You may say this is out of ‘loneliness among the crowd’ or ‘sharing the experience’ or you may take it as a ‘travel’ or ‘city’ blog. I leave that part to you... This is all about my Tbilisi...
It seems like it’s
all about up’s and down’s and the fact that I still cannot get used to them. I
have always enjoyed consistency in every part of my life however the more I
enjoy this - the more complicated it gets.
I managed to get
my voice heard by my team – picked myself back up to ensure our team does not
fall apart. The ‘leadership’ training worked – not the training itself maybe
but at least being away for a week changed the mood.
I travelled to
London for the training which was an amazing week with a lot of time to enjoy
the city, the training, meeting with new people, catching up with some I knew
for a while... A lot of thinking as well... I really need to buy a camera to
add the visions to my words... L
Meanwhile I
really missed Tbilisi but currently it is not the city I left 1 week ago –
elections coming up – a lot of demonstrations I heard. I wish peace to this
beautiful city and it’s people. I hope the ‘down’ this city is facing currently
will be back ‘up’ soon - just like me...
Order –
Everything has to be stored in cupboards, everything must have a place...
Estetic – I like
the small details – bits and pieces such as a small basket full of soaps in the
bathroom or a photo corner of the whole family and friends...
Memories – I guess
the good time you spend in your home vs the sad times makes a house a home!!
Finally location!
So since I am
looking for a lot of things – my search for my home in Tbilisi was a loooong battle...
Back in February –
when I finally passed from temporary assignment to contract – I had almost 3
weeks to find a house – which I though was more than enough. It didn’t turn out
that way.
I asked to my
Turkish colleagues and my staff who are local and most recommended Vake or
Sabortalo area. Vake is really nice – with cool cafe’s and almost everything
such as banks, supermarkets etc handy however:
Far
away from airport ( where I work )
I
really did not like the neighbourhood – I don’t know why... Too crowded maybe
or too cool! J
Next option
Sabortalo – very big neighbourhood therefoere lots of options however 1 simple
reason for a no no! - very far from work.
So with
recommendation from my staff I searched for houses at Mtatsminda and Sololaki.
The issue with
these 2 neighbourhoods is the comfort part – not many new buildings.
As a foreigner –
when you search for a house the price automaticly almost doubles. I guess it is
similar in Turkey so I did not mind that part much – my housing allowance does
not cover all but most of the rent. However still when you get to know the
neighbourhoods you get quite dissapointed when you compare the rent vs house
conditions.
I do not know if
it is possible to find a house directly from the owner. As I have mentioned on one
of my previous posts I moved twice and used a real estate agent ( makler ) in
both cases.
For those of you who will be moving to Tbilisi you can use:
My first house (
could not call it a home L had too many issues ) was at Mtatsminda very
close to Rustaveli Ave. It was a very nice apartment – quite a new one too but
had many issues. In winter the house was very cold, there was a construcition
in the apartment which caused noise and dust, construction in the street (
renovation of an old house ) and last but not the least the walls were damp due
to the heavy rains and terrible infrastructure so during the 5 months I lived
in the house – I tried to be patient but one day I had enough! Called the
landlord and I was out in 1 week.
The issue is –
when you rent a house in Tbilisi via a Makler you need to pay the house owner
the first and the last month of your contracted stay. The last month is paid to
the Makler by the house owner also it is like a guarantee. So I left my last
rent to the house owner by moving earlier than 1 year! Oh well! My health is
more important than anything.
Since I only had
1 week to search a house – I called the previous Makler who helped me search
for new houses but this time there were no options within my budget in the area
I was looking for. It was so frustrating! I would not have a house to live in
in 1 week if I could not find what I was looking for!
Once all my
options were finished – I was simply depressed! With no hope went to the
internet and found a web site called Best Tbilisi Apartments! The apartments
and houses listed are more expensive compared to many other options however the
listed houses offer order, estetic and comfort J So all I had to choose was the location
and it will be us who will add the memories...
With the help of
my lovely Makler Natalia from BTA I found my new home and my lovely landlord
and friend Ia! I already have great memories in this house thanks to Ia, Zubin,
Su and all my friends who visited J
Despite how much
I enjoy Tbilisi, how much I love my new home
I MISS MY REAL HOME... Ankara
So I join the rhyme
of Marc Broussard ( although I am not a fan of Country Music - really like this one!! )
Since we moved to
Tbilisi – I realized something very important about myself
and I guess the
human nature itself.
Wherever you go – you must accept how you feel because if you continue the denial ( or the illusion )
nothing
will change!!
I had been caught
in middle of several challenges over the the past couple of years which had really messed with my mood – when I
look back to this year I realize how that mood also moved to Tbilisi with me! I
regret to admit that over the last year – if my friends had not visited me – I guess
I would only know my house and my office in Tbilisi!
Well – this had
to come to an end!!
This blog is a part of my plan to do the things I have
always wanted to do but delayed due to several reasons ( I can use excuses
instead of reasons here! )
So here is the
list of things I already started:
Start a blog! Thanks to my lovely friends encouragement
- done
Quit smoking! Thanks to my amazing team at
work but espeacially thanks to dear Tamuna – done
Exercise & diet – I had already
started this but taking it more seriously since I quit smoking
Move! I am sooo happy I changed my house –
I realized how unhappy I was in the previous one. My new apartment really feels
like home! So this is done too!!
Now here are the things I am planned to do before this year ends
I
want to start taking Georgian Dance classes – I danced over 8 years when I was
young and always regreted the fact that I quit – so it is late but never too
late – I am only 33 years old!!
Kartuli!!
I really need to improve my Georgian or learn Russian or both or at least one
of them!
Travel
– Inside, around and in some cases far away from Georgia! I have been only
travelling for work lately – So this year I want to discover what I am
surrounded with.
