Although we both called Iowa home our entire lives, that all changed in the spring of 2010 when we packed our bags and headed halfway around the world to live as Peace Corps volunteers in the former Soviet Union — the Republic of Georgia.
Day-to-day, we worked in NGOs (non-governmental organizations). Our goal was to help them become more efficient; however, we usually found that Georgians gave us more than we could ever give them. We loved being there, experiencing all of the culture, food — and surprises — that life in Georgia brought.
We finished our service in early July 2012 and will be spending the next three months in transit to our new home of Portland, Oregon, via Turkey, New York City and Iowa.
A few other things:
- On September 18, 2009, with the help of beautiful and cooperative weather, we had a lovely outdoor wedding celebration that still is one of our favorite days, ever.
- Before coming to Georgia, we spent a month road-tripping through the Great American West — and highly recommend it.
- Our first three months in Georgia we lived in a small village and started learning one of the world’s most ancient (and difficult!) languages. We’re still learning…
- For the rest of our time in Georgia, we lived in Akhaltsikhe, a small city in a minority region in the southwest of the country, about 12km from the border of Turkey.
- We love to travel. Some of our favorite places in Georgia are the Black Sea coast, the capital city of Tbilisi and the nearby cave town of Vardzia. Recent trips stateside took us to NYC, Los Angeles and Portland.
- We also recently met up with McKinze’s family in Italy and spent our second wedding anniversary in Istanbul.
- Our two cats, Winston and Lola, currently live with Sean’s mom in Des Moines. We are certain they are spoiled beyond repair.
- Sean loves food: eating it, cooking it, talking about it and reading about it. When he’s not doing those things, you might find him playing guitar or exercising. Or getting ready to eat again.
- McKinze loves to bake cakes and used to blog about it. She is also very into yoga, reads incessantly, and can tell you just about anything you’d want to know about Henry VIII and his six wives.
- We are glad you’re here.
Community is important to us, so we hope you’ll be a part of ours. Thoughts / questions / ideas? We’d love to hear from you.
Twitter: Sean – @scfredericks / McKinze - @mckinze
Email: seanandmckinze {at} gmail.com
Skype: seanandmckinze
Want more? Check out a few of our favorite posts:
- Sean relives the insanity that is the Georgian New Year.
- Following an unexpected 4-month detour to the States, familiar sounds welcome us home to Akhaltsikhe.
- After seven months in Georgia, McKinze discusses what the experience has taught us so far.
- Sean relives the challenges of working in a Georgian NGO.
- Feeling frustrated by the Georgian language, we help our village host family make traditional tonis puri (bread).
- Sean compares our first weeks in Georgia to a video game.
- After a week in Georgia, attempting to cook with our village host mom.
- Discussing LA, the halfway point of our Great Western Roadtrip, and what happens next.
- Reflecting on McKinze’s last day of work and our upcoming adventures.
- Moving out of our first home on Dearborn Street in Iowa City.
…and a few of our photo albums:
