First off, FLEX tests! The lovely youths (pronounced you'd'z) above are part of the Terjola "dream team" who passed to the second round of the American Councils-sponsored english-language competition for a year-long exchange in the US. Out of 9 kiddies that we took to the 1st round, a full 4 got a winning ticket to enjoy a grueling 3 hour exam in Kutaisi (on their off day no less!) Their tests are currently being reviewed in Washington, and we won't know the results for a month or so. Even if none of our kids makes it to the states, (and past 2 more rounds of cuts...) the experience of taking such a massive exam will help these kids in other ventures (such as the oft-feared national exam!)
Speaking of kids, here's a quick shot of my 6th graders demonstrating their belief in the "common good." Needless to say, I will be trying to implement some sort of honor system in my classrooms, but we'll have to wait and see if the kids buy my schtick.
Last saturday, Martha and I (along with 30 other PCV's) helped with Kutaisi's yearly Breast Cancer Awareness walk (2k walk, and 5k run.) It was a great way to help get the word out on a very serious problem in Georgia and around the world. The event is put on by JSI, USAID, and others, and is growing into a sizeable event. Even the First Lady of Georgia came! The First Lady of the Nation! Yes Yes.
Here's Martha acting like the rock-n-roll diva we all know her to be, signing shirts for her awestruck fans. I'd like to take a moment to make a quick aside to Mr. and Mrs. King, whom I've been told read this site, and whose son, Joshua signed his shirts "shadow ninja." Seriously.
The man also wanted to know the proper way to check for lumps, which, let's face it, is good information to know, and can save lives. Here he is testing his newfound knowledge on a pair of test-dummies.
Another picture out of the grab-bag: Our lovely stallion which brings us to the big city, the Terjola marshutka. I think it used to be a plumber's van in the Chateaugiron region of France, but these days, its transporting a precious cargo across Georgia, with retro-fitted seats, and a few tactical welds.
Speaking of non-traditional transport: check out this kids ride in down-town Kutaisi. Does'nt this ogre just scream "jump in the castle that I'm wearing on my back while a man sits in my belly and drives!" Notice the look on Martha's face; she just touched his toe, and it was "squishy." 
A quick culinary twosome. Its walnut season in Terjola, and the myth is dead: Walnuts come from green things that stain your hands worse than a henna festival, and fall all around our host-families house, so we've been eating the things like fiends for the last couple weeks.
Also, cookies in Georgia come in several forms. This, a cell phone, being perhaps the least interesting, but I thought taking a picture of a gun-shaped cookie, or a cookie shaped like a famous athletic brand would get my in trouble with the authorities.
A last one for the road: This shot depicts what Martha deems to be an aberation both here in Georgia and in the US: Julien (a man) helping with the laundry. Which actually is rarer than you think, as this shot was posed. I dropped my cardboard-like poloshirt on the ground in disgust the second I heard the shutter on the camera.Nachwamdis for now.
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