Day Six - Goodbye to Georgia, Hello Georgia

Day 6: Friday Today we go home. We awoke at 1:00 a.m., Tbilisi time. Vano picked us up at 2:00, and by 3:00 we had arrived at the airport, checked in, and passed through security. Now we wait for our flight. The journey home lies long before us, but the memories of our Georgian experience will remain for years to come. We have taken part in nation-building and the development of international relationships at their most fundamental level. We were honored by our hosts and treated exceptionally well. We worked with military professionals from a small country far from our homes, people who sincerely wished to strengthen their relationship with the United States. I was deeply touched by the hospitality, warmth, and genuineness of the Georgian people. Each of us has poignant moments in life when we recognize that something extraordinary has happened. This was a week filled with such moments for me. We arrived home at about 5:30 Friday evening. It is always good to come home.

Day Five, Special Invitations

Day 5: Thursday Day 5 dawned early and began as usual. I was feeling a little under the weather, with a sore throat, body aches, and stuffiness. I had bought some local vitamin C and cold medicine the day before, and I thought they were helping. We knew it would be a long day because Lieutenant S. had invited us to visit his hometown of Gori after class. First, we concluded our presentations and discussed items requiring future attention and follow-up. Then we conducted a little role-playing exercise involving two men at a squadron bar, where one “coins” the other. This served as a prelude to presenting coins to everyone in the class. Meanwhile, Vano and Nina were arranging our trip to Gori. Eka, another Georgian who spoke Georgian, Russian, and English fluently, was to travel with us. At first, I did not think this was necessary, but I would later understand why it was so important. Eka was a very interesting person. She was about thirty-two years old and appeared to come from a wealthy family. She later revealed that she had grown up with a Russian nanny, so Russian was actually her first language. To me, she carried an aristocratic air. I later learned that she was a classically trained pianist but had been forced to let her piano go. Her father had died, and she was now responsible for supporting herself and her mother. We talked about “life getting in the way.” She had worked at the embassy for about six years. Her interpreting assignments had included an Apache Indian group touring Georgia and visiting classical musicians. She hoped to continue her language studies by learning Italian next. On the way to Gori, she told me that she had absolutely no respect for Stalin. She understood that her parents respected him and that many people in Gori considered him a hero. She did not, and she did not believe she ever would. We arrived in Gori, a relatively small Georgian town that appeared quite poor. The Stalin Museum stood near the center of town. It was in only fair condition and needed cleaning and refurbishment. The tour cost 15 lari. Because Eka was with us, we took the tour with a Georgian-speaking guide. There was much of historical interest in the museum, and I finally had the opportunity to see a copy of Iskra, Lenin’s revolutionary newspaper. After touring the museum, we went outside and entered Stalin’s personal railway carriage. It had been preserved as it was when he used it. I sat at the desk where Joseph Stalin had worked in his bedroom! It was very hot outside and even hotter inside the railway car. Stalin’s birthplace was also preserved on the museum grounds. His family had rented one room from the owners of the house, who lived in the other room. His father worked as a cobbler in the basement. As a young man, Stalin trained for the priesthood. He was also an accomplished writer and poet. The direction of his life changed after he encountered the writings of Marx and Engels. Our host for the day, Lieutenant S., was very proud to have us visit his town. He pointed out that his high school stood immediately across the street from the museum. Afterward, we went to Gori Fortress. It was an impressive structure, sitting high atop a hill in the center of town near a bend in the river. From the fortress, one could see a great distance in every direction, particularly along the mountain valleys that an approaching enemy would have used. Lieutenant S. pointed out his Army headquarters buildings northwest of us, along the road to Tskhinvali. He directed our attention toward smoke rising in that direction and told us that the Russian checkpoint was located there. It was not a good idea for us to go there. I kept joking that I wanted to go. Part of me actually did, although doing so would have created an enormous mess. Eka described an incident involving a new embassy driver and several U.S. military personnel. The driver did not know where he was going, and before anyone realized what had happened, they were approaching the Russian checkpoint. They quickly turned around and avoided an international incident. This is a good place to say more about Vano. Vano was tremendously respected by both American and Georgian personnel. If Vano said that was the way things were, then that was the way they were. He was quiet and kept a low profile, but he possessed a great deal of information and enjoyed talking once he had gotten to know someone. He rarely initiated a conversation, but he readily engaged when asked a question. One day, as we were returning to the hotel, he turned onto a side street. The street ended at a T-intersection, where a sign indicated that traffic could go only to the right. Vano looked at me and said, “That sign is for everyone but Vano.” Then he turned left. Apparently, this sort of thing happened fairly regularly in Georgia. When we reached a narrow section of the street, another