At 8 A.M. sharp, on the morning of Friday, 18 October, three buses full of freshmen were ready to leave the school parking lot and drive towards Mtskheta. It took about 40 minutes to reach their first destination: Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. During the ride, most of the students were sleepy, while the others shared their baked goods and talked. However, many of the students say that they wish the excursion would have taken place a little bit farther away so that they could have spent more time having fun in the buses.
At the cathedral, the students toured the beautiful Orthodox Christian church and the surrounding garden. Despite bad weather, they were able to enjoy their time there and examine a wide range of icons and impressive altarpieces.
The next stop was just minutes away: Samtavro Monastery, where an exquisite church is located in a garden. Entering the inside of the monastery, the students were lucky to witness the chanting of the nuns, which everyone described as a pleasing experience, alongside different icons representing different religious figures and events.
It took them some more time to reach their final destination: Shiomgvime Monastery which, compared to the other two churches, is located at a higher elevation. Surrounded by large canyons, the church stood out even more. In addition, it did not consist of only one building but also several structures built throughout the location. Additionally, the interior was as beautiful as its exterior. History teacher, Nino Mitsishvili, educated the students about the churches alongside many other elements, such as the icons, giving them the possibility of better understanding the sites.
At last, the Freshmen were done with sightseeing at around noon and left for the place where they were supposed to eat and take a break, which was probably where the most memorable part of the trip started. This spot was surrounded by a small forest from where an appealing view of mountains could be had. The location itself was full of tables and chairs, where the students were able to share their food. Surprisingly, the place also featured trampolines, upon which some of the students got busy jumping around, and some remarkably huge dogs, who kept stealing and fighting over their food, yet, as everyone agreed in the end, this made the students’ trip even more enjoyable.
Although the weather was breezy, some students engaged in physical activities, while others explored the surroundings or simply enjoyed talking and eating with friends. After spending about an hour at this location, the group returned to GZAAT, arriving at around 2 P.M. Overall, the trip was a fantastic experience for the freshmen, filled with unforgettable memories.
Edited by: Ninia Kadagidze
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