In Georgia it is common for men to gather around the table and entertain the guests while women do all the cooking and preparations for a family feast.  It is uncommon for men to help with the dishes or in the kitchen in general.  The Georgians consider it a big honour to have guests in their home and will likely not allow them help in the kitchen either.  It is customary for women of the house to serve their visitors and the men of the family.  Having said this, the Georgian men are the experts when it comes to roasting a lamb or preparing other elaborate meat dishes. 

Men act as protectors for the females of their household and extended family and their female foreign guests.  If a Georgian family decides to send a strong fellow along with the volunteer teacher to escort her to her destination, it is not so much to intrude on her independence, but rather to assure her safety in the unknown city.

The Supra- Social Glue, Foreigners’ Worry

 Any event of significance in Georgia; the purchase of the winter’s firewood, arrival and departure of old friends, weddings, funerals, and birthdays, is celebrate by holding a supra- essentially a large feast with traditional toasting and drinking. The table is prepared, with the host bringing out their best dishes, cutlery, and decorations. Seating is arranged- the tamada, the toastmaster, at the head of the table, and the guests of honor arranged around him. On most occasions this will be mainly the men, although with the volunteer teacher program this is changing. The women of the family, their friends, and neighbors, have been preparing the food for days, and it is to be abundant and delicious; plates of khatchapuri, lobiani, fried chicken and fish. Bowls of badrijoni, phkhali, and sulguni. And dish after dish of desert cakes, candies, and sweets. All of these are literally piled one on another all across the table, with more being brought in throughout the meal. Among this mountain of abundance are pitchers of green wine and glasses for everyone.

The country of Georgia is located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe and Georgian culture has evolved over thousands of years.  Georgians are renowned for their love of music and dance.

Georgians are knows to be some of the heaviest smokers.  It is not easy to find a household without any smokers at all.  While men smoke openly both at home and in public, women tend to keep their habit indoors, away from the judgmental eyes.  This is why when foreign women spoke openly in public they may attract some unwanted stares or comments.  The program does their best to reduce the volunteers exposure to cigarette smoke.  The coordinators hope for cooperation between the host families and the teachers to keep the teacher’s room and common space clear from smoke as much as possible.  The employer will make special efforts to place in non-smoking families teachers who have medical conditions conflicting with exposure to cigarette smoke.

If you are as punctual as a expect things to work with “German efficiency”, you might need to adjust your perception of time and learn to relax.  School may start an hour or more later than scheduled.  People can be late for appointment or getting ready for a party.  The bus may not leave on time but only when the driver decides it cannot fit in any more passengers.  Relax, set your watch to “Georgian Standard Time”, and go with the flow.

by Thomas van Dam, Director of Marketing

Expats in Georgia have a tendency to stick around for reasons they don't fully understand themselves. It's just... Georgia. We get so accustomed to the food, the wine, the weather, the many parties, the sometimes crazy post-Soviet society and the many people we cross paths with that this place becomes, you know, home. As several longtime expats in Georgia - including yours truly - can tell you, it's so damn easy to "get stuck" in this slightly odd but oh so lovely country.