August 28th: Final preparations have been done today. We had a sort of ceremony to mark the end of our Peace Corps service. We are no longer PCVs, but RPCVs (Returned Peace Corps Volunteers) – except that we have not actually returned. The G8s went from PCTs to PVCs to RPCVs over the course of a couple of days!

Country Director Rick and his wife Dorothy

Tom and Erik

A group of G8s

In the evening we had a goodbye party. Besides the food, we awarded certificates and prizes to the PC staff. The Sargent Shriver award went to Mamuka, who drove many miles to bring PCVs from their sites to Bakuriani when the bombs were falling. He did deserve it, but really all the Georgian staff did too, because they had performed their allotted tasks when they were worried sick about their families.

Staff and their "certificates".

August 29rd: A small group, including Erik, left at 5:00 this morning! We, Gill, Brenden, Carissa, Amy, Ruth and I left at 10:15 and we were very touched as just about all the other PCVs came and waved us off. It was a very emotional moment.

We were driven to Yerevan in Peace Corps cars. We checked in our guest house, got money, arranged flights, repaired to the Armenian/Syrian restaurant we went to last week and had a great meal!

August 30th: We were up at 5:00 this morning because we were told that the only marshutka to Akhaltsike left at 7:00, 8:15, 7:30 and 9:00 according to whom we enquired! and if we wanted to be sure to get a seat, we should get there an hour before departure. However, it left at 9:00 after much trouble with starting the engine. However, that was not the main reason for our late departure. We had simply been misinformed; the intended departure was 8:30. None of the departure times that we had been quoted was 8:30!


It was a reasonable trip to the border – the same crossing that we had come through three weeks earlier. This time we were only about half an hour at the crossing, but there followed the long, hot and very bumpy ride on the Georgian side to Akhaltsike. We arrived at about 2:00 local time, so the journey took about 6 ½ hours. (Georgia does not have a summer time, while Armenia does.)


We had left Carissa and Brenden at Akhatsike. We took the Khashuri marshutka and got off at Borjomi. Amy went on to Khashuri. Marina, Valeri and Chiko welcomed us back - the rest of the family being in Tbilisi.

August 31st: We have started contacting people to let them know we are back and explain what we are hoping to achieve. So far they all sounded very happy that we have returned and perhaps this is a moment when something significant might be achieved. Everyone is saying that these are “bad times”, but I think that they might be persuaded that it can also be a time of hope (and hard work).

It’s raining. Regardless, we have to go to the ATM to determine the state of affairs in our Georgian bank accounts. Let’s hope that the ATMs are working. We never managed to get the online access working, but since the Borjomi telephone lines are down, we would not have been able to access our account data anyway! I hope that the phone lines are working by the time we come back to Georgia in a month, otherwise life will be very tiresome.

August 23rd: Last night we had a dance down by the old swimming pool. It poured with rain and everyone got soaked. There was no dancing. I went as Ruth’s partner and Gill was supposed to be Garrick’s partner, but she waited for him at the dance and he for her at the hotel!

It’s all very strange. We are waiting for some folks to come from Washington to “process” us. In the interim, we’re hanging around here, trying to follow the news – what are the Russians doing (or not doing), phoning (when we can get through) people back home and in Georgia and trying to amuse ourselves to stop going crazy. Meanwhile, Georgians continue to suffer.

Today we took another trip to Yerevan. A group of eight of us went to an Armenian/Syrian restaurant which was very pleasant. The restaurant was air-conditioned – bliss! The city was brutally hot and I think I got dehydrated when afterwards we walked around an antiques/crafts market.

August 25th: Today the regional director came and in the evening all the G8s were sworn in. It was a bit emotional. The G8s had been through all the rigors of training and now were, for the most part, being shipped back to the US, but at least now they are PCVs and not PCTs.

G8s waiting to be sworn in.

CD Rick gives a speech.

Becky & Michael give a speech.

A toast (with water since it is an official Peace Corps event.)

