Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1694860445309.pdf (Georgia)
TEACH AND LEARN WITH GEORGIA GUIDELINES FOR FOREIGN VOLUNTEERS IN GEORGIA (ABRIDGED VERSION) 2010 www.tlg,gov,ge www.mes.gov.ge Table of Contents Chapter 1 – First things, first ………………………………………………………….……………….3 Passport ………………………………………………………………………………………….…3 Visa ……………………………………………………………………………………………..…..3 At the Airport ……………………………………………………………………………………...3 Insurance ………………………………………………………………………………….…….….3 Monthly Stipend………………………………………………………………………...………….3 Chapter 2 - Work …………….……………………………………………….………………………….5 Working Hours ……………………………………………………………………...…………….6 Holidays …………………………………………………………………………….……….……..6 Chapter 3 – Everyday Life ………………………………..………………………………………….…7 Culture Shock ……………………………………………………………………………..…….…7 General Clothing ………………………………………………………………………….…….…8 Security Issues …………………………………………………………………………….……….8 Chapter 4 - Important Miscellaneous …………………………………………………………….....10 What is the electric current in Georgia?
.................................................................................…...10 How much money should I bring?

…………………………………………………………………10 Do I need an international driver’s license?

…………………………………………….………….10 Should I bring a cellular phone with me?

…………………………………………………..……...10 Can I call home from Georgia?

How can someone from abroad call me in Georgia?.......….…….11 Will there be e-mail and Internet access?
Should I bring my computer?.........................

............11 Should I bring bedding with me?

…………………………………………………………..……….11 Chapter 5 – Useful Resources ……………………………………………………...………………….12 2 Chapter 1 - First things, first Passport A Volunteer should have a valid passport that will not expire for at least one year after his/her arrival to Georgia.

Work Permit Work permit is NOT required for the volunteers to join the program and teach in Georgian schools.
At the airport Volunteers will be greeted by TLG staff in the airport.

After getting your luggage you will be accompanied by a TLG team member to a TLG registration desk.

The desk will be at the noticeable spot right after you pass the arrival zone.

Insurance A volunteer is provided with medical insurance during his/her stay in Georgia.

Detailed instructions about insurance issues will be given during training sessions by insurance company representative.
Professional staff will answer all your questions.

Monthly Stipend Volunteer gets a monthly stipend at the end of each month in the amount of gross 625 GEL and net 500 GEL, which approximately accounts to 300 USD.

The payment issues will be discussed later during orientation, where volunteers will have a chance to ask questions during Q and A session.
3 Visa Issues Box #1 Citizens of the following countires are not required to have a visa for entering and staying in Georgia up to 360 days (sited from Criminal Code of Georgia Title Two Chapter II Article 4 Grounds for Entry to Georgia 24.03.2009 # 1090): a) EU member states; British Overseas Territories: Bermuda Islands, Cayman Islands; British Virgin Islands; Falkland Islands; Turks and Caicos Islands; the British Independent Territories of Jersey and Guernsey Islands and the Isle of Man; the following territories of the Kingdom of Denmark - the Faroe Islands and Greenland; the following territories of the Netherlands: Aruba and the Netherlands' Antilles Islands; the following territories of the Republic of France: the French Polynesia and New Caledonia; z1) Antigua and Barbuda; z2) Republic of Trinidad and Tobago; z3) Republic of Seychelles Islands; z4) Republic of Botswana; z5) Republic of Croatia; z6) Republic of Chile; z7) Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis; z8) Republic of Argentina; z9) Federation of Malaysia; z10) United States of Mexico; z11) Eastern Republic of Uruguay; z12) Republic of Mauritius; z13) Republic of Panama; z14) Republic of Costa Rica; z15) Republic of South Africa; z16) Federative Republic of Brazil; z17) Kingdom of Thailand; z18) Belize; z19) Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Canada; Swiss Confederation; Lichtenstein; b) the United States of America; c) d) Japan; e) f) g) Norway; h) State of Israel; i) Vatican j) Andorra; k) Republic of San-Marino; l) Republic of Iceland; m) United Arab Emirates; n) State of Kuwait; o) Republic of Korea; p) State of Qatar; q) Kingdom of Bahrain; r) Sultanate of Oman; s) State of Brunei Darussalam; t) Republic of Singapore; u) Commonwealth of Australia; v) Monaco; w) New Zealand; x) Commonwealth of Bahamas Islands; y) Barbados; For further details please consult the following web site: http://www.police.ge/index.php?m=408&lng=eng 4 Chapter 2 - Work The goal of team-teaching is to create a foreign language classroom in which students, foreign volunteers and local English language teachers engage in communicative activities.
Team- teaching provides opportunities for active interaction in a foreign language in the classroom, enhances the students’ motivation towards learning a foreign language and deepens the students‘understanding of foreign cultures.

