Georgia eyes freelancers: how to live, work and travel in the country
Travels / / December 19, 2019
Our guest author Elena Kulikova Layfhakera shares with readers his family experience traveling to Georgia. Elena and Alexey - freelancers and large lovers of travel. Three months from May to July, they have lived in Tbilisi, working and enjoying every day in this sunny country. On the pros and cons of his Georgian travel Elena tells in this article.
# Why Georgia
One month prior to departure every week changed the country, would sit in blogs, discussed and debated. However, the possibility of staying for the Russians 90 days without a visa, the presence of mountains and sea, delicious food, local vegetables, fruits and green, relatively inexpensive flight and rave reviews about the Georgia of our friends helped to make the final decision.
In Tbilisi, we have chosen as the place of residence, we waited three pleasant discovery. We are in the first two days, they found their ideal workspace outside the home, make a reality of daily routine to rise early and long walks, made friends with a lot of interesting people.
# Space for work
The key space for our work in the city was the Tbilisi media center union (Media Library). Media Library - a modern two-story information center, where you can read, work, communicate, and engage in all kinds of intellectual activity in an informal atmosphere.
By purchasing a subscription library for six months for 7.5 lari (GEL 1 -. About 20 rubles), we got smart Wi-Fi, and bright a comfortable work space with views of the park, access to the library (books and magazines in English, German, Russian and Georgian languages). A pleasant bonus - coolers with clean water, good air conditioning, quiet, room design, the ability to change workplace (Armchairs, ottomans, hammock outside, round and square tables) to do hiking breaks in the park, drinking coffee and reading a book on the terrace.
In May-July availability was enough. In the center we met with freelancers from Tbilisi, with whom close contact (in Russian) to the left.
Address: Tbilisi, Vake district, st. Chavchavadze, d. 76, tel.: +995 577 255 515. From 11:00 to 20:00 every day except Mondays.
# Climate
Georgia - a country with sunny dry climate. The most comfortable time to work and live in this trip I lasted from May to early July, while the thermometer is not exceeded +30 ° C. After I missed the morning and the evening chill, in which I did most of the work and exercise. On hot days, I often took a cold shower, wipe floors, got up early and did a cooling breath, saw coffeeBut if the pressure drops in blood, all these actions did not save the situation. Unlike me, my husband, who also lived all his life in Perm and used to humidity and cold, quietly endured the heat and could work and relax in July without stress.
Next time I would go to Georgia to work remotely from April to early July and mid-September to mid-November. Themselves of Tbilisi in July and especially in August (+40 ° C and above) as far as possible try to spend less time in the city, leaving the mountainous areas or at sea. By mid-September the heat subsides gradually.
# Sport and healthy lifestyle
In addition to the early rise in Georgia, we have made long walks. For running and walking in Tbilisi ideal area with forest paths around the turtle and Lisi Lake and the beautiful botanical garden with rare trees and a waterfall (the entrance - 1 GEL).
Tbilisi enough gyms and fitness clubs (both expensive and available), there are several swimming pools, a water park, but with yoga clubs all easy. Yoga It is not there a big popularity because of the authority of the church and pressure. Even five years ago, many extremely negative attitude towards this practice. it was a surprise for me. From clubs in the atmosphere, the level of teaching and attention to the student can consult Yoga House (Giorgi Berdzenishvili, chairman of the Federation of yoga in Georgia) and Cave Yoga (Olga Ramor). The average cost of one visit - 10-15 GEL per hour.
# Language and communication
Georgians - friendly and sociable people, who appreciates, loves visitors and is able of them to really care. If we receive an invitation, it automatically means that we will have 100% attention and tasty treats with full payment by the invite. Perhaps walking through the main streets in the early days, you did not feel like opening, but it is necessary to find friends, live longer or drive off from Tbilisi, you will inevitably encounter a warm and sincere attitude. We were complete strangers rescued, driving in the rain for free to your home or paying for travel by cable car.
