Office Vibes

Working for DRONI did not mean going to the office every day, which I was extremely grateful for. Tbilisi is currently a hub for coworking spaces in the Caucasus region, so "working from home" often meant finding a cozy coworking coffee shops with other volunteers. We would spend hours working on our individual tasks while also chatting, laughing, and enjoying a cup of coffee together.

Even going to the office did not mean sitting at separate desks and working in silence. DRONI's office feels much more like a large shared coworking space than the typical corporate office you might imagine. Sometimes working in a shared environment meant not only brainstorming ideas together but also having impromptu Greek dance classes (a sneak peek of which you can see in the attached photo).

Working with people from different backgrounds brings so much more than just knowledge sharing. It creates opportunities for cultural exchange in so many ways, from traditions and languages to music and, obviously, dancing.

Speaking Club 

Once again, I hosted a speaking club for the students at the youth centre. As I mentioned last week, I love making my lessons fun and engaging, and this week was no exception. We started with an icebreaker, which was Alias this time. If, my dear reader, you have never played this game before, it is one of the best activities for large groups. It is fun for all ages and can be played in almost any language.

This week's topic was movies and the deeper conversations they inspire with our friends and family. The film that everyone voted for democratically was Interstellar, which later became the focus of our discussion. Each student was responsible for watching the movie at home and coming to class prepared to share their thoughts.

The statement that sparked the most debate was: "In an extreme survival situation, it is acceptable to sacrifice one person to save many." The students were incredibly passionate about defending their viewpoints, so I divided the class into two groups - those who agreed with the statement and those who disagreed. They then debated their positions, challenging one another while articulating their arguments in English.

Our discussion naturally led to another philosophical dilemma: the Trolley Problem. I introduced the students to the ethical frameworks of utilitarianism and deontology, focusing not only about what decision they would make, but also why.

Coworkers or Friends? 

When you spend 90 percent of your time with the same people, whether working together, travelling, or simply hanging out, you naturally become much closer. This week, four other volunteers and I decided to join an organized trip to the Zhinvali Reservoir and the Ananuri Fortress. I highly recommend visiting Georgia. The country itself is breathtaking, and the warmth and hospitality of the locals will make you fall in love with it.

What also surprised me was how many traditions Ukrainians and Georgians share. (A little historical flashback here: both countries were once part of the Soviet Union.) One of these shared post-Soviet cultural phenomena is the love for card games. Many of us grew up playing cards on trains while travelling to summer camps, on road trips with family, after school in the park, or during sleepovers with friends.

One of these games is called Durak, which translates from Russian as "fool." Another Georgian volunteer and I taught our European coworkers how to play it, and from that moment on, none of our after-work hangouts were complete without a game of Durak.

I also learned several other Georgian card games, such as Joker and Bura, which helped me connect with Georgian culture on a deeper level. Later, I found myself discussing these games with my students, and sharing this common interest made it much easier for us to bond.