Fix'd that for you.

There is this one reaaally cheap airline that flies from Tbilisi airport. I forgot their name but they get you around the middle east for a steal.

Tomorrow will be the anniversary of my dad's death. Already a year?

Due to your personal preferences or logistics? There's some very cheap transportation to Ukraine and Istanbul. Greece is probably a long-shot, but I figure I might get a 4 day weekend at some point.

Also ask if they allow "those types" round har.......0.o
When he was alive I bet he told you all sorts of interesting stories. I find most dads are awesome like that. I am glad my parents are alive and dread the day we will part ways. :(

Here's hopign the rest of your family is in good health. :)

I lived them with him. We did some funny, stupid shit back in the days we worked in Galveston.

Any wilderness shit like Hiking and camping?

A little bit of both. Israel is just awesome to be, especially around purim. Heck, my second favourite country I've ever been (second only to Ireland).

To be honest, I never been to Beirut (due to *problems*) but it is supposed to be the Paris of the middle east, and everybody I know who was there loved it. I really want to go there someday, but this may take some time.

Berlin is just a brillant and vibrant city, as ungerman as a city in Europe possibly can be. A lot of Hipsters maybe, but they can be avoided (or pushed around, because they are pussies). London is also great, but fucking expensive. And I think logistically it's easier to get from JFK (or LAX, etc) to London than from Georgia.

Azerbaidjan is just more interesting than Armenia,imo (senn Borat? Then you have seen Armenia (and parts of Georgia). Baku is like one of those totalitarian cities with lots of rich people and poor people being pushed around. Even more than Georgia (because Azerbaidjan has money). You will learn a valuable lesson, I also learned while being there (the region in general). Living in a police state is nice, as long as you are on the winning side...

Turkey is very nice, but try going to Istanbul or the west coast in general. East Turkey is like Iowa compared to the rest of Turkey. And avoid Kurdistan, from what I've heard, the war is escalating again.

If you want to go to Russia, go directly to Moscow. AVOID southern Russia at all costs (basically the area that borders Georgia)! If only ever been to the Ukraine for switching planes, but from what I've gathered, it's pretty much uninteresting if you've seen Georgia. Might have changed since their are EU members.

Lots of good advice, thanks. I think as an American in 2011 I am pretty weirded out by the idea of going anywhere in the true Middle East, to be honest. That's half worrying about my safety and half an immense feeling of guilt and embarrassment. I guess I could research it and see which areas are safer and more practical.

I would love to see Berlin and pretty much any other true European city, but the logistics there get pretty complicated with me being in Georgia, working 4 days a week and making relatively little money. I will have some cash saved up when I leave though and want to travel as much as I can. If I can afford to bounce around Europe for my 3 week vacation you bet your ass I will do it.

I thought about a train to Moscow but that feels really intimidating for some reason. Do you know how accommodating Moscow is to Americans and English speakers?

You would be surprized how much the world still loves the good old US of A! The problem is the official governments (The middle east is less than stable at the moment, and it might get worse while you are over there). But the general population is generally very forthcoming and nice. For exampla, I personally consider the current "Young Generation" of Iranians (make that 18 - 32) as some of the best educated and liberal "youthes" in the world. A lot better educated and open minded than your average "US frat boy". (Or germans, myself included). If you ever lose a discussion about philosophy from the Age of Enlighment, when they while they written in your mother tongue and the other guy read them in farsi, you know how stupid I felt. The shame ...

Keep an open minded head. Things will be very different, but not necessarily worse than in the US. People will treat you as a person first, as an American second. (I was a German in Isreal and I only paid for half of my drinks! You have any idea how weird that felt?!). But, keep an eye on the politics in that region. If Cain gets President and bombs Iran, get the fuck out of there (I know hes out, I wanted to avoid politics). But once you are "on the ground", so to say, asked around and make some friends, they can help you a lot (Things change fast down there, and I'm no longer as up-to-date as I would like). Expats are like a big family!

Money might be a problem, especially if you get paid in Lari. But of all the major european cities, Berlin is definetly the least expensive. London, even Dublin, as awesome as the are, will bleed you dry. (And fuck Paris, I love France, but fuck Paris).

Yeah, I get paid 500 lari a month. They say that's upper middle-class for Georgia, but only like $300 American. Like I said though, I should have some money saved when I head over for traveling, I only expect the 500 lari to pay for food, drinks and local entertainment.

That is a lot for Georgians (Georgian teachers get a third of that), but it isn't a lot for Euro countries. You can live a very decent live, if you spend that money in Georgia each month (excluding rent). Inflation was pretty bad when I left, but I hardly spent more than 300€ a month there, and I lived a really decadent life (had to invite a lot of people to dinner(fancy style) for work, which cost me the most). Avoid the "fancy" restaurants and you will have a blast with 500 Lari. Buy "local" stuff and you will do fine.A great dinner with 3 people at a proper georgian restaurant (it's different than in the US or Europe, you will notice) costs about 40 - 50 Lari, including drinks.

Damn, I love the georgian food...

That's what they say, and I won' have any bills, so... good stuff.

Bitch time - just got fired (well... told I wouldn't be required for the 2nd semester starting in February)

No reasons have been given (yet), no warnings (verbal or written) for any apparent problems... but that's the way the crumble cookies I guess ><

Oh well... I'm in a country with over a billion people... most of whom want to learn English... I should be able to find something new here if I want to stay...

Last time we went camping, we managed to set someone else's RV on fire....on accident....but it was funny.

Did you ever see a Beav-coon?(Look it up and lol)