Michael gets his certificate.

G8 PCVs.

Regional Director David gives a speech.

No. 1 wife and no. 2 wife.

Gill and Dan have a chat in the cafe.

August 26th: Medical test, report writing, form filling and countless other tasks occupy us today and in the next couple of days. That’s the official stuff. Many of us are also arranging for fund-raising in the US and UK and organizing our return to Georgia.

It is now settled that some of us will leave the hotel on Friday, August 29th. Others will be staying longer – those who have elected to take the Peace Corps provided ticket to the US. We shall go to Yerevan, stay overnight and then cross the border and travel to Akhalsikhe on Saturday. That is Carissa’s and Brenden’s destination, but Gill and I go on to Borjomi and Amy will go on to Khashuri. Ruth is taking the Tbilisi route to get Marneuli.

August 20th: Today we took a trip to Lake Sevan, which is a huge lake here in Armenia. For this land-locked country, it is significant as a big body of water that gives the impression of being a sea and allows folks to go to the “seaside” to swim and do all the other things that people do at such places.

We went to a nearby water-park to try to relax, cool off and get a dose of skin cancer.

Aida and Toni at the water park.

DJ, Ruth and Kelsey do a left-handed toast to Russia.

Mamuka, Peace Corps driver, makes a new friend.

The monastery at Lake Sevan.

A door at the monastery.

Garrick at the end of the slide.

Tengo at the beginning of the slide.

August 18th. Today we heard that Russia was withdrawing its forces from Georgia and replacing them with “Peace Keepers.” What a joke. They are sending in soldiers to replace soldiers to keep the peace that they destroyed (and are still destroying). I saw a banner on BBC World News to the effect that the Ukraine had stated that it will open up its defense system to other countries in light of Russia’s behavior towards Georgia. I hope that is true, but I’ve heard nothing since. It may only be a symbolic act with little practical effect, but it at least shows that some parts of the world are concerned about what is going on in Georgia.

We have had another meeting to work out how we can get back to Georgia to help recovery when the Russians have left and to discuss whether their departure is necessary for us to return. We will probably go to the US and the UK for a short while to raise money for our activities.

August 19th. In order to keep ourselves sane, we have started a Peace Corps Georgia Olympics. It’s just a bit of fun, but it helps to relieve tension – both because it’s fun and because it’s physical effort. The teams were based in their sites in Georgia.

This is the Samsketi-Javaketi team.

Capture the flag - first round.

The start of a wheel-barrow race.

The start of a three-legged race.

The leap-frog race.

Watching the soccer final.

The soccer final.

Gretchen takes part in the blind-folded SMS competition.

August 16th: Today we all took an excursion into Yerevan. We split into a number of groups according to desired destination. Some went to the national museum, some to the crafts and antiques market and some went to regular stores to do “normal” shopping. We went to the books and documents museum which has some really interesting material. Unfortunately, we lost a lot of time trying to get the local currency. Our Georgian bank cards did not work in the ATMs we encountered and there were problems using our American cards too. We finally found a place where they would take Lari. The sign outside showed a spread against the dollar of just under 1%, against the ruble of just under 2% and against the Lari of just over 20%! The banks would not take Lari, but they were still taking rubles, which was predictable and understandable, but still stuck in the craw. As in prior days, Armenian PCVs looked after us, giving up their time to help us. They were really great.

Mother Armenia. She looks a little less inviting than Mother Georgia.

Arrival in the main square.

Entrance to the books and documents museum.

We now have SIM cards that are supposed to let us call abroad. We have managed to get through to Georgia, but have failed so far to get through to the UK.

Last night, we heard from our Mako that it rained in Borjomi and the forest fires created by the Russians were now out. She said that she and the rest of the family are OK. They have food and seem to be safe, but the Russians seem to be on a binge, so we are still very worried. We were told this morning that they are looting Khashuri. It is hard to fathom what the Russians think can be achieved by all this. Georgia is hardly a country suited to looting. There are a number of rich peoples’ residences in Tbilisi, but 99% of the population of Khashuri is unlikely to have anything worth dragging all the way back to Russia or South Ossetia. Perhaps they are doing it just to “punish” the Georgians. Perhaps the Russian soldiers are simply undisciplined and are the barbarians that Sakashvili says they are.