We also did not expect to be able to talk so often in Georgia to Russian. The older generation remembers language, Russian channels looks positively refers to the guests from Russia. Young people (our friends) knew English, but we always tried to communicate also in Russian. Most of them know the language because of their grandmothers.
In everyday life, we did not experience much discomfort as well as pointers to the subway, signs on the houses, tourist information, the menu in the cafe are duplicated in English, and sometimes Russian. Our interaction was facilitated by and at the expense of what we learned in the three magic words first days: "gamardzhoba" - hello, "nahvamdis" - good-bye, "didi madloba" - thank you very much. The Georgian language is no such thing as an accent, the words are pronounced exactly (for simplicity, we can always put on the first syllable).
# Adaptation
In the first month, in contrast to her husband, who quickly joined the new environment, it was not easy. The first cause of discomfort - the road. Car lot bibikayut buzzing and it was difficult to cross the street, even at traffic lights, sidewalks lined with many machines, and there is no passage.
Another nuance - a lot of attention to non-local, especially for a woman. If you strip the eyes, with constantly. A lot of things in the locker room, normal for the summer house was abandoned in Georgia.
And the last thing that annoys many visitors, - a large number of beggars (Georgians and Roma). Roma is extremely intrusive and can simply be hung on the leg.
# The cost of living
The average budget for a month - 42 100 rubles.
- Accommodation - 17 500 rubles. (In a good area, a cozy two-bedroom apartment).
- Power - 8000 rubles. (Most of us eat out).
- Personal expenses (training, online courses, etc.) - 8600 rubles.
- Transportation, travel, entertainment, restaurants (every weekend) - 8000 rubles.
In general, for the whole trip for three months with housing, food, travel around the country, flights back and forth, with all unscheduled expenses and other have left 150 000 rubles.
We flew to Georgia to "Aeroflot": Perm - Moscow - Yerevan. Yerevan - Tbilisi - by the evening train. At 8 o'clock in the morning we were at the scene. They returned home on the same route. He was the most convenient for docks and price for us. Train tickets bought in advance on the websites Georgian and Armenian railways, register first.
# Rental of property
Problems finding an apartment, we have not experienced, always had options from which we chose. If the period is small, in Tbilisi and in other tourist destinations are many choices of cheap hostels.
As well as around the world, in Georgia there is a policy that for a month apartment for rent is more expensive than in the three months and year. Prices in respect of visitors - no matter where they are - always higher. In Georgia, the best price and quality (no old furniture, renovated, with a new kitchen, a westernized version of the design) to find quite difficult, but possible. Most of these proposals are on AirbnbWhich became our main option for the property search. It was the experience of interaction with the realtor, but his proposals have focused either on long-term lease, or on a daily. We do not know where we will be in a month.
Our strategy is to Airbnb was as follows. We are determined to place, went to the site, looking at a map and suggestions, not paying attention to the price, the owners wrote our time and how much we can pay them directly in cash in hand. Usually, two or three out of ten we give consent for a day.
Our first option - studio apartment in 10 minutes from the metro booked from Perm - has managed in $ 550 per month.
The second option - two-bedroom apartment in the embassy district of Vake, near the park - has managed already in $ 500.
For more information on renting of housing, flats in Tbilisi populated areas, the problems of adaptation, as well as travel around the country you can read Lena's blog.
# Household nuances
- There is no centralized hot water - only boilers, which heat up at all different, and it is important to immediately check.
- Georgians drink water from the tap, but we bought bottled.
- May periodically turn off electricity and water, but usually long.
- Elevators in houses built in the 90s, may apply. The iron coin in the 2 or 5 Temp.
- In July and August, the presence of air conditioning the room is necessary.
- Tbilisi District: Vera, Vake, the historic center - are more comfortable to live in, especially the area near Mount Mtatsminda: cleaner air, cooler, opportunity for jogging along mountain trails.
