Introducing Myself On A Waaaay Closer Level

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Even though I am Georgian, I grew up in Moscow and considered Russia to be my home country for ten years. For most of my childhood, I was a careless kid who played soccer with friends, loved building Lego structures, and had no idea that life could be full of unexpected challenges. Back then, the most urgent problem I had to face was the loss of a cherished toy. However, this blissful childhood was suddenly interrupted when my family decided to move from Russia back to Georgia.

After arriving in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, and passing the border check, I encountered a few men. They tried to tell me something, but I could not catch a word; I did not know my native language. Based on their assertiveness, I deduced that they were bartering with me, but I could not understand what they wanted. After a few minutes, my mom explained to me that they were offering me a taxi ride. At that moment, I felt for the first time what it meant to experience cultural shock; despite that fact that I was Georgian, Georgia ironically felt like a foreign country to me.

What helped me cope with these new obstacles was the inspiring story my parents told me about themselves.
Before I was born, they used to live in a part of Georgia called Abkhazia. In the 1990s, this region attempted to secede from Georgia. This crisis caused a bloody war that left many thousands dead and led to a massive exodus of Georgians from their homes in Abkhazia. My parents were among those who were forced to flee. My mother told me they felt hopeless amidst the cruel and unforgiving conflict. However, even though they left Abkhazia with nothing but a single suitcase to start their life anew, they were able to create a strong family in Russia through hard work and perseverance.

After hearing this dramatic story, I felt better about my disorientating new home. My parents’ overwhelming example of adaptation to a challenging new environment inspired me to overcome my difficulties in Georgia. Moreover, I was inspired to do something else besides simply adapt to a new atmosphere.

While in Georgia, I developed a desire to help refugees from Abkhazia. I knew many of these people lived without any hope, and I was motivated to help them regain their footing. I organized several meetings with displaced people where we spoke about the tension between the two sides of the conflict, the attitude of the Abkhaz community towards the Georgia, and possible ways to make a reunion happen. We communicated with the youth living in Abkhazia and tried to build bridges between individuals on different sides of this conflict. Moreover, with the help of my family, I found a few displaced families and we helped them financially.

As I reflect on my life, I am convinced now that the move from Russia to Georgia changed me for the better and inspired me to do something important. This transition provided me with a sense of responsibility and awakened an active citizen in myself. I am looking forward to organize other cultural events between these groups, because I simply seek to help ease their wounds from the war. I look at my story as the tale of my passage from childhood to adulthood, and as a solid foundation for the other stories of my life I will tell in the future.