretty wide re: some of the realities for women.

If I'm able to go, I expect a tenure that'll challenge me personally and professionally. And I also expect to have a terrific time.

I'm looking forward to hearing about the merits (and lack thereof) of various cities in Georgia.

[cks]

[Sarcastro]

Without being unsympathetic to cks, her posts are a very polarized view of what it is like here. She's seen and gone though a lot of crap, the kinds of things that I would wish on no one. But from what Ive seen, the countless chats with friends and colleagues, her experiences are not the norm these days.

Is it rough here in Georgia? Sure, especially if you are needy of all the entrapments and comforts of N. America or W. Europe. It's a developing country and an EU and USAID initiative state. This place is nothing like home. There are often blackouts, sometimes there isnt water coming out of the faucets, hygiene isnt a huge priority and the toilets are not much better than holes in the ground.

As far as what you are looking for in way of placement, when I came here in mid June I was only offered preferences the of rural/urban, family size (large/small/no children) and kids' age (older/younger). The rest as cks says can only be found in places like Tbilisi. Georgia doesnt really have much of a Mediterranean climate. You basically will live between Tennessee and N. Dakota.

And saying that I believe this because Im male and a "king" here is sexist on your part cks and total BS. I dont discount your experiences so what gives you the right to do the same to me? People are people where ever you go. Some are kind and some are complete douche bags, unfortunately you've experienced more of the latter.

[cks]

I never discounted any of your experiences in Georgia. Most people love it here and have a great time. And I always advise any man do move here but to take caution if you are a female. I actually talked one of my dear friends into coming here to join TGL next month and in the process of trying to convince another one. And lots of my angry postings were immediately after I was grabbed for the second time. Leaving the house on a daily basis with shaky hands for awhile, nerves and a rapid heart beat, and then going home and posting on Dave's. I never had too many bad experiences until about after 6 to 7 months after I moved here and after I had open discussions about the sexual harassment amongst the foreigners-mainly the female NGOs in my town that I lived in for a year and half. I am not an isolated case, and when you live here short-term or just for a 3 or 4 month contract, you are still settling in and may not have had enough time to have so many experiences.

Another way that I have it differently than others is due to the fact that my American friend who was fluent in Georgian, translated the comments that the men made to us on the street. I really prefer not knowing. She had been visiting Georgia for over ten years, Tbilisi, but this was her first time to work as an NGO outside of Tbilisi and the first time to get touched and harrassed. I also was teaching for a Womens Organization who specialized in gender issues obviously, trained women with language and computer skills, and provided counseling services for battered women. So I am also on the inside of the gender relations here in Georgia.

I now currently live in Tbilisi and love it! No complaints! There is a blog that you probably know about created by a TGLer over a year ago explaining all the good and bad. His controversial blog, "Sex in Georgia" involves the gender issues here. It roused over 400 comments in the past year. Many of these comments are by other TGL girls doing this program who had similar negative experiences. Reading his long blog can be time consuming and so he has many other shorter postings such as Gender in Georgia, Teaching with TGL, ect... So any female interested- check out the blog. Every experience is relative here, but you can't say I am an isolated case (as well as my friends), plus I have been here 2 years now. I have a love/hate relationship with this place but dying to get back to Prague-but staying here to be with my partner.

So if anyone wants to read through this man's blog on various topics, not just gender issues- here is a good source. It is not just a few persons experiences here on Dave's- this will involve many foreigners giving their accounts of life in Georgia. and yeah, lots of angry females. Don't listen to just me, hear everyone's point of view. Again, Tbilisi life is pretty good so far for me at least. I also do not get the stares or comments in towns like Batumi or Kudasi. Lots of info on this blog, so just skim through some postings to get the gist or read it all. It is educational. Either way, I always advise anyone to see this country one way or another. And this blog is written by a TGL man who has lived here over a year and has had his own discussions with his own friends and colleagues. However many postings by foreign women are here. Enjoy Georgia, the good and bad.

http://peripateticpedagogue.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/sex-in-georgia/

[jooooooey]

Yeah, you don�t really get to choose where you want to go in this program. Although I think you can make requests, everyone always wants to go to Tbilisi so TLG can�t put everyone there. Good pulbic transportation doesn�t exist, like most developing countries. Some of the villages might not have internet access, I don�t know, but internet is pretty widespread anywhere you go. Georgia is more about restaurants, there aren�t many cafes, but there�s old and interesting architecture all over Georgia.

I lived in Tbilisi, but I didn�t see the problems that seem to bother these other teachers so much. Georgia is a much more conservative country, you don�t see many people kissing or making out in the streets, you have to keep that in mind, but it�s pretty liberal compared to some middle eastern countries. But on the other hand where I was at people do date, they just keep quiet about sex and that kind of thing.

As far as that blog cks mentions, he says some things that are true (and some things that aren�t true) but he�s real biased, but there are some comments by Georgian women about it that have some good information. I think the problem is that people go there with their own western perspective, and then they expect the same norms that they are used to, but it�s a much different culture.

I�m a guy, but as far as harassment goes I never saw anything, people were real polite to women, although I think there�s different expectations. Wow, people are a lot more interested in this subject than the actual teaching.