Today started with a giant breakfast courtesy of the Sheraton. They had everything from scrambled eggs to smoked salmon, to a fruit buffet and a million pastries. Since pastry and bread are both very common foods here, I had pancakes with bananas and chocolate sauce. I also had scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. I had NO bread and it was fantastic. (Never thought I’d write that, but whaddya know?)
After breaky we went back to the room and hung out until close to check out time. Since Sailor and I both needed to come back toward Kobuleti, we left together. We had an uneventful trip; Sailor made her stop and I got to Kobuleti. The timing was perfect, because there was a bus leaving just as I got there, so I didn’t even have to wait to get up the mountain.
No one was in the house when I got home, so I had a 20 minute nap in the unexpected quiet. Eventually, I woke up, but I was still really tired. I could hear many cousins running around and assumed the family was gathering. I spent the afternoon in my room, reading and expecting to be called any minute for the birthday suphra.
Around 6:30, one of the kids came up to get me for supper. But it was the same as any other Sunday dinner (for which I am grateful). Used to my small stomach, HM offered me cake first, so I had 2 pieces of cake before touching any actual dinner. I made conversation with HM’s sisters-in-law (one of whom had brought the box of assorted cakes) and watched the kids play. I also fed many mosquitoes, so when I finished eating, I retreated to my room (the only mosquito free one in the house).
Mom called and I was chatting with her and Daddy when one of the kids was sent to fetch me, again. I could hear a commotion from outside and assumed that the suphra-ness was beginning. I finished my conversation and headed downstairs.
When I got downstairs, everyone was loitering around out front, so I grabbed a seat and took it all in. My host-aunts were all bustling around and HM’s brother was sitting at the table with 3 other guys. Every once in a while, the men started singing traditional Georgian songs (in 3 part harmony). Within 5 minutes, the aunts had the kids loaded into the van and were saying goodbye, leaving me with Bebia, HM and the men.
They called me over to the table, so I joined them. Two of them spoke a little English and they were excited to get to practice. Once they started talking to me, HM and Bebia both went into the house to deal with my host brothers, leaving me alone with the men (a situation we were warned about during training). They offered me wine, and didn’t mind when I declined, and then sang Happy Birthday to me in 3 part harmony. They continued singing the traditional songs as well.
It was fine, though I feel that one guy was being put forward as a potential Georgian husband. The idea seems to be that I should marry a Georgian man and then stay here forever. I keep telling them that I promised my grandmother that I wouldn’t get married, but it doesn’t help. It’s not just me, either. All of the foreign girls here are being exposed to PGH and the boys are being offered prostitutes. Tell me, how is that fair?
It wasn’t too late when they left and I retreated back upstairs. I was exhausted, so I was in bed by 10:30.
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