driver, traveling in the correct direction, flashed his lights at Vano. I commented that the driver obviously did not know the sign did not apply to Vano. We laughed. Now, back to Gori. It was time for refreshments, which in Georgia generally meant wine, and more food. We were invited to a roadside restaurant along the route toward Tskhinvali. At our closest point, we were only twenty-two to twenty-four kilometers from Russian-controlled territory. The Russians maintained that their personnel in South Ossetia and Abkhazia were merely peacekeepers. The Georgians insisted that they were unquestionably Russian troops, and they deeply resented their presence. As we traveled along the road that day, I was amazed by where I was and what I was doing. Here I was, closer to Russian-held territory than I had ever been. Everywhere we went, people noticed us. I am sure it was a tremendous source of pride for Lieutenant S. to bring the Americans to his hometown. Small fields opened on either side of the road as we traveled through the Georgian countryside. Eventually, we reached a grove of trees where the restaurant stood. The mountains surrounding the valley in which Gori sits rose majestically on every side. Lieutenant S. had arranged everything. We were given a private room, with his friend Katiya serving as our waitress. Initially, the gathering consisted only of Lieutenant S., Hector, Eka, and me. We were later joined by two lieutenant colonels, two majors, a battalion deputy commander, and several intelligence officers. They were older than the other Georgian soldiers we had met. At first, I thought they were closer to my age, but I believe I was still about ten years older than the eldest among them. This type of gathering is both common and deeply significant to the Georgians. It is a time for carefully chosen words and the sharing of thoughts and ideas at a level we seldom achieve in ordinary daily life, particularly in the United States. A toastmaster, known as the tamada, begins a series of toasts. The toasts can be lengthy. They are followed by much clinking of glasses and many declarations of “Amen.” Certain toasts are expected, and they are offered in a particular order. A person does not have to drink the wine. I told them that I had made a promise to God that I would no longer drink alcohol, and they respected that completely. It was nevertheless important that my wineglass be filled and that I raise it during each toast. Food continued arriving throughout the gathering. It was common and perfectly acceptable for a plate still covered with food to be removed and replaced with a clean one. This could result in a great deal of wasted food, but the abundance was an important part of the experience. It did not take long to recognize the importance of the supra. This tradition is embedded deeply in the foundations of who the Georgian people are. Lieutenant S. made the first toasts before the other officers arrived. He spoke of how we could now say that we had good friends in Gori, Georgia. He told us that whenever we wished to return, whether to eat, drink, hunt, or fish, everything would be taken care of. When the other gentlemen arrived, Lieutenant S. passed the responsibility of making the toasts to the eldest man. The man spoke eloquently about the friendships being formed and his hopes for the future. He expressed the Georgian people’s hope that their friendship with the United States would continue to grow. We shared thoughts about faith and family. We spoke of how the United States had much to offer Georgia, but also of how much we had to learn from the Georgians because their society and culture reached so deeply into history. There was some concern that we had to leave early, and indeed we did, because we were expected at another event. A proper supra can continue into the early hours of the morning. We reflected that the relatively short time we had spent together that day might help open heavy doors to a prosperous and mutually beneficial future. It was a tremendously rewarding and meaningful experience. All the speeches, toasts, and conversations were translated expertly by Eka. I then understood why it had been so important for her to accompany us. As we prepared to leave, everyone lingered in the entryway and then again in the parking lot. It was incredible how strongly I already felt bonded with these people. I will always remember that day and think fondly of the Georgian officers with whom I shared a supra, only about thirteen miles from a Russian checkpoint. We shook hands and touched cheeks according to Georgian custom. I was amazed that we had already reached such a level of familiarity. Amazed and honored. Vano won the race back to Tbilisi, and that evening we attended a farewell reception for Matt’s wife. Matt was scheduled to complete his tour the following month, and his wife and mother were returning to the United States the next week. Many military and embassy personnel attended, and languages from several countries filled the room. I found myself wondering whether American forces would be stationed in Georgia within the next couple of years. As the evening continued, I realized that Vano and his thirteen-year-old daughter were attending the reception simply because we were there. I also realized that it was up to me to decide when we had all had enough. It had been a very long day, and everyone was tired. Yet the Georgians, whether from professional duty, hospitality, or both, would never have considered complaining or leaving before we were ready. It was honestly a little daunting to recognize that responsibility. I circulated quickly among our group and determined that everyone was more than ready to leave. We said our goodbyes and departed. They dropped us at the hotel. We said farewell to Eka, Vano, and his daughter and agreed that we would see Vano again at 2:00 a.m. for our ride to the airport.

