Over the summer of 2023, I made a 3-month backpacking journey hiking across the Caucasus, spending time in all three Caucasus countries. This article is on Georgia and breaks down my time in the country region by region. If you are interested in the other parts of my trip, you can check out my intro […]

Summer of 2023 – a summer I spent as a solo female budget backpacker traversing across the three Caucasus republics of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia. My trip focused on hiking and meeting locals in these three very different countries. It was arguably the most ambitious and most rewarding undertaking of my life so far, and […]

I’ve been an avid thrifter since I was 15 – and am well acquainted with all sorts of thrifting locations in the US. However, I was fairly unprepared for the thrifting scene when I arrived in Tbilisi for my study abroad program. I had done just enough research to know that thrifting existed here, but […]

Georgia is one of SRAS’ fastest growing study abroad locations. Students that head to Batumi or Tbilisi return home with incredible stories of a friendly, architecturally interesting city, fabulous food, breathtaking mountain adventures, and, very often… dogs. Georgia’s stray dogs are remarkably well-kept by Georgian society. They are generally well-fed, well-behaved, and even fully vaccinated. […]

Georgia, despite being only about the size of West Virginia, offers an incredibly diverse array of landscapes and cultures to explore. The bustling capital of Tbilisi is located relatively near the country’s center, meaning that adventurous travelers can take in many of Georgia’s unique regions as comfortable day trips. The three such day trips below […]

Georgia is known for its incredible local cuisine that simply has to be tried and savored as much as possible while you are there. You can do so at any of these locations – located very near Novamova’s Tbilisi offices, where SRAS programs in Georgia are based! This resource is part of our much wider […]

One of the most exciting aspects of SRAS’s Identity and Conflict in the Post-Soviet Space program is the opportunity to travel to Armenia and Azerbaijan while you are based with your program in Georgia. The opportunity to see all three of the countries of the South Caucasus clarifies the diverse circumstances and attitudes in not […]

If you’d have asked me on June 10th, 2022 when I landed in Tbilisi if I’d be here, in Georgia, almost a year later, the answer would have almost definitely been “no.” However, I had so many great experiences and met so many extraordinary people that summer abroad that I felt the need to return […]

Tbilisi is rapidly becoming a hub for international food culture. Thus, while Georgia is known for its incredible local cuisine that simply has to be tried and savored as much as possible while you are there, there is also a world of a other great food cooked by amazing local chefs. Plus, nearly all of […]

Eurasia today is quite affordable. Students are often surprised how far their dollars will go even in major cities like Warsaw – and very surprised at how far they go in places like Bishkek. However, students can also be surprised at how easy it is to run into troubles – like blocked bank cards or […]

Less than a three hour drive from Tbilisi is the northeastern Georgian province of Kakheti. Georgia is famous for its wines and Kvareli, a town in Kakheti, contains a winery belonging to one of the country’s most well-known wine producers, Khareba. Georgia was also well known in the USSR as the source of nearly 95% […]

In mid-July, our SRAS group went on a day trip to Kutaisi, the second largest city in Georgia and also a popular wedding destination. After going to Bagrati Cathedral, we ate dinner and spent the night at a nearby guest house. Unfortunately, I did not feel well that evening, so I went straight to bed […]

As part of the SRAS/NovaMova study abroad program in Georgia, we had a weekend excursion to Svaneti during our third week. We had previously spent time in a couple different regions and cities, including Tbilisi, Mtskheta, and Khareba, but this was the first time our group saw the mountains of Georgia, a true natural wonder. […]

While studying abroad in Georgia, we visited many fascinating churches. Georgia’s Orthodox Church is among the oldest in the world, so the cathedrals have extensive histories and hold an important place in the country’s Orthodox culture. In addition, the unique architecture gives each church a special ambience and beauty. The following cathedrals were some of […]

Mtirala National Park is a vast rainforest between the Black Sea and the Adjara Mountains. The surrounding mountain areas in the Greater and Lesser Caucasus create an environment prone to severe humidity. The name “Mtirala” means “to cry” in Georgian and is derived from the annual rainfall of 4-4.5 meters. Not only is this one […]

This free Russian MiniLesson will help you learn the vocabulary need to get a SIM card in Russia. If you are on a regular SRAS study abroad program, SRAS will help you to obtain a local SIM card. In many locations, SRAS can also supply you with a “burner” phone for use while on the […]

SRAS is not in the business of selling plane tickets, with the exception of group educational tours and domestic flights not available for purchase outside of Russia. An economy-class, round-trip ticket from New York to Moscow, as of June, 2020, averages between $500-1000, depending on the time of year, carrier, and other factors. If you are using […]

A semester or year stay abroad requires considerable planning. You will need to consider the season and location as well as what you need to bring and what you should find abroad. If you will be spending winter months in most SRAS locations, luggage can quite easily become unwieldy, which can mean airline charges for […]

Some of our students report not feeling culture shock at all. Some are surprised by how much culture shock they experience. Often, those most affected are those who did not expect it. So how can you prepare to live in a new culture and get the most out of the experience? How do you prepare […]