Teach in the Republic of Georgia

First, let me say that this program provided me with my first opportunity to travel outside the U.S. and for that I am truly grateful. Second, Greenheart's application/interview process was thorough and efficient. Third,the TLG staff here in Georgia are always working for and communicating with their volunteers.
TLG placed me with a great host family. They really listen to you when you have specific issues, mine was smoking, and they found me a non-smoking family. I'm with a couple and their 12 year old son. His mother teaches Georgian and I teach in his English glass. In a happy coincidence he is obsessed with martial arts in which I have an extensive background. Almost every Friday the boys have a San Da (Chinese freestyle sparring) class, which I attend.
The village that I'm in is about 3 hours drive west from Tblisi. Nestled in the Lesser Caucasus' it is absolutely beautiful here, especially now that Spring has arrived. I'm from Southern New Jersey (highest point 232 ft. above sea level) so the terrain here is very different to say the least. I really enjoy hiking in the surrounding mountains, and I'm fitter now than I have been in years.
Teaching here is difficult sometimes, with few resources, cold in the winter, power outages and unruly children but the challenges are truly what make it worth coming here. And I'll be honest I have not come up with many grand solutions to the problems we face here, but every day I try to the best I can.

I'd say more but I have to go to school now.

TLG offers you a chance to immerse yourself in Georgian society, to experience the ups and downs of this country and to really be a part of the local scene. As a teacher at a local school you will quickly become known in your community and people will be very happy to invite you to cultural events, parties or celebrations. The hospitality of Georgia is immense, from the teachers who give you small gifts, to the random strangers who invite you for khinkali (Meaty ravioli) and Chacha (spirit made from grape residues). The teaching is varied and as challenging as you want it to be, you can stimulate the school with extra lessons, fun after-school activities or even field trips. The salary is more than competitive and the living conditions (vary a great deal) are mostly comfortable and enjoyable. So get involved in this project, I have been here for 8 months and I can't get enough of Georgia. The Greenheart program gave me advice and sound support throughout my time pre-departure and during the program.

What do you look for in a volunteer opportunity? A rewarding challenge? An interesting culture? Welcoming people? I found this in the Republic of Georgia. The local teachers were very professional and welcoming to the co-teacher program and it was very easy to jump in and start teaching.

The host family was very respectful, generous and kind. Tutoring was enjoyable with the host-mom and the host-sister and I was placed with a family that genuinely cared about me. They planned and took me on weekend trips and even to new restaurants in Tbilisi. I was placed near Tbilisi so we had a lot of cultural options including going to movies, concerts, and museums.

Greenheart Travel was also great to work with and they were very transparent. They managed expectations and represented the program in an honest and forthright manner. I would recommend volunteering in Georgia and using Greenheart Travel.

I always wanted to live overseas but never got the chance, so when I was job searching I always had the idea of teaching abroad as an option. I researched many programs, but found Greenheart Travel advertising for Teach and Learn with Georgia and decided this would be the program for me. I did as much research as I could, read several blogs that were provided to me by Greenheart staff, and went through the application process, which was fairly easy.
I arrived in Georgia last January and originally lived and worked in the East. When I arrived it was very cold, I was in a village where wood was the only source of heat, and in my room there was no heat at all. There was a week where I wore the exact same thing for 5 days because I couldn't imagine getting undressed and there were times I thought I would never be warm again. But the weather improved and soon Georgia turned into paradise, where the mountains provide the backdrop for mile after mile of vineyards, beautiful gardens, fruit trees, and flowers like you've never seen before.
The easiest thing to fall in love with in Georgia is the Georgian people, who automatically love you for coming to their country and speaking a little bit of their language. You get one week of language and cultural training before being placed in a host family, and then most people continue learning after that. Georgian is difficult for me to learn, but the basic phrases and alphabet are all essential to an easier life here.
By far the most challenging part of Georgia is the school. The Ministry of Education is working on sweeping reforms and we are right in the middle of change in action, which means there are times when the school seems to be stuck in time with teaching methodologies (some teachers still ascribe to "read, memorize, recite" theory. However, there is nothing better than the students who adore you and treat you like a celebrity. You will be greeted each day with enthusiastic "Hello Teacher!" over and over.
There were many challenges, but overall I would wholeheartedly recommend both Greenheart and TLG to interested participants. I would just strongly urge people to do their research before coming, as it's definitely not for everyone. You have to come with an open mind and flexible attitude. If you have those things, you will likely love Georgia and Georgia will love you right back.

I'm currently a teacher in The Republic of Georgia and I love every minute of this experience. I'm actually in school right now, doing this review before class begins. I highly recommend for everyone to experience this beautiful and beautifully challenging country. My journey began with finding a "Teach in Georgia" program link through Greenheart Travel.

I simply followed the steps provided, gave all of my required documentation, had my interviews and was swept away to this very foreign country. I hold a Bachelor's degree and teaching certifications so the process for me was fairly easy, also due in part to Greenheart Travel for streamlining the process for me. You don't need the qualifications I have in order to come to Georgia.

I arrived in Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, for a 7 day orientation with Teach Learn Georgia (TLG), the flagship program that is hiring all of the English teachers. They gave us Teaching Methodology and Georgian language lessons as well as providing some intercultural training. From there I was given my assignment, the beautiful coastal village of Bobokvati near Kobuleti city. Most teachers get placed in rural villages and other in larger cities. This is where the true adventure began.

Since then I have been eating amazing Georgian food, which consists mainly of beef, chicken, bread, cheese, lots of veggies and herbs. Almost everything is grown by the villagers in their gardens and it's extremely fresh. I have also tried the famous Georgian wine, which also is made by most Georgians: Georgia is the birth place of wine after all!!

Teaching here is rewarding and challenging. Since Georgia is still a developing country, your teaching materials such as projectors and the like will be rare or not even seen at all. You have to get creative with your lessons but TLG does provide you with new English lesson books through MacMillan publishers. Bring any kind of teaching material you can, books, pictures, posters and even learn some songs to teach your students, they go crazy for songs. The kids are some of the most eager I've seen and love to have English teachers in their schools.

As far as packing is concerned, pack for everything. I wish I had brought lots of medicine because as with any country, it will take some time for your body to adapt to the local climate and food. I would also recommend bringing laptops and movies and music to occupy some of your time. Traveling in this country is extremely cheap and I have already seen all of the country. I try to travel every weekend with my fellow TLG friends. You get to meet lots of wonderful people and fill up your picture albums for Facebook!

All in all the Georgian people are very welcoming and friendly and it's not unheard of to get invited into strangers homes for some food and wine. Georgian hospitality is bar none the best I've ever experienced. My local community was very welcoming and my co-workers here at my school have been amazing at helping me with everything I need. Greenheart also continues to provide my with all the assistance necessary and I can get help whenever I need it. I have definitely learned a lot while being here, become more open to meeting new people and learned that it's not what the country has to offer you, it's the people in it that make the experience.

You should come to Georgia, have the experience of a lifetime and enjoy everything Georgia and it's people have to offer! You get paid more than most teachers do but it's a modest sum compared to what you are probably used to. Still, it's more than enough to travel the country, eat what you want and enjoy your life in the unique and rewarding place.