November | 2012 | Mirian Jugheli

Starting from November 28, Every Wednesday at 20:00 (Tbilisi time) me and Nicholas Clayton will talk about current affairs of Georgia on Google Hangout. The live webcast is called Tbilisi Hangout and it is about politics, society, sports and whatever nonsense we find interesting. We are trying to make it as interactive as possible, hence you can ask questions or leave comments, decide what you would like to hear next week and also join us with your web camera. Occasionally we will be coming live from various locations like bars, offices, streets, etc. You can subscribe to this YouTube channel in order to be updated about upcoming hangouts.

Here’s the first Tbilisi Hangout. In this episode we talk about anti-Ivansivhili articles in western media, global amnesty, mandatory ID cards, Georgia rugby, etc. let us know what you think.

Udabno (Desert in English) is a last village on a way to David Gareja Monastery, part of which is disputed between Georgia and Azerbaijan. Approximately 200 families live in Udabno, big part of them are Svans who moved here in the beginning of 90’s because of an ecological disaster. The village does not have a doctor and in case of emergency they have to call one that lives in Sagarejo.

Udabno has a water problem, according to local school staff last time they had water was three weeks ago and the quality was so poor that two children suffered severe water-poisoning.

Udabno public school is in a poor condition, classrooms are heated by wood stoves and only principal’s cabinet has proper windows. 120 students go to the local school ten of them are in the last 12th grade and only three in the 11th grade.

Local dance teacher Natia Sabashvili gives classes 3 times a week for 15GEL a month ($9) and because of an absent dance studio she has to move from hall to hall. These photos were taken in the local school’s sports hall that has no heating, electricity, fixed windows, etc.

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