Day Four, More Classroom Adventures

Day 4: Wednesday Each day began with breakfast in the hotel restaurant. The fare was incredible: eggs prepared any way you wanted, several kinds of meat, fruit, yogurt, waffles, and crepes. They played pleasant European music, and the atmosphere generally made for a very enjoyable start to the day. I think that if you stay longer than a couple of days and show some friendliness, the wait staff will begin engaging you in conversations about their country. That happened with us. At class that morning, we began with a discussion of Georgian-Russian relations. We talked about Russia’s intentions in South Ossetia and Abkhazia and what those intentions meant for Georgia. We also discussed a recent Russian overflight of Georgian airspace. The Georgians believed the Russians were sending a message: “This is our part of the world, and we can do as we please.” Their view was that the flights were not aimed specifically at Georgia. Rather, Russia was demonstrating to the rest of the world that it could act as it wished in that part of the world. I think they were right. We then moved into a discussion of JSTARS. I showed an unclassified briefing, and it generated a great deal of interest. They wanted to rent one.

Day Three in Tbilisi - Work at the Ministry of Defense

Day 3: Tuesday This day would bring our first interaction with the Georgian military. We were both a little nervous as we left the hotel with Vano at 9:30 a.m. and headed across town to the Ministry of Defense compound. We were greeted by several staff members at the Bilateral Affairs Office. The person who would become most important to us was Nina, our translator. When we entered the conference room to set up, about twelve Georgian Army personnel were already seated there. They all stood when I walked into the room. The format called for us to use the briefings we had sent ahead, which had already been translated. We sat at one end of the table, while the Georgian Army personnel were seated around the rest of it. We began with introductions, and they did the same. We would speak a sentence or two, or present a complete idea, and then Nina would translate. She was very skilled. Several of our briefings were not particularly useful, so we moved quickly through them or skipped them entirely. This gave us a unique opportunity to discuss Georgian affairs, especially as they related to the country’s large and much-disliked neighbor, Russia. I received an English-language newspaper each morning at the hotel, and the main story was almost always about Georgian, Russian, and Western relations and the tensions among them. It was a remarkable situation in which to find ourselves. The Georgians were prepared to fight the Russians if they had to. They wanted Russia to leave them alone, but they believed some form of confrontation was inevitable. The Georgians would not give up. Their country and their culture were too important to them. Later in the week, Eka, another translator, gave me an interesting insight. She told me that during the Soviet era, a Communist had never been elected in Georgia. The day progressed well, and we concluded our sessions at about 12:30 p.m. The Georgian Army personnel departed, and Nina took us to the Ministry of Defense dining room for lunch. It was another poignant moment: sitting in the Georgian Ministry of Defense dining room, wearing my uniform, and looking out over the Mtkvari River and the Tbilisi skyline. Wow. Vano picked us up later, and we returned to the hotel. That evening, we decided to practice a little McDonald’s diplomacy and caught a cab to the McDonald’s on Rustaveli Avenue. The McDonald’s in downtown Tbilisi was incredibly clean, vibrant, and welcoming. We were greeted by two smartly dressed young women. At the counter, three employees helped us order. They spoke passable English for the most part, although “double cheeseburger” sounds about the same in almost any language. We went upstairs to eat. The restaurant was crowded with many young people. McDonald’s clearly understood its market. These young people would become the mothers and fathers of tomorrow’s Georgia. The staff members were constantly cleaning tables, sweeping, and mopping. The entire experience was surprisingly positive. We walked back to the hotel along Rustaveli Avenue, enjoying the sights, the sounds, and the simple wonder of where we were. We tried to cross the street a couple of times and quickly discovered that doing so was not for the faint of heart or the slow of stride. I nearly got hit once. Then I noticed stairways along the sidewalks. A moment later, I realized they led to pedestrian tunnels beneath the streets. Duh.