Foreign volunteers are involved in planning lessons together with local English language teachers, interacting jointly with the students in the classroom and evaluating the effectiveness of the lesson.
In the course of your duties, you will have an opportunity to teach with a number of teachers who may have different teaching styles and personalities.

The development of good working relationships between you and the local English teachers will be one of the biggest challenges and one of the most rewarding aspects of your life as a participant of the program Teach and Learn with Georgia.
Good cooperation between foreign volunteer and local English language teacher has a major influence on the atmosphere of the classroom and students’ attitudes towards learning and communicating in a foreign language.

It is difficult to generalize about your role and responsibilities.

You will work closely with your Georgian colleagues in developing the curriculum and be given the responsibility to develop your own materials, or your Georgian colleagues may have already decided an overall plan.
Whatever the case, it is important to talk with your colleagues at the beginning to establish the goals and objectives for your team-teaching lessons.

5 Working Hours Your work hours are set to 30 hours a week, 5 to 6 hours a day, Monday to Friday.

Weekends are generally non working days; however, local English language teacher or school principle may ask you to work with them for some extra curricular activities, so please be flexible.
Holidays Before taking holidays, discuss the timing and duration of the requested leave with school principle and TLG staff.

In case you decide to take a trip home, please notify TLG staff 60 days prior to your departure date, so that TLG staff plans and organizes you trip smoothly.
Official Holidays in Georgia 1 January New Year's Day 2 January New Year's Day 7 January Orthodox Christmas 19 January Orthodox Epiphany 3 March Mother's Day 8 March International Women's Day 4 April Easter Sunday 5 April Bruising day of the dead 9 April Georgia's Independence Restoration Day; Commemoration Day of the Deceased 9 May Victory Day 12 May St. Andrew's Day 26 May Independence Day 28 August Virgin's Assumption 14 October Mtskhetoba 23 November St. George's day 6 Chapter 3 – Everyday life Culture Shock Culture Shock is a four-stage cycle that most people experience a number of times.
It is triggered by the inability of people to adjust and evaluate experiences from the host culture’s perspective.

While in Georgia, the TLG participant will experience ways of thinking and actions that differs from, or even conflict with their own.

This will force the TLG participant to re-examine the assumptions and social behaviors which were once thought absolute, and may cause discomfort, disorientation and emotional conflicts.

The four stages of Culture Shock are as follows: 1.
Initial Euphoria (Honeymoon Period) - Anything new is intriguing and exciting!

2.

Irritation and Hostility (Culture Shock) – A participant feels homesick and has a negative attitude towards the host culture.

3.

Gradual Adjustment – A participant starts to adjust and the local culture seems more familiar.

4.

Adaptation and Biculturalism - A participant is completely adjusted to the host culture and may even experience Reverse Culture Shock upon his/her return to their home country.
What are the signs of Culture Shock?

A participant is experiencing anxiety, lack of self-confidence, panic attacks, loss of initiative and spontaneity, excessive anger over minor things, strong desire to associate with people of the participant’s nationality, isolation.

7 How to cope?
7 How to cope?

The participant should try to:  Eat well  Exercise  Explore (neighborhood)  Keep in touch with friends  Write a diary/ letters to family and friends back home  Learn to say “no” and keep some time for themselves  Talk to friends and family General Clothing Be professional at all times.

Dress at your site means clean and conservative—not necessarily dress suits or coats and ties.

Do not be suppressed that Georgians tend to wear black and other dark colors.
Winters are cold and summers are hot, so plan for the warm clothes for the cold winters and cool clothing for the hot summers.

Try to avoid ragged clothes.

Security Issues in Georgia When it comes to your safety and security you have to be willing to adapt your behavior and lifestyle to minimize the potential for being a target of crime.

Local police will take care of your safety but, at the same time you also need to be cautious in any situation.

Georgia is a traditional, patriarchal culture.


If a female volunteer receives more attention from Georgian men than in the United States it does not mean that they are trying to be rude.

