This is an interesting thread, although not the most interesting of those on this board. I had considered the program myself, but will hold off and look at more university-related opportunities. I was surprised at the verbiage thrown around in here, especially to those offering insight. I've seen a handful of very helpful posters relating their own experiences, and it's nice to find a solid fair warning. Too bad it's imbued with horrible manners.

I also considered this idea as an alternative. First, they are recruiting 500 or more teachers. Second, it's a new project right out of the box. Also, the Republic of Georgia is notoriously faming for not paying anyone anything on time -- pensioners, teachers, firemen, policemen, the lot. Wages are paid anywhere from 2 months to 5 years late. That has been the case since it left the USSR (and that was often the case in the USSR days as well). Then there is the violence factor -- it can't be discounted enough. The Georgia mob is all over the place, as are the separatists, the Russians, etc., etc. It would appear that many have guns and Tblisi is hardly on anyone's list of safe cities. Most of the teachers are farmed out to smaller cities, towns and villages across the country, but not ostensibly on the Georgia/Russian border. Nonetheless, I would venture to say that the chances of one seeing a Russian tank roll down the streets of the village where would be assigned are probably 1:5, given the volatility of the place. Everyone should read the warnings that the State Department puts out about as well as the advisories issued by the Foreign Office. Kidnappings happen all the time and anyone of any commercial value is liable to be lifted. Additionally, the people involved (Footprints, Green Travel in Chicago and CIEEC) put a lot of financial burden on prospective teachers : the teacher needs to undergo a thorough medical at his or her expense, incur visa fees, inoculation fees, any fees beyond basic living, etc,. etc. Additionally, there is the ever real worry that the Georgian Government will pay nothing of the stipend, etc., etc.

In any case, it is surely not Georgia Government money that is being used to hire these foreign teachers. Is it Berlin? Is it Washington? Is it London? The Georgian Government is hardly, hardly solvent.

This could be the adventure of a lifetime -- of our very own life. I would really pass on this one until at least 2 years of the new teachers have come and gone and then posted about their experiences.