Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
  • Mood: busy

Remembering Georgia

No, not the one in North America, the one in Europe. In high school, I took a trip to the then-Soviet Union with my Russian class. Russia was interesting ... but it was Georgia that stole my heart. Tblisi is a city tucked up in the mountains, full of evergreens and sharp clear air. The native language has the sound of a laughing brook running downhill, and the script is an elegant skirl of loops and curves. I learned a few words of Georgian while I was there, to the utter outrage of our Russian tour guide and the astonished delight of our hosts. (Russians and Georgians hate each other.) *laugh* I think they must've introduced me to half the people they knew just to demonstrate that I could say hello like a civilized person. Alas, the sounds didn't suit either Cyrillic or English alphabet, so I wasn't able to hold onto them very long. But I do keep an eye out for news and language snippets and such.

This article talks about the challenges of establishing Georgia as an independent nation. They want to join the European Union. Russia is displeased, and rattling its sabers. *sigh* Did I mention that Russians and Georgians hate each other? But the Georgians are determined to manifest a free society.

Good luck, my friends. I'm cheering for you. If humanity manages to survive its turbulent adolescence, it will be in part due to the efforts of people like you who have crawled out from under tyranny to stand up on their own two feet.
Tags: personal, politics
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