Teaching Challenges and Cultural Excitement

I went to Georgia to figure out if teaching was what I really wanted to do and to finally experience life abroad. The program met my expectations, but like anything it's not perfect.

First, going through Greenheart was a good choice. They had access to a lot of resources from the members already in Georgia and could get a speedier response from TLG (Teach and Learn in Georgia) than an individual can, trust me. The most useful pre-trip event was a conference phone call with the Greenheart representative and everyone else going to Georgia at the same time.

Georgia is itself one of the most beautiful and welcoming countries you'll ever go to. You'll hear this over and over again from anyone who's been there and Georgians themselves. It isn't false praise by any means. You'll be invited to a number of Supras or feasts, a cultural highlight. There are plenty of historical and natural tourist spots to see. TLG even provides the opportunity to travel with other visiting teachers from your regions to some of these areas. I went to the Sataplia caves with many new teachers who had just gotten to the region towards the end of my contract. We exchanged teaching ideas, vented about classroom struggles, and reminded each other about all the things we missed from Western culture and life.

I taught in the port city of Poti. My school was pretty well off material wise. Everyone had desks, there was a computer lab and projector that were used semi-frequently, and my director was willing to work with me not against me. My co-teachers had very limited English skills. This was probably the biggest challenge. Co-teachers were supposed to be the bridge between TLG teachers and the Georgian school system. Most of the them can only carry on basic conversations. One of mine would even correct me on pronunciation of English words, like mountain, she just had been saying wrong for forty years. You have to be willing to be very patient when doing lesson plans or working with co-teachers.

Patience will also be needed when communicating with TLG. Getting plane tickets home took months of communication and they were still late when I left at the end of my contract. TLG is working very hard to coordinate with a growing number of native English speakers working in the country. It's not an easy job. They just still seem to be grappling with Westerners desire to have plans made quickly and efficiently.

If you are looking for a program that will challenge you and your willing to make sacrifices in your standard of living, this is a great choice. You need to be creative not necessarily the best teacher. You need to be willing to learn a new language (unless, you already know Russian or Georgian). You need to be willing to let go and enjoy life and friends and family.

I would go back in a heartbeat!