Take
more photos – I realize the older I get the less photos I have – Which I should
immediately change! Amazing memories started to fade away just because I have
not documented them in one way or another and cannot let this happening anymore...
So if I manage to
do all I have listed above – I hope you will have quite an interesting reading
material in my blog! Above is the plan and this time with no excuses! J
The new airport building gives a fresh, modern look to Georgia however the old airport building - which I used back in 2006 on my first visit to Georgia - is still there, not used anymore but still salutes you next to the new airport building as if a reminder of the old days...
Arrivals:
Very easy and user friendly - There are 3 jetty’s at the airport so if you are arriving to Tbilisi at night – there is a high possibility for you to be transported to the airport with a bus. Very small airport so I never felt confused or worried whenever I arrive to Tbilisi. After immigration turn right and after a very short escalator journey – you are at arrivals baggage hall – clear from customs and the below picture will welcome you while you pass the sliding door.
The train terminal –which is supposed to connect air to land - is another modern look to the entrence of the counrty however – it is not used effectively only 4 trains a day. If you happen to get a train it will take you to the central railway station of Tbilisi with an approx 20 min ride.
The train schedule is from airport to Tbilisi is:
08:30 – 13:50 – 18:05 – 22:25
You can also use the bus or a taxi upon arrival. Buses are quite frequent but a longer ride to the city center with 0,50 gel like the train.
The taxi’s – now that is an adventure! You need to negotiate with drivers in Georgia before taking a ride. They recently changed the taxi’s at the arrival of the airport to new modern cars with a taximeter fitted in them.Make sure you speak to the driver to ensure they either open the taximeter or negotiate a fixed price to the city center. The approx price to city center should be around max 20 GEL. If they seem to request more from you – you may try your luck with the taxi’s who are dropping off customers.
So welcome to Tbilisi – to the city that loves you...
Decisions –
especially life changing decisions never seem to turn out as planned.
Maybe
that’s the beauty of it – if you are prepared for the challenge!
Marriage,
changing country are just a couple of ‘life changers’ that support the above observation. Relationships for example –
with your family, life partner or friends are not as they are shown in movies J. They are like a heart beat – ups and
downs but never a flatline. So these ups and downs makes you feel alive. If you live with a pattern of a flatline = you have no colour in your life...
My first months
here were more of a down – not in a disaster way but can be described more as
an unlucky experience. I had to live in a hotel room with 5 days in Tbilisi and
2 days back in Ankara for about 3 months. I didn’t know those were my good days
back then... Finding a house in Tbilisi was more challenging than I expected.
For those who are planning to move to Georgia – I will post a topic on my
experience later – I moved twice in 6 months so I do feel I have a word or two
on this...
With having such
a hectic travel schedule in the beginning I still feel I couldn’t say a proper
good-bye to my family and friends. I guess this is one part that didn’t go as
planned – I was hoping to have more time to say good-bye to my loved one’s. I
did promise that I would travel quite a lot – at least do a weekend in Ankara
each month considering we are neighbour Countries and flight’s are easy to
catch. However this didn’t turn out as planned as well... I could not travel
back to my hometown for the last 3 months. So lesson one – do not promise
unless you are sure you can keep them...
While writing
this – I stopped a moment to think if there are any regrets on my decision to
move to Tbilisi. I have a feeling there are some – cannot really describe exactly
what they are but I have some that I hope I will discover through this blog as well... However there are so many other things this
city have offered me that covers these regrets and turn them into the salt and
pepper of this experience.
I know I will
never say ‘I wish I had moved’ – ‘I wish
I had tried’ instead I agree to the lyrics of ‘no regrets’
Of course that
was the question when I was offered to be posted to Tbilisi....
I had applied for
a promotion which required a 2 days maraton of several phases. I had to pass
group discussions, had to prepare business cases and reports, go through
roleplays where I had to handle ‘challenging’ employees. At the end of the
first day – we were asked to wait in our hotel rooms for a call to be either
invited to the next phase which was the ‘board interview’ or to be sent back
home with the first available flight. I arrived to my room at around 15:00 and
the call would be after 17:00. Longest 2 hours in my life... At 17:00 I was
literally sitting on my bed with the phone on my lap.
17:05 – no call
17:28 – still no
call...
17:40 – as soon
as the phone rang I answered
‘Dear Seda – we are
pleased....’
I didn’t hear
much of the rest of the voice on the other side of the line!! I also just heard
‘please check your e-mail / interview details will be sent to your address’
I had passed the
first day!! I didn’t blink my eye that night. My mind was full of questions (
as always – part of being a woman I guess – questions – questions – questions!!
)
What if I had
failed?
What if I would fail
the next day?
What if I pass
and they post me to a place that we would not be happy to live in? ( I had to
think of my better half of course... What if my husband would hate the idea of
moving although he had supported my application? )
What if I pass???
Next morning – I was
so tired but was somewhat calm. As soon as I entered the interview room – I knew
I would pass. Don’t ask me how – I just knew it!
And so I did – I
had wished for Tbilisi... The wish came true...
The blog idea
came up when I realized how challenging it has been for me to start-up a new
life in Tbilisi. I had the luxury to go online and check for information and
there are couple of blogs as well as some useful websites but none helped
me find a house or find the supermarket I could shop in or which cafe I would
like... So of course there were no information on what would become my ‘life
habbits’ here.
Also the main
issues on my mind where – what language would I use ( I am Turkish ), what
would I post, would anyone even read the blog and why do I want to start a blog
anyway! But here I am 05:40 am in the morning writing my 2nd post.
A special salute to my landlord - Iako - and my 2 amazing Iranian friends – Zubin & Su - whom I have met recently. These fellows below have encouraged me to start my own blog J
