We often think of math as universal, specifically how we use those numbers in every day life. As may languages stem from the same sources, they share similarities in their math. Shifting bases (e.g. binary) isn't a modern phenomenon. After all, our time keeping is a base 60 system. None the less, I was surprised to see how numbers in Georgia turn some notions on their head

When my host family asked if I wanted to go to Gorivari for St. George's Day, I was sure it was a typo. We "talk" a lot with Google Translate, and they said they wanted to leave at 6:30am and get back by 8am. I've never seen a family member awake before 8am, and most of Gori is still asleep at 9am when I start class. So the idea of leaving at 6:30 was a bit odd, but they meant it!

When I learned I was coming to Georgia I read up a little on the food and found out it was mostly bread, potatoes, and pork with some other foods thrown in. Other people said they'd heard Georgian food was so good it would make me fat. None of that research was really accurate, nor did it at all prepare me for the customs surrounding food.

I apologize for the lateness of this post. A lot has happened since folks last heard from me. Let's try to take this in order.

First of all, we left Bazaleti...

We have essentially had a week of orientation and it is coming to a close. Later today we take the next big step as trainees when we head to Gori and meet our first host family. Up to now we have been living together in a single compound, but now we will be separated into smaller groups called clusters. Where those in the same cluster will be near each other, we'll be living with separate families for the next eleven weeks. Assuming all goes well, we will then transition to our permanent sites and host families.