It Was A White Crane, It Was A Helpless Thing

“Mas! Mas!”

“Oh shit Nastja, I have to go. One of my students has found me and is screaming at me to not go in the field. I just want to go on one walk without someone interrupting it. I’ll call you later.” I said and ended my phone call to one of my fellow volunteers. One of my students had appeared out of no where as I was headed off to walk in a field (Anyone even remotely surprised by this?) and yelling in Georgian to fallow her. I did as requested as I knew there was no point in trying to explain to an eight year old that I was simply just going for a walk. No one in Georgia understands the premise of a walk and that it is done for pleasure, an activity to take up time, or as exercise. I walked out of the muddy field on to a dirty road past houses until we came upon her’s where her mother and two older sisters were waiting. Her mother tried talking to me and I think asking if I was lost. She said my host mothers name and what I am pretty sure is the word for house and instructed her daughters to show me back there. I tried explaining that I knew where I was and I was out taking photos, but it clearly did not work. I again gave up and decided to be shown back to my house.

Walking there we stopped at a crossroad and coming down the lane I could see a boy with what looked like a big white bird, with it’s neck stretched out. He came closer and started swinging the bird around by its head smiling and laughing. I am under the impression that he was the girl’s brother and started to taunt them with the dead animal. It didn’t work. The eldest girl took it and started playing with it as well and soon all the children joined in. I feel that I should have been at least slightly horrified by this sight, but I just laughed and started taking pictures. I noticed that the boy also had two small birds. I have no idea how he killed any of them as it didn’t look like there were any gun wounds. I also think that if he had shot the two smaller ones there would have been nothing left.

After a little bit of playing with the poor dead bird, that I am certain was to be dinner, he took off toward home and we headed back to my house. I took some more photos on the way and had to show them everyone and they seemed pleased. I also was shown by the youngest girl how she could successfully jump over huge puddles and I tried going over some English with them on the way. It went ok. I was more proud of getting a high-five out of my new friend. When we got to my house they explained that it was indeed my house and I went in the gate and waited until they were out of sight to sneak off in the other direction and finish my walk, which was much less exciting.