Georgia (the Country): Between Worlds, Entirely Its Own
Observations from a place that defies easy labels
A few months ago, I found myself in Georgia—a country I hadn’t been planning to visit at all. I was meant to go to Uzbekistan but made a same-day destination swap (long story), thus landing in Georgia’s capital of Tbilisi with no specific plans and few expectations other than friends telling me it’s great.
What I discovered was a fascinating local culture, coupled with a nation turning the page from its Soviet past to a future that’s still being figured out.
A unique country nestled in the mountains
Georgia, formerly part of the Soviet Union, sits in the turbulent Caucasus mountain region at the intersection of Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
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I’ve been to many other countries in the post-Soviet world, Middle East, and Eastern Europe—including Russia, Turkmenistan, Iraq (great vacation destination!), Turkey, Bulgaria, and the Baltics—and this didn’t remind me of any of them.
The first thing you notice is the language. Georgian (ქართული ენა) has its own script and is not related to any of the world’s other major language families.
Even ads for familiar brands look quite different in Georgian:
Georgians seem quite proud of their language, and I think it’s awesome that they’ve been able to preserve it! Having your own alphabet seems particularly cool and unique-identity-building.
Most people belong to the Georgian Orthodox Church, one of the world’s most ancient churches. Georgian Orthodox churches often have a distinct architecture:
Georgian churches often use a specific cross with the arms angled down, St. Nino’s Cross, which may be over 1,500 years old.
The local architectural styles were very cool!
I started describing a lot of the buildings as “village-y,” and particularly loved the intricate balconies.
Even the food is quite distinct from other cuisines in the region.
Probably the two most famous dishes are khachapuri (cheesy bread—but like, really good) and khinkali (dumplings).
Part of the issue may be geography. Mountains separate Georgia from Russia on the north and Turkey and Iran on the south.
Although Georgia has been under numerous empires—such as the Roman, Persian, Ottoman, and Russian—it has usually been on the edge of these territories, perhaps due to the difficulty of crossing these mountains.
This edge location may be why they were able to sustain such a strong localized culture, as they were neither close to the centers of power (which would have resulted in being under heavier influence from others) nor a central influencer themselves (which would have spread their culture elsewhere).
Caught between worlds
Still, Georgia doesn’t exist in isolation. You can feel the country being pulled—culturally, linguistically, and politically—in different directions.
After a while, I started to notice echoes of the country’s Soviet past. Though the city center didn’t have much of what I think of as classic Soviet architecture, the further-out neighborhoods had tons of Soviet-style apartment buildings:
The metro is similar to other former Soviet metros (though the stations aren’t nearly as grand as those in Moscow, St Petersburg, or Tashkent). They even make use of some of the exact same model of train cars as many other ex-Soviet metro systems.
Just like many other ex-Soviet cities, crossing a busy street often requires walking through a pedestrian underpass rather than using a crosswalk:
The status of the Russian language was fascinating: it was simultaneously nowhere and everywhere. I virtually never saw Russian on buildings or large signs—whereas English was quite commonly displayed—but I heard Russian spoken all the time, and it was not uncommon on restaurant menus as well.
I believe this is due to a mix of things, including:
Many people want to emphasize Georgian identity, free the country from association with its Soviet past, and turn closer to Europe
English is the world’s lingua franca and thus a priority for young people to learn
Russian is realistically the foreign language that many people, particularly older generations, speak best
Russian is often a bridge language used to speak with Russians, Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Central Asians, etc.
Individuals also vary in their opinions on different foreign countries, which can carry over into their views on language use
It’s complicated!
A hot topic in recent years has been the question of potentially joining the European Union. Georgia gained candidate status in 2023—then in November 2024 put talks on hold until 2028.
I’m not an expert on Georgian politics, but as a visitor, I noticed the prevalence of the Europe (and Russia) question everywhere.
There are daily demonstrations outside the parliament building, which I saw when I visited:
My visit was shortly before the October 2025 municipal elections, and I saw campaign billboards and posters everywhere:
On the cultural side of things, there’s a youthful energy to the contemporary scene, and plenty of foreign influences are visible.
I went to a cocktail bar that I guess you could say is “Old Western” themed:
The menu was exclusively in English, which was the case at other “hip” bars too.
I went to another that calls itself Georgia’s first mezcal bar:
I asked the bartenders and local tour guides what they thought about the idea of Georgia joining the EU. They had mixed feelings—but all of them told me they think it will never happen, saying that they’re too culturally different.
Quirky details: 4 quick observations
1. Many parks have pairs of benches facing each other—very useful if you have a group!
2. Tbilisi has an estimated 29,000 stray dogs, which you see absolutely everywhere:
3. Tbilisi has ~5 aerial cable-car lines climbing the mountain to the west of the city. They’re fun to ride!
4. All around the city, I saw touch-screen machines that looked like ATMs…
… but upon close inspection were actually terminals that let you do transactions related to a range of public services, utilities, etc.:
I would imagine that if these services can be handled electronically, you could do them on a computer too. My best guess is that these machines are intended to let people pay for these things with cash without needing to go to a central office somewhere; if so, that’s neat.
Post-Soviet — but now what?
Ex-Soviet countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia have been searching for a new identity and direction, leaving the past behind but trying to define what comes next.
They’ve taken some very different paths, involving different combinations of:
EU integration (e.g. Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia)
Continued close ties with Russia (e.g. Belarus)
Engagement with other power players like Turkey, Iran, and China
Isolation (e.g. Turkmenistan)
These political and economic relations can have a big impact on culture and society. Which path lies ahead for Georgia? I have no idea!
Regardless, the country has a unique local culture and blends the ancient and contemporary. I recommend visiting and seeing it for yourself.
Have you been to Georgia? Let me know!