# Food
Specificity of Georgia - all fresh and local, this applies to fruits and vegetables as well as meat and dairy products. Winter fruit and vegetable paradise ends greenery becomes smaller, the cost increases. In this regard, the ideal time to visit - the autumn. The vegetable stalls, there is usually a large variety of spices, sauces (Tkemali et al.), Local sunflower oil, vinegar, at least - dried fruits. If you buy on a regular basis in one place, then, as a rule, you often give a discount can forgive a small debt.
In Georgia, you can eat out. Tasty and homemade food in a pleasant atmosphere in Assorti (cafe network c confectionery and Wi-Fi) without drinks and pastries costs us 10 GEL for two.
Prices of the products (GEL 1 - 20 rubles.):
- Cheese - 5 GEL to 12-13 GEL per kilogram;
- cottage home - 5 GEL per kilogram;
- Beef - 18 GEL per kilogram;
- shoti, traditional bread - 70 tetra - 1 GEL;
- hachapuri imeruli, in the form of cakes with cheese inside - from 1 to 3 GEL;
- milk - 3.50 lari per liter;
- Hercules - 4 GEL;
- buckwheat - 3 GEL;
- Figure - 3 GEL;
- paste - GEL 2;
- tea (local) - 6 GEL;
- coffee beans, 100 g - 2 (market) to 10 lari (shop).
In May, we ate strawberries for 6 GEL and then for 3.90 GEL, potatoes by 4 Lari, fresh cabbage for 2 lari, cherry tomatoes Iran 6 GEL GEL 3 eggplant, green (basil green and burgundy, tarragon, cilantro, parsley, dill) of approximately 0.80 for tetri beam.
In July, blueberries - 8 GEL, raspberries - 6-8 GEL, black currant - 6 GEL, peaches - 6 GEL, during the second half of the month we ate melons and watermelons. Falling prices in July has affected all the vegetables.
These prices are for Tbilisi and other cities, and even more so outside the cities prices are still lower.
# Mobile and Internet
Communication inexpensive. Two weeks came out no more than 5 GEL. We enjoyed Beeline, 3G. Some problems arose. mobile Internet connection turned out to 7.5 GEL. But all my friends in Tbilisi we were advised local Magti. Cellular offices in Tbilisi, at every step, so this issue should attend to immediately, to take a passport.
# Urban transport
Buses in Tbilisi go on schedule. At stops hanging display with time, the Georgian and English versions. To know the bus number, route and soon arrive to our stop, we used Google Maps. Card for bus and metro We bought 2 GEL in the subway, to replenish it to the electronic ticket offices near the stops. If you do not lose your receipt, you can then return this card and get your 2 GEL back. A trip on the subway and on a bus with a card worth 0.5 lari. Upon entering the bus you need to bring the card to the device, which will write off amount; you can use your bank card for payment. The bus tickets are constantly checked, but do it very gently and explain, if you are confused or do not understand something. A bus ticket valid for 1.5 hours.
If we had to go somewhere far away, or immediately around the city, we used the services of a cheap gas taxi, tel.: 0322477070.
We are talking with managers in Russian. Outside the city, we preferred to use the trains and cars of friends, because I go on shuttles refused. I was very scared.
# Advantages and disadvantages
Georgia comfortable in the visa issue and does not require a long flight, with low prices to local products, and delicious we are familiar with the food, with lots of options for active rest and recovery after a mental work, it is safe, you can communicate in Russian.
Ideally, in my opinion, Georgia is suitable for Travel with a backpackHitchhiking, for leisurely enjoyment of life.
Among the few drawbacks I would have pointed out quite expensive direct flights from Moscow, a small selection of beautiful and modern cities for comfortable remote working and living (Tbilisi, Batumi), an expensive rental housing, the situation in the roads.
At the same time we want to go back to Georgia, and, like many, fascinated by her beauty, hospitality and flair.