This is a typical view on my walk home from Ilia State University. Tbilisi has a mix of post-soviet, modern, and traditional Georgian architecture. This photo was taken about a block away from my home, and the buildings here are within walking distance of a modern shopping mall, an open-market bazar, and a row of soviet-era apartment buildings.
15km south of Batumi there is a Roman fortification called the Gonio fortress. Its earliest recorded reference was by Pliny the Elder in Natural History in 1st Century AD. The fort has cycled through many owners—Byzantinian, Ottoman, Russian, and Georgian—and is believed to be the final resting place of Apostle and Saint Matthias. I’m seen here standing in one of its oldest archways.
This is Tsabinari waterfall inside of Mtirala National Park. Of all the things I have done in Georgia, this one made the biggest impression on me. Tsabinari Waterfall can only be reached by a 7.7km, or 12.4km trek (hiker’s preference), and the final stop is nothing short of breath taking. Be warned: you (and your camera) will get soaked! This photo was taken by my trail buddy and fellow student Xavier.
This is my typical breakfast in Georgia. The day starts with гречиха, or buckwheat, and is complemented with any kind of side: vegetables, fruits, churchkhela, or Georgian bread. Churchkhela is a famous Georgian snack food that consists of grape must, nuts, flour, and sometimes raisins or chocolate. Oatmeal or Каша are also popular for breakfast. Каша is a kind of porridge that can be sweet or savory and prepared with any sort of grain. I love rice Каша with cinnamon, especially when shared with my host mother over a cup of Turkish coffee.
This is the amazing view outside of Jvari Monastery near Mtskheta, Georgia. Seen here is me, Nick, and Xavier (Xavier was kind enough to capture this on his GoPro, and let me repost it here!). Jvari is an Early Medieval church from the 4th century, and a UNESCO world heritage site located at the top of a mountain. Below us, you can see the valley were Mtskheta and the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers.
Fulbright-Hays Fellowship Recipient
Advanced Russian Language and Area Studies Program
Tbilisi, Georgia, Summer 2023