Sarkartvelo: A True Adventure

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.