Spoiled Cats and Projector Art: My Unexpected Start in Georgia

If someone had told me a month ago that I would become a volunteer in Georgia and that one day old clothes might turn into bean bags, I would have laughed and shaken my head. But here I am- and this is just the beginning!

Hello! My name is Saskia, I’m 23 years old, and I’m from Estonia - more specifically, I’m from Tartu, Estonia’s second largest city after the capital. My decision to volunteer in Georgia was strongly influenced by my curiosity about Georgian culture, and, of course, by my desire to step out of my home country for a while and explore the world. I’m honored to be doing my two-month volunteer service at ISCR in Rustavi. It will be a short but meaningful journey that I will enjoy and remember fondly.

On-Arrival Training Kobuleti

I met other volunteers for the first time- from Germany, Italy, Latvia, France, and Slovakia. It was so exciting to meet people who have also volunteered in the South Caucasus and to hear about their hopes and expectations. The training took place in Kobuleti at a cozy hotel called Amigo. And guess what, we had the whole hotel to ourselves! Plus, the sea and the beach were just around the corner, and there was even a pool where we could cool off whenever our brains overheated from all the information. Honestly, it was amazing. The training was really useful for everyone, I think, because we learned so many different aspects of what it means to be a volunteer.

Even though we learned a lot during the training, the best part was definitely our trip to the art museum in Batumi. I saw something I’d never seen before, and honestly, it’s hard to put into words. I’d rather just show the pictures:

It was this amazing projector-based installation themed around Van Gogh, of course, one of the most iconic artists ever.

There was also a very greedy grey cat who clearly wanted to get smarter too, who knows, maybe he’s planning to become a volunteer himself one day. His mission was simple: eat as much as possible and win every volunteer’s heart. He would jump on our laps during meals, begging for food and demanding attention like a true diva. Some volunteers couldn’t even get up from their chairs because the grey kitty had fallen asleep on their laps, and honestly, who could dare to wake him up?

So yeah, that’s a little peek into my first weeks here, full of new adventures, random laughs, and one extremely spoiled cat. I’m pretty sure this is just the beginning, so I’ll write again when something fun, weird, or totally unexpected happens. Stay tuned, who knows what’s next!

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