If you consult the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, for information about Fallon, Nevada, you will find the perplexing sentence, “Fallon is twinned with the following towns: Vani, Georgia.” You might wonder, “What is a twin town, and why is Fallon paired with Vani, Georgia?
I can answer those questions.
In 2002, my son, John Mackedon, joined the Peace Corps and was assigned, after training, to teach English in the Republic of Georgia, a storied land nestled between the Black Sea on the west and Azerbaijan to the east. Russia lies directly north separated from Georgia by the Caucasus Mountains.
John was hard to reach due to time zones and almost non-existent telephone service, but he was finally able to place a call home to his father and me. After saying, “Hello, I’m fine,” he followed with, “You have to visit this magical place.” He was enchanted by the country’s people, language, culture, mountains, vineyards, and villages. He outlined his plan to guide us through Georgia. He also told us that he had read about the Sister Cities program, implemented by the Washington D.C.-based Sister Cities International, and wanted our help in linking Fallon with Vani, Geogia, where he was teaching. (In Europe, Sister Cities are also known as Twin Towns.)
Mayor Tedford and the Fallon City Council approved the idea, and the paperwork was generated, bonding two towns situated half of a world apart. Mike and I travelled to Georgia in June, 2003, and, with John, we sat at a table in the City Hall of Vani, as the mayor signed the Sister City documents. Also present was a representative of Eduard Shevardnadze, then President of Georgia. The City Hall was an impressive building, with tiled floors and intricately detailed woodwork, but outside its walls, the streets were claimed by cows, chickens, and pigs, a sign of the economic challenges then faced by a former Soviet Republic.
Vani shares with Fallon the facts that they are small towns located on rivers. The population of Vani is less than 5000. Additionally, both serve as what Americans would call a county seat. However, Vani can claim an ancient history and a unique legendary past. At the archaeological museum near the town, myth meets scientific evidence to reveal that Vani was the center of the land of Colchis, with ruins dating as far back as 6000 B.C.E. According to Greek mythology Colchis was visited by Jason and the Argonauts in their quest for the Golden Fleece. Within the museum, we read tentative explanations for the origin of the term “Golden Fleece.” In antiquity, sheep fleeces, stretched over a wooden frame, would be submerged in a stream, and gold flecks, borne down from upstream placer deposits, would collect in them, hence forming a golden fleece. Jason, according to legend, found “the Golden Fleece,” then, as myths often go, he married the daughter of the king. After some bloodshed, he carried his bride, Medea, and the fleece back to Greece, where, as readers of Greek mythology know, more tragedy ensued. (Incidentally, we met several women in Georgia named Medea.)
We, too, were captivated by the country of Georgia and returned to visit in 2004. Small advances had been made to the infrastructure. Improvements continue, and the country is now becoming a tourist destination. It is my hope that, in the future, someone else from Fallon, Nevada, will visit our Sister City, Vani, Georgia.
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