August 12th: The first full day in the Armenian resort. We had a visit from the American charge-d’affaires in Armenia who was a bit lavish with his praise of us, but otherwise gave a good speech.

We all have great admiration and affection for the Georgians. The host families all express concern for our safety when they are potentially in far greater danger than we. The Georgian staff that are accompanying us, Tengo – training co-ordinator, Teo – language co-ordinator, Tamara – medical officer and Nino – safety and security officer, work hard getting things arranged and managing the whole operation. They do it with efficiency and good humour, but their families, while currently OK, are still in harm’s way. Working for Peace Corps is considered a good job in Georgia, so Peace Corps can choose the best. They certainly chose well with this bunch. The Georgians are simply wonderful. The American staff are great too, but their families are not in danger, so our admiration for, and gratitude to, them are somewhat more muted.

August 13th: Another day in the Armenian resort. The Peace Corp Georgia Country Director came and described the possible outcomes for us. Yesterday, with the signing of the agreement between Russia and Georgia, things looked promising. Today, with Russia’s continuing operations in Georgia (despite the agreement) and after the CD’s description of what might happen in the near future we are less sanguine. It now seems unlikely that we shall return to Georgia any time soon – at least, under the auspices of Peace Corps.


August 14th: Yet another day in the Armenian resort. There is a lot of talk about how we might get involved in the clean-up and rebuilding of Georgia. The TELF folks are a bit at a loss as to suitable mechanisms, but the BSE volunteers have a lot of experience with NGOs and know something about getting funds properly channeled to get things done. All this is fine, but many of us are looking for ways to help in a more hands-on manner. If we get back to Georgia, I do not think that we shall do teaching. We shall try to find tasks more directly related to the reconstruction.


August 15th: Yet another day in the Armenian resort. Things are much like yesterday. Most people are feeling frustrated at the inaction, but do not know what options are available to us. We spoke to Mako. She said that the Russians bombed the Borjomi Gorge and had started fires there. This is part of that National Park and is not in Borjomi itself, but just outside. Although Borjomi itself was not hit, the smoke from the fires was very bad in the town and Mako asked if they could use the masks in our medical kits. Of course, we told her to take anything that might be useful.


We took a trip to a pagan temple nearby. here are some pictures.


We then went on to a local 4th century church. As we usually do when visiting such places, we lit a candle for Ben.

August 11th: We left at 11:45 – 45 minutes late for our drive to Armenia. Peace Corps Armenia has made arrangements for our reception into Armenia. We are told that we will be staying in a resort where the Armenian Olympics team does its training and is supposed to be quite lavish!

Our two buses drove down from Bakuriani to Borjomi where we stopped briefly so that our host-family could give us my computer which I should have taken in the first place. Not content with that, they gave us a big bag of food. Things were so rushed and emotional that we didn’t really think. We should not have taken the food. We were told later that all the Borjomi shops had been cleared out by panic buying, so the family definitely had a greater need than we.

We then drove through Akhalsikhe and closely followed the route we had taken just a few weeks earlier when we went to Vardzia. This time, however, we stayed on the “main” road, went through Nimotsminda and across the border. The crossing took ages. Five volunteers, for various reasons, did not have their passports with them and this may have been the cause of the delay. Or perhaps processing 90 foreigners simply takes that amount of time at this border crossing.

A brief rest stop.

Approaching the border.

The Armenian side of the border.

We then drove for another three hours to the resort. The whole trip took about 13 hours. We arrived at about 1:00 in the morning.

An eye-catching statue at the entrance to the resort where we are staying.

Yet another alphabet.

Members of a mime group adorn statuary in the nearby village, Tzakhkadzor.