Unappeased yearning to return

The Greek word for "return" is nostos. Algos means "suffering." So nostalgia is the suffering caused by an unappeased yearning to return.

Milan Kundera ("Ignorance")

Yes, I've been there. I've been to Prague - the city of melancholy, writers, lost artists, beautiful people, golden beer and me. I was there and did not even see Milan Kundera. I was there and could not even tell anyone how much this means to me, how happy I was being there and breathing the same cold air with my dear book characters. I grew up reading about these people, I felt what Kundera felt, I was dreaming about them back home in Tbilisi sitting on my orange couch, reading, reading and then writing endlessly... This trip was most nostalgic and sad for me. Prague reminded me of Tbilisi a little and made me realize that I am lonely. Lonely in sense of belonging to no place, finding no serenity anywhere and always fading.

This journey showed me who I really am, and it scared me.
In a good way though. I am a human. Oh, so human.

The friend of mine tried to realize why was I sad and felt so odd. I could not tell. Sometimes I become numb. I only feel what I feel and cannot explain.

I just need to know there are eyes caring about me.
Eyes. Hands. Mind. Heart. Soul and everything. Everything. I need to have it all.
It is not only about Prague - it is about me and my state of mind.

Ashing News

I just got a new domain for my Georgian blog: SUNNY WORLD - I am so excited about it.

Plus, my flight to Berlin is cancelled due to that volcano crash in Iceland. It's getting ridiculous as I've been waiting for visa quite long and now this nature disaster is disturbing me a lot. Anyways, I believe it's for the best and probably I still have some mission in Tbilisi to complete.

P.S. On Friday I attended internet TV conference, where I met Xiaxue, this miniature singapurean blogger who visited Georgia with her producer Gillian Tan. The conference was quite interesting and very well organized I must say.

MaBaT GIRLS

After Shabbat at Naomi's (December '08)

Georgia supporting Israel - georgian friends of MaBaT (January '09)

Lesson before Pessach (passover) 2009

Lag B'omer 2009

Mtatsminda park (September '09)

Sagarejo, Kakheti (August '09)

Dina in Kazbegi (August '09)

Ananuri (August '09)

Narikala (July '09)

Making khinkali at Naomi's (December '08)

Picnic in Betania (August '09)

How can I not write about my dear girls of MaBaT.

MaBaT is a kind of institution for jewish girls who are interested in jewish traditions; who wants to get closer to judaism, to learn and let others learn from her. MaBaT was founded by Dina Eligulashvili and Naomi Orjonikidze. Afterwards they gathered all the girls and voila: now we are more than 10 girls, Thank G-d.

We arrange meetings, we make shabbatons. Naomi is the spirit of us all - as we don't have any appartment for our organisation, she invites all of us at her house, where we can cook kosher meal for Shabbat. On Shabbat we sing songs, read books about traditions, Torah, play some intellectual games, walk and talk about our future another halves, as every girl does.

Also we wouldn't have done without rabbi Avimelech and Julia Rosenblatt, who help us arrange shabbatons. They give us accomodation, meal and amazing company.

We spent amazing summer 2009.
With our friend Misha, who was driving us with his car, we had wonderful trips in Georgia. We have been to Kakheti (Signagi, Tsinandali, Ikalto), Kazbegi, Betania. All the photos and videos you can see here.

Last, but absolutely not least - we had these Girls' Sunday Outs all summer long - which meant that every Sunday MaBaT girls would go out to Tbilisi. We have visited Narikala, Botanic garden, Kus tba and so on. As we have no regular sponsors, we have paid for those Sunday Outs by ourselves. We hope there will be some good people to help us girls to learn more.