A local farmer in Kakheti, Georgia finishes up a day of work by dragging home some scrap metal.
The easternmost region in Georgia, Kakheti is bordered by the small mountainous province of Tusheti, the Greater Caucasus mountain range to the north, the Russian Federation to the northeast, Azerbaijian to the southeast, and the Georgian province of Kartli to the west.
I recently had the opportunity to explore Kakheti while on a business trip to Georgia. I was there to learn about the Teach and Learn in Georgia program, a new education program that’s sponsored by the Georgian Ministry of Education and Science. Their goal – to bring 10,000 native English speakers into the country to teach English within the Georgian public school system – is garnering headlines for being one of the most innovative teaching abroad programs on the scene in a long time. Hundreds of ESL teachers are flocking to this tiny Eurasian country to experience life within its borders. As Director of Recruiting for Reach To Teach Recruiting, I spent two weeks in Georgia learning about the program, visiting various public schools throughout the land, and meeting with ESL teachers and their host families.
Life in a Georgian village is not easy. Often there is no running water or electricity for a day or two. Life tends to be slow-paced, with much of the work being done during the months of spring, summer and fall. Winter is a time for rest and for reading, and it’s not uncommon to see neighbors seated outside their homes and enjoying the brisk winter weather.
This tiny village is about a 2o-minute drive from Signagi (Signaghi), an important cultural center within the region. Kakheti, as one of the most visited regions in Georgia, enjoys a fast developing travel infrastructure. Its most visited towns, Sinagi and Telavi, offer a number of small and comfortable hotels. Visitors come to this region to learn more about Georgia’s wine making culture. In addition to being known for its handwoven carpets and wine, Signagi is also blessed with stunning landscapes and historical monuments. The town has recently undergone a fundamental reconstruction program and become and important part of Georgia’s tourist industry.
For more information on teaching in Georgia, please feel free to contact me at carrie@reachtoteachrecruiting.com.
Canadian expat Carrie Kellenberger has kept a home base with her husband in Asia since 2003. A prolific traveler, Carrie has funded her travels primarily as a writer, editor, travel blogger and photographer, but she has also worked as an educator, voice over artist, model and nightclub singer. She draws upon her 15+ years of travel experience to write about travel-related issues and the countries she has visited on her award-winning web site, My Several Worlds.
Her photography and travel articles have appeared in both print and online publications around the world, including Travel and Leisure Asia, Unearthing Asia and Hip Compass Escapes.
