Georgia is one of the most beautiful places that I’ve had the privilege of visiting and I cannot wait to return!
Georgia is a small country in Eastern Europe and West Asia, neighboring Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia. Home to some of the highest mountains in Europe, many visitors choose the Georgian snow-capped mountains as a skiing destination. Tbilisi, the capital of the country, is filled with beautiful street art, traditional music and dance, historical museums, and amazing food. It’s a country that is also known for its deeply rooted history of activism and continuous resistance against Russia.
The Davis Center’s Program on Georgian Studies is a program that “advances the study of Georgia and the South Caucuses through research, scholarly and cultural exchange, teaching, and outreach.” I was introduced to Georgia’s rich culture and history through their J-Term Trip to Georgia, in which students of all educational backgrounds can spend 2 weeks in Tbilisi and explore Georgian history, politics, arts, and culture during winter break.
While there were so many parts of the trip that I enjoyed, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the food. Khachapuri, a traditional Georgian cheese bread, is served at most meals. Each region in Georgia has its version of Khachapuri, but my favorite was Imeruli and is from the Imereti region in western Georgia. This version is almost like a pie, with a layer of salty and sour Imeruli cheese in between two thin layers of flaky dough. I soon learned that cheese and bread are a large part of Georgian diets. We even stopped on the side of the road in the village of Badiauri for freshly baked bread and cheese to keep us warm during the two-hour drive to Khaketi, which is Georgia’s wine region.
Pkhali, a walnut-based spread that is served as an appetizer, was another one of my favorite dishes. It is often made with other vegetables, such as beets, spinach, and eggplants, and topped with fresh pomegranate. While I could spend hours talking about all the delicious food I tried for the first time, I can’t go without talking about a unique Georgian sweet. Churchkhela is a traditional candy made by dipping a string of walnuts into thickened fresh grape juice. You get a chewy treat that is just sweet enough, but not too sweet, when it hardens.
We witnessed beautiful sites: sunsets, wineries, snow-capped mountains, and city views from the top of Tbilisi. During our time in the city, we also came across Georgian calligraphy, political street art, and handmade enamel jewelry. Tbilisi has a unique infrastructure, with many underground tunnels to promote public safety. I was also surprised by the number of sweet dogs roaming the street. They followed us to our hotel in a pack to ensure we made it back safely.
A Supra is a Georgian feast, which we had many of. It’s a representation of Georgian hospitality, welcoming and honoring all guests. One of the important components is the set of 13 traditional toasts that follow a structured order. The toastmaster, known as the Tamada, begins with a toast to God, a toast to Georgia, a toast to peace. They continue with a toast to many other things, such as guests, the deceased, friendship, health, etc. It quickly became one of my favorite traditions because of how much love it filled the table with.
Throughout the trip we also met many leaders, artists, students, and educators who were frustrated with recent elections. Thousands of Georgians have been protesting day after day since October, when their government announced that it would pause the process to join the European Union, which would help preserve the small nation’s independence and strengthen democracy in the country. This trip increased my awareness about things impacting communities outside of the United States. When we aren’t impacted by issues directly, they feel far away. Seeing how much Georgians, specifically youth in Georgia, were willing to take risks in honor of their community reminded me how important it is to uplift the voices of others. I left Georgia feeling grateful and inspired by this new experience.
