Pouri, Pouri, Pouri and some more Pouri

I like bread.  In fact, I probably like it more than most people, or more than is good for me.  Get me a good 1/4 country round from Citerella and it is guaranteed for be gone in three days, maximum.  In Denmark I couldn't stay away from the potato bread Claus would buy at the local bakery, (not to mention the frogsnappers and the peanut butter that accompanied the potato bread), and I won't even go into the mass amounts of not only bread, but bread products I consumed while in Italy.  Like I say, best 15 pounds of my life.  However, here I just can't seem to get aboard the bread (pouri) train.  As my host mom Shorena says, there is never a meal in Georgia without bread.  Thankfully my family has accepted that I am bizarre and do not like eating bread with everything.  The thing is though, I actually do, and would if I could figure out how I could possibly work off all this pouri I'm consuming.

Now I've never considered myself a workout-a-holic, but travelling the past year made me realize how closely my mental health is connected with my physical health.  Even more specifically, how close my happiness is tied with my ability to go for a run.  I can't help but remember when in High School my Cross Country Coach Dr. Naeher would talk about how running should make you happy, yada, yada, yada, etc. etc. etc.  The insane amount of "hill drills" we used to do daily never made me happy, and running around a track always made me feel like a sheep.  However, after High School running never stopped being a part of my life, and it still has never stopped.  I'm not particularly a fast runner, and I'm pretty sure my form doesn't look like anything it is supposed to, but running makes me happy.  Whenever I have an issue in my life I run.  College with the crazy roommates, went for a monument run.  Feeling sad, angry or extremely happy, went for a hudson river run.  Want to explore a new town or park, went for a run, got lost, and then found again.

Here running is presenting a bit of a challenge, but I am determined.  Summer is approaching and wearing shorts during a run is not an option.  My sweatpants are for the first time in my life actually becoming sweatpants.  Women working out is also totally weird to the residents of Dviri, but they seem to have taken it in stride so far and just smile and nod at me as I trot by.  The only thing that truly puts me on edge is the dogs chasing after you, biting you factor.  I now run with a trusty "dog rock" in my hand, and my ears strained trying to listen for the panting and patter of a random dog charging me.  Also, the very likely possibility of a car approaching, slowing down, watching, whistling, and then speeding off leaving a cloud of dust to run through is not particularly a pleasant thought.  Running to say the least, at the moment is more of a stress producer than stress reliever.  BUT, as I said before, I am determined.  Who knows, maybe I'll get the residents of Dviri hooked and we'll set up a running club before I leave.

I've gone on a few successful runs so far and they've been short but great.  I come back feeling happy to be here, and excited to learn more.  Hopefully I'll learn to relax a little more, and try not to constantly think about what could go wrong (that's the New Yorker in me for sure), but learn to look around a bit more and know that I only have another 2 months in this beautiful Borjomi Valley.  I'm hoping that I make the most of it.  And that my pouri, running ratio will work itself out.  Otherwise I'll come back looking like a piece of pouri.