It just means that locals may have never seen a foreigner before (especially in rural areas).

Volunteers from any minority group may be the only minority trainees or Volunteers within a particular program.

They may work and live with individuals with no experience or understanding of their respective culture(s).
African-American, Hispanic or Asian American volunteers may find themselves the focus of constant staring, pointing, and comments.

This does 8 not mean that they are not welcome or respected.

They have not had an encounter with a foreigner yet and they just stare out of curiosity.

Volunteers are frequently asked about their religious affiliation and may be invited to attend a community church.

If so it is possible to politely decline if the church or religious practice is not of your choice.
Majority of Georgians are Christian Orthodox and Georgia is a very traditional country ion terms of religion and like in any society, the religion is a sensitive topic.

Our strong recommendation is not to engage in the discussions about religion or preach your own one.

9 Chapter 4 - Important Miscellaneous What is the electric current in Georgia?

Georgian electrical outlets accept two round prong plugs and operate on 220/240 volts/50 cycles.

Adapters are readily available in the stores and inexpensive.
How much money should I bring?

Volunteers are expected to live at the same level as the people in their community.

They are given a monthly living salary of 500 GEL, which should cover their expenses.

Often Volunteers wish to bring extra money for vacation travel to other countries.

If you choose to do so, plan on bringing the amount that suits your own personal travel plans and needs.

Do I need an international driver’s license?


Volunteers in Georgia do not need to get an international driver’s license.

Operation of any motorized vehicle is prohibited.

Most urban travel is by bus, mini bus or taxi.

Rural travel ranges from buses and minibuses, to trucks, and lots of walking.

Should I bring a cellular phone with me?

Upon arrival to Georgia volunteers are given a cell phone with an individual phone number.
It is a corporate number, which means that volunteers can always call TLG staff for free.

The phone is connected to GEOCELL system, which is a local GSM operator.

For further information about the services, please visit http://www.geocell.ge/en/.

Volunteers do not need to pay monthly fee for the cell phone.

They can buy pre-paid cards to have enough minutes to make a call.
Please visit following link to learn how to get a pre-paid card or refill the balance on your account: http://www.geocell.ge/en/payment/ 10 Can I call home from Georgia?

How can someone from abroad call me in Georgia?

International telephone communication is available in most cities, but it can be expensive—as much as two GEL (approximately $1) a minute for a call overseas.

Volunteer may use their own cell phone or landline phone to make the call.
To make an international call from a cell phone volunteer needs to dial: + (a plus sign), then country code, city code and phone number.

However, for international call you need to have enough minutes on your account balance.

To make an international call from land line phone volunteer needs to dial international operator code; then country code, city code and phone number.

Unlike cell phone land line bill will arrive after 20 days and a volunteer can pay for the bill.
Local family will provide more thorough instruction, what works in his/her city.

International Code for Georgia is 995.

If someone from abroad would like to call you, they have to dial +995 then your cell phone number without first figure 8.

Will there be e-mail and Internet access?

Should I bring my computer?

Majority of schools will be equipped with computers and internet access; however, volunteers can bring their laptop computers, though they are responsible for insuring and maintaining them.
Should I bring bedding with me?

Bed sheets, pillows, blankets and towels are provided in the hotel, where volunteers will be staying.

Host families also provide bedding and towel to a volunteer.

However, if a person needs to have his/her own towel and bed sheets, they are more than welcome to bring them.

Towels and bed sheets are also available in the stores and markets in Georgia.

Synthetic pillows are also available in the markets in Georgia.
11 Chapter 5 – Useful Resources Governmental Institutions: Government of Georgia http://government.gov.ge/old/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=1 Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia http://www.mes.gov.ge/index.php?lang=eng Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia http://www.mfa.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=1 Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia http://www.police.ge/index.php?m=2 Embassies: US Embassy in Georgia http://georgia.usembassy.gov/index.html British Council Georgia http://www.britishcouncil.org/ge.htm Embassy of United Kingdom of Georgia http://ukingeorgia.fco.gov.uk/en/ Embassies in Georgia http://georgia.orexca.com/embassies_in_georgia.shtml News: Daily Online Analysis about Georgia http://www.civil.ge/eng/ 12 Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty http://www.rferl.org/ Everyday: Yellow Pages of Georgia http://www.yell.ge/?lan=2 Tbilisi life http://www.info-tbilisi.com/ 13