"Charlotte...Why Aren't You Married?"

I've lost count how many times that question has been asked of me since I arrived in Georgia.

Being a single woman (and gasp! 30) in Georgia has meant that I hear this comment a lot. The fact I am husband-less is perplexing to them. People seem genuinely concerned that I am not married, and some have offered to set me up with people. Fortunately, nothing occurred past them suggesting that they have someone for me. I've had lectures from teachers and students about this. At my first school, an 11th grade boy was lecturing me on 1) my lack of a husband and 2) the fact I did not have a wedding dress. His response to both was, "Charlotte...that is very bad." Well, Tengo, I am not going to buy a wedding dress if I do not have someone to marry. Moreover, I was not going to bring one to Georgia in the off-chance that I would meet someone here. Just think of the space that would take up in my checked baggage, Tengo.

To avoid the awkwardness of my single status I use the response, "In America, we get married older." (Except in Utah, where I am also a social oddity due to my lack of a suppose and my "advanced" age). This response (fortunately) seems to appease them. However, whenever I meet a new class my marital status is always one of the first 3 questions they ask. The questions are:

• "Where are you from?": To this I say Las Vegas, a fact which impresses them greatly. (It makes me cringe considering how much I dislike Las Vegas, but at least they have heard of it). Then I go onto say that I live in a village in the mountains outside of Las Vegas. I always say village because Georgians love visiting the village and each has an affinity for the village their family is from or lives in.
• "How old are you?": I always have them guess at this one. Usually I am 23 or 24 to them. They seemed shocked when I say, "Otsdaati." (30).
• "Are you married?"

The lectures from the teachers are the same. All feel that I need a Georgian husband, and that when I return to the US, this needs to be a top priority. I love the freedom I have, but having a guy to share the journey with would be cool. The other day I was invited to have coffee, fruit and hazelnuts with my host mom, Bebia, one of the neighbors, and some assorted female relatives. Of course the marriage question came up from some of them I had not met before. In my broken Georgian I said:

"Chemi mastisabeli inglisurad skolashi laparket, 'Charlotte...shen unda kamari kartuli.'" ("My teachers at school say, 'Charlotte you need a Georgian husband'"). When I said this all of them nodded in agreement without looking up from their coffees, as if to say that this was the wisest thing they had ever heard. Fortunately, no one mentioned any potential suitors for me. I appreciate their concern. But who knows? Maybe they will get their wish and I will marry a Georgian man. Unlikely, but one never knows.