Day Two

Day 2: Monday We ate breakfast at the hotel, anticipating a day filled with the sights and sounds of Georgia. Vano, our driver from the U.S. Embassy, picked us up at 9:30 a.m. We drove to the embassy, where Vano took care of some business. We enjoyed conversations with him on and off throughout the day. He was a forty-seven-year-old Georgian with a daughter who was at least thirteen. He worked for the U.S. Embassy and the Bilateral Affairs Office. In his earlier years, Vano had served in the Soviet Army and had been stationed in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. He told us about a Russian colonel who was assigning him duties. Vano told the man that he had a driver’s license and should be used as a driver. The colonel asked how many sheep he had sold to get his license, reflecting the derogatory attitude Russians held toward Georgians. Vano, like most Georgians, did not like the Russians at all. Georgians would admit that the Soviet presence had brought some benefits, including infrastructure and construction, but for the most part it had not been a good experience. Vano used the word “idiot” frequently when speaking of the Russians. After leaving the embassy, we traveled north out of town and into the countryside. We took a back road over the hills and began to climb. We arrived at a church sitting high atop a hill overlooking Mtskheta, Georgia’s ancient capital. A church was originally built on this site in the fifth century and was rebuilt in the ninth and thirteenth centuries. Thirteen monks from Assyria journeyed into Georgia during the sixth century. This church and twelve others were established by the monks as they spread Christianity throughout Georgia. From the balcony of the church, we looked down about five hundred feet to the confluence of the Mtkvari River and another river. Vano showed me where an old Soviet military base had stood along the highway. Little remained except some foundations, a drill pad, and several deteriorating housing units. Apparently, the Soviets had mined many areas of Georgia without properly mapping them. Many mines remained unlocated, creating a significant hazard for the Georgian people. Certain areas were simply off-limits. We then visited the cathedral in Mtskheta, where the robe of Christ is reportedly buried. We took a bathroom break at the home of a woman Vano knew. She spoke only Russian. Vano then took us to lunch at a very unusual restaurant constructed entirely of bamboo. A covered walkway led to individual dining rooms, each seating about six to eight people. Vano ordered more food than six people should have eaten: cheese bread, khinkali dumplings, and barbecued pork and beef. A particularly unusual part of the meal was the “salad,” made with onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, and fresh tarragon shoots. The tarragon had a distinctive flavor and was quite tasty. We then headed back into Tbilisi. On Monday evening, Matt picked us up for dinner and took us to the Old House, a restaurant beside the river. What a fantastic experience. We entered from the main street through an impressive double gate and stepped into a courtyard. Small private dining rooms were arranged around the grounds, much like those at the restaurant where we had eaten lunch. We turned right into the main building, crossed an open floor, and climbed to an upper platform where we were seated. After we ordered, Matt took us outside to tour the rest of the property. There were outdoor cooking facilities, tables beside the river, and a beautiful evening settling around us. We found ourselves wondering how we could be so blessed to be experiencing all of this. Dinner was marvelous and included more traditional Georgian food. A male quartet played and sang for the dinner guests while we ate. One of the men played the flute, or perhaps a recorder, exceptionally well. Our sleeping and waking schedules were completely disrupted. We found ourselves sleeping for a couple of hours and then waking again. I slept only about an hour and a half that night.

Day One in Tblisi

The Georgians are an open and hospitable people and this robust temperament is contagious when you visit their country.

Travel Recap

Itinerary called for Atlanta to Paris to Prague to Tbilisi. There is a direct flight from Atlanta to Prague. I'd recommend this, although it does leave one waiting in Prague for the flight to Tbilisi for about 11 hours. I met three individuals in the Prague airport who traveled this route. They rented a car at the airport and toured Prague while waiting...pretty good idea.

Leave plenty of time for transitions between flights. Czech Airlines is awesome. Nice equipment, great staff and good food. They serve you something to eat on even short flights. Maybe US carriers should try serving food?!?!?

Timing for this trip follows:
1400,Friday - Depart Warner Robins, GA
1600 - Arrive Hartsfield
1700 - AirFrance desk opens and seating on Air France flight secured
2100,Saturday - Air France flight departs ATL.
1100 (Paris Time) - Arrive Paris, Charles DeGaulle Airport
1545 - Depart Paris for Prague (Czech Airlines, 1 hour 20 minutes)
1700 (Pragues time, same as Paris) - Arrive Prague
2145 - "Scheduled" departure time from Prague
2245 - Actual departure from Prague
0400,Sunday - (Tbilisi time, 2 hours earlier than Prague) arrival in Tbilisi
0600 - In to bed and not really sure what time it is. It's eight hours different from home, so total travel time was about 32 hours

Dateline: Prague, Czech Republic

Have now safely arrived in Prague. Awaiting our flight to Tbilisi later this evening. Check out sometime on a map, just how far into Asia Tbilisi is!!! What a fabulous trip. More later, running out of battery.

Day One - Travel

Left WarTown yesterday at 3 pm, arrived ATL with little difficulty. On an 8:45pm Air France flight from ATL to Paris. Uneventful flight (long and crowded!) and arrived Paris at 11 local time. Sitting in the Paris airport at 2:00pm on Saturday and my body can't figure out what time it really is! I feel very inadequate as I observe all the folks who are bi or multi lingual. It is unsat to be only speak English.

Will catch a flight to Prague, Czech Republic in about an hour. My world is upside down from where I was 30 years ago. I'm thinking of Chip and Janine, their learning Czech and me Thai. Now, I will transit Prague this evening on my way to Tbilisi, Georgia, just north of Armenia!!

The Paris airport is nice, but a little challenging. One must leave the secure areas to move between terminals. Upon re-entering security, they noted my shaving kit in my carry one and took three items from it. How come ATL didn't notice??

Tired and excited. Blessed at the opportunities I have!!