Until We Meet Again

With the exception of a very impolite employee at the border crossing who nearly overwhelmed me with her nastiness, I had a wonderful time in Philadelphia. My few days were filled with good company, beautiful weather, and warm American hospitality. What I did not expect, however, was that it would turn out to be more than just a fun trip. My friends and I talked about things that we hadn’t planned on talking about, profound things, that left me thinking a lot on my bus ride home.

For me, the best thing about visiting friends is finding them unchanged, seeing that no matter what has happened in life, they are still the same wonderful people that you have always known them to be; friends that make you feel like hardly any time has passed since you were last together; friends that make you feel sad that you have to leave them once again.

So, for my little prayer today, I would like to ask God to bless Liz, Karine, and Givi with many happy days in their lives; may they always stay the wonderful people that they are; may we see each other again before too long; and may our friendship be forever linked by the travel chain that brought us together the first time.

Travel Chains

My friends Elizabeth, Karine, and Givi live in and near Philadelphia, in the United States.

In 2000, my cousin Diana went to Paris to study French. There, she met Elizabeth, who was studying at the same school.

Diana invited me over. I was introduced to Elizabeth and we became friends.

In 2004, I went back to Paris to work. Elizabeth was also working there and we saw each other again. Elizabeth met Karine at her job and they became friends.

Last year, I went to Georgia and, through my program, became friends with Givi.

Also, last year, Karine went to the US to study English. She and Elizabeth met up again.

This year, in February, Givi went back to Tbilisi to visit, and we met in person for the first time.

Last month, Karine had to have her visa extended, which meant she had to cross the border. She and Elizabeth decided that instead of just crossing the border, they would come to Toronto to stay with me for a few days. Karine and I met and became friends.

Elizabeth and her family invited me to go stay with them.

Tomorrow, I’m taking my first trip to Philadelphia to see Elizabeth, Karine, and Givi.

We often travel to one place, become friends with someone there, and then later on, find ourselves going to another place that we may never have gone to if we hadn’t travelled to that first place to begin with.

Life is filled with travel chains.

Nostalgic for Georgia

It snowed in Tbilisi this week. That’s rare because it snows very little all winter, let alone at the beginning of November. I remember that Sunday morning, in February, earlier this year, when I woke up and was delighted to see that it had snowed overnight.  I took a few pictures because the snow there usually melts in a day or two. There were children playing at the back of the building. In the afternoon we went to Mtatsminda Park. Almost everything was closed but it was beautiful walking through the snow.

I left Georgia just over three months ago and I don’t think I will ever stop missing it. I lived there for nine months and it was one of the most special experiences of my life. I still get messages from my students almost every day, telling me how much they love me and miss me, and when I talk to the little ones, some of them still can’t fully understand why I left and why I must go to Kazakhstan for my next job instead of going back to our school. I miss them so much. I don’t want to go back when they’re all grown up. I want to go back to see them very soon.

Have you ever lived in another country and had such a profound experience that a part of you has changed forever? That’s what Georgia has done to me.