11.09.2007 — Don't let the title fool you. I'm not really, almost out of here. I know that I've still got another 10 months or so to go before I'm back on American soil. All my Georgian neighbors, colleagues and more know this too and they're already thinking about my future.
 
I've got my own plans (hopefully grad school) but that hasn't stopped any of them from proposing two things they'd like to see me do:
 
1) Get married: At no point during my time here have I mentioned the wanting and/or needing a wife. I'd like to settle down someday and get myself 2.2 children, picket fence, a green lawn, etc., just not today. People had been asking me about marriage my entire time in Georgia but after my host sister had her wedding, people started hearing wedding bells whenever they spoke to me. Now, every single woman between the age of 17 and 25 is being peddled in my direction. Do they speak English? Do we have anything in common? Are they even interested in me? Do I love this person? Minor, unimportant questions to my 'matchmakers." Here's a quick little true story to give you an idea of what it's like:
 
(stepping in a store)
 
Ian: One coca-cola, please.
 
Woman Behind Counter: Hello. How old are you and where are you from?
 
Ian: I'm 23 and I'm from America. How much is this Coca-cola?
 
WBC: You are a very good boy. Do you have a wife?
 
Ian: No, I don't have a wife. The Coke's one lari, right?
 
WBC: My daughter is 22 and very beautiful. Let me write her phone number for you.
 
Ian: (setting a lari on the counter) Thank you for the drink. (Ian quickly walks away)
 
WBC: Boy! I will tell my daughter about you. You can meet and spend time together.
 
That's one more store that I can never set foot into again!
 
2) Stay in Georgia: Why would you want to leave? This is another question commonly posed to me. After all, I can stay on as a teacher at the local school if I wish. I'm not in life for just money but I think I'd need to get paid more than 60 dollars a month (approximately what English teachers make here). More importantly though, I miss my family and my friends. I haven't seen them for almost two years and it would be nice to get to know them again. Some have gotten married, others have moved to new cities and unfortunately, I've lost contact with some people. If that's not enough of a reason to go home, I also miss Chinese food, watching movies at a theater, having a car, music, all Colorado sports teams, Mexican food, having my own apartment, my skateboard, microbrews and more.
 
Don't get me wrong, Georgia's a very lovely place that I would love to come back and visit some day but as Dorthy from The Wizard of Oz said, "there's no place like home."