The Danger Zone

Bird-flu has landed! The first case of bird-flu was detected in Adjara two weeks ago. I was actually a little relieved that the government found it, because that means they have the capability to detect it. It had been detected in all the neighboring countries but was suspiciously absent from Georgia... Anyway, all the chickens at my house have been killed, so I'm not really at risk. In other news, there was an earthquake in Georgia last month (not major) and an energy crisis (didn't really affect me, I read about it in the Times online). I stayed at site for all of February and we had a couple weeks of gorgeous weather. Oh, also last month Georgia was rated by Forbes magazine as one of the 14 most dangerous countries in the world. Say what?! I think they were being a bit nostalgic for the separatist fighting-civil war-no electricity-roving bands of armed thugs-good ol' days when they wrote that article. You can read it here. They even have a crazy picture of guys running down the streets with Kalishnikovs. I ain't seen none of that. So rest easy all you Forbes readers (few of you I'm sure), I'm safe as a kitten.
Tomorrow I'm heading to a conference that I helped organize for Eco Project 2006! We will be training Georgians to help PCVs manage Eco Clubs. The kids from the Eco Clubs will participate in Eco Camp 2006 in August. It's an ambitious plan, but we are getting things done. Much of my internet time this month was consumed by e-mailing folks around Geo to get some speakers for the training. Hopefully this month I'll have more time to update the Bloggy. Here are some photos to tide you over until then...

Blue Mosque interior: nice decorating, boys.

Golden Horn at dusk with fishermen.

Backgammon, nardi, tavla, whatever you call it, I beat Kevin every time.

Austin imitating a minaret. (I made him do it.)

Me in my huge Georgian tough-guy coat in Bakuriani. (That's a dude's got a monoski, Hilary.)