After re-reading my journal entries in my personal diary from my trip, I can see first-hand what lessons I learned. Georgia, a beautiful country with a laid-back way of life, has shown me what kind of life I envision for myself. I was able to experience many different terrains- the sea, the mountains, and the…
Tag: Georgia
The Meaning of Ancestry and History in Georgia
When visiting my friend’s Georgian relatives, they were all quick to ask me “where are you from?” A few days later, another Georgian man asked me the same question. Immediately, I answered with the truth, American. Both my grandparents and parents are from America; thus, it is the only right answer. In both instances, the…
You’re Never Late in Georgia
In my mind, showing up somewhere on time is considered late. Being 5 or more minutes early is important, and I am always sure to have an explanation ready if I arrive somewhere even 1 minute late. However, lateness seems to be a well-known trend in Georgia, and I am trying to understand it. On…
Questioning my Future? Growing Personally and Professionally Abroad
Since I started studying at university, it has always been important for me to study abroad and make improvements on the languages that I am learning. All of my future goals revolve around living abroad and using different languages. When I finally got the opportunity to study in Georgia, it felt unreal, as my dreams…
5-Minutes from Gate to Gate and First Time Abroad
Before a few weeks ago, I had never left the United States, nor had I ever even travelled alone before! Thus, my trip to Tbilisi, Georgia in Eastern Europe is a trip of “firsts”. Ever since I was young, I had always wanted to study abroad. When taking my first tour to the University of…
To Find a Common Language
Throughout my program in Batumi I would often use the Russian phrase найти общий язык when speaking to people about my adjustment to Georgia, when making new friends, and when seeking understanding with my Georgian host family. Найти общий язык means “to find a common language” and usually people use this phrase when expressing the…
Finishing Strong: A Letter to My Past Self
It’s been almost two months that I have been in Batumi, but the person I was when I stepped off the train six weeks ago was so different from the person packing up her suitcase and confirming her flight back to the United States in just a few days. There has been significant progress towards…
The Prospect of Permanency
I tell my friends constantly back home that Georgia is an underrated location on all fronts: for tourists outside of former Soviet states, for business and investment, for food and wine connoisseurs, and for the increasingly popular pool of ‘digital nomads’ around the world. If I were to become a full-time resident of Georgia, I…
The Power of the Notes App
I have a Notes app entry called “Georgia Chaos Log” where I chronicle every challenging or humorous moment of my abroad experience that I don’t want to forget. Some of these entries include helping my host mom put out a kitchen fire, conspiracy theories about Americans that I hear, or getting hit with a door…
Lessons from a Grocery List
I think the conflation of my three biggest takeaways from the first half of my program in Georgia occurred in the middle of a Spar supermarket at 6pm on a Monday night. It’s not the most glamorous setting nor is it the most exciting story I have to tell. It was not even my first…