Wedding Season!

Chef Carly

 Given the lack of internet and my overall lack of ambition to find it, I guess I will try to just give an update about the past couple weeks and all the events that have been going on as of late without creating another novel :)
 First of all, Carly and I did end up making Mexican food for the family and it was a huge hit! We made an off-shoot of Enchilada Soup, homemade tortillas and all, and the fam loved it. In fact, we had it at every meal that following week. As great as the soup turned out, it wasn't my ideal breakfast food served lukewarm after not being refrigerated for a week straight so I was very relieved when we finally finished it off.

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 In other news, the inevitable finally happened and I caught the flu here. I figured my immune system could only kick ass for so long and of course it picks the weekend when I have to go to a wedding that's 6 hours away by way of a crowded marshuk'ta to the Turkish Border to strike. Initially, I thought about just booking it to Turkey or Armenia when I found out it's not socially acceptable for women to drink at weddings but all in all I'm glad I stuck it out. The "wedding" was outdoors in a neighbors backyard and consisted of more food than I could have imagined and lots and lots of wine (for the men) and Georgian dancing. It was cool to see all the dancing and they even taught me how to do a few of them so that was pretty cool. Irma's family is amazing and I had a great time considering the circumstances. Being outside in the middle of November on a mountaintop in the middle of nowhere in a dress and tights until 2am while having the flu was definitely not my first choice of weekend experiences but it turned out to be fun nonetheless. The tamada (aka toast master) made a toast to me and Chicago and I had about 4 different old men make me promise to take them with me to America when I go home and if I ever get married I all but signed in blood that I would invite the whole village to come. I also lucked out and found some renegade women there that were sneaking drinks in the back of the house so I did end up getting to drink which was a God send... I don't think I could have dealt with all the creepy guys in the village that haven't seen a foreigner in 10 years otherwise.

The fam and me at the wedding

The next day we went back to the house that hosted the wedding and just ate more food, got creeped on by all the men that were

Gorami and Babua

drunk at 10am, and ended up going with Irma's English speaking cousin, Natia, for a few hours which was a lifesaver. It was great to speak English to someone and feel like a real human being again for a few hours, even if we were collecting water spilling from a rusted pipe along the ditch to use for wine making later that night. Later Natia, Irma, and my two host sisters and I all went to a beautiful rebuilt fortress that night in a town nearby which was gorgeous to see and also a big change in scenery from the village. I was starting to feel better by that point and after scaring the mouse out of my bed, I got a good night's sleep and felt a million times better the next morning before starting our 6 hour journey home which was an experience all in itself. For starters, the marshuk'ta stop that we needed was a good mile or two away so Irma's brother, Vapo, was going to give us a ride. I thought that my car in the States was an experience, but Vapo's car makes my car look like a Benz. Getting his car started (on a good day) involves having his 8 month pregnant wife and the 79 yr old grandma push the car up a hill so he can try and start it on the way down. When that failed, we all had to push it down the road and up a bigger hill to try and get it started that way. When that failed, they had to stop the neighbors walking down the street with a cart of lumber being pulled by two cows for help. The image that I 

One of the people invited to my future wedding

have of two cows pulling this car down the street and up yet a bigger hill to get it started is one that will surely stick with me forever and one that I wish I had my camera for. Having the cows pull it up the bigger hill ended up doing the trick and it was like the scene from "Little Miss Sunshine" having all of us run and jump in the car while it was moving as there was no way he could get it started again if it stopped moving. Priceless.

Parents of the bride and groom

 The way home was actually enjoyable this time and having my host sister projectile vomit all over some random lady on the marshuk'ta was the icing on the cake. I think I laughed to myself most of the 6 hour ride home.

 In other news, one of the most abnormal relationships to date is procurring and Mr. Kevin Cox will be gracing Georgia with his presence in less than one week. I think the host fam still thinks that we're engaged or just live a life of sin in the States. But I think they're excited for him to come visit and see what my "type" actually is considering we've discussed numerous times how I don't find the majority of men here and their creepy tendencies attractive. So feel free to send all monetary donations with him given the lack of a postal system here :)