Three stories of Georgians in New York: from moving to adaptation

There are many Georgians living in New York. Several of them have shared their stories and plans with the publication We project.

Mikhail Tsertsvadze - musician

Mikhail and his family members won green cards in 2017. Since then, they have been living in the United States.

“There were many reasons for moving. The most important is the difficulty of life in post-Soviet countries. We started all over again, but every year we come to Georgia, - says the immigrant. - There were many difficult moments before the move. It took a lot of money and energy to get all the documents and prepare for life in the United States. "

Considering that Mikhail knew English well, adaptation in the new country was easy. In the United States, he finished the last grade, but says that in comparison with education in Europe and Asia, everything was easier here.

“There are many things in the USA that are difficult to get used to at first. Some of them make sense, some don't, but you have to accept that, ”says Mikhail. - You don't need to be nervous when moving. There is nothing in the US that you cannot get along with. "

There are many Georgians living in the USA. For many years after the collapse of the USSR, people were looking for work and money, and for many, immigration was a good solution. No one dreamed of leaving Georgia, but everyone wanted to help families and build a future.

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“I live in the Brooklyn borough of New York. There are many Georgians, Russians and Ukrainians here. On Brighton Beach, all immigrants are from post-Soviet countries, so Russian is spoken here. I also know many families and friends from Georgia who live in other states, - Michael shares. - We meet with local Georgians on vacation in churches. In Brooklyn, they heard about Tbilisob, where almost ten thousand Georgians arrived. It's great when you see all these people with whom you have a lot in common. I miss Georgia. There is no country in the world that would replace my Motherland. "

Mikhail also shared his plans for the future - to become a good musician and learn how to produce, and later open his own studio.

Kate Gochashvili - restaurant owner

“I moved to New York five years ago. She opened a Georgian restaurant Cheeseboat in Brooklyn. We've been on a BBC cooking show, Insider and Times have written about us, ”Keith shares.

The main reason for the move was the study of the children. All three of Keith's daughters studied at American universities and now live in New York.

“The difficulty of immigration is changing the environment. But the United States is a comfortable environment where free people live. I feel confident here. The values ​​that the United States has in itself were close to me, so I easily adapted, ”says the immigrant.

She says that the success of her work is the merit of the children. The eldest daughter is a marketer by education, the son and youngest daughter are financiers - have created a convenient platform for business. Therefore, there were no difficulties associated with immigration.

“In Georgia, where I lived, the rhythm of life was slow. Fast in New York. Everything here needs to be planned in advance, as time literally flies by, "- share Keith.

She advises to learn English before moving, and although the country accepts immigrants with open arms, you still need to prepare.

She says that there are many Georgians living in New York and many come to her restaurant. Cheeseboat is popular with Americans. Therefore, Keith plans to open branches in the USA, Georgia and Kazakhstan.

Levan - musician

Levan has been living in the United States since 2014. After receiving his bachelor's degree from the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts, he received an invitation to study for a master's degree in Europe and in New York.

“European culture is closer to my identity. Most of the favorite philosophers, writers, composers or artists are Europeans. But today all roads no longer lead to Rome, Paris or Berlin, but to New York. It is a multicultural city and highly competitive. Large scale and challenges are pushing forward. That's why I chose New York, ”says the musician.

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“I sent my portfolio to one of the best Master of Fine Arts universities in the USA. Soon he received a scholarship from the New York Academy of Arts and a grant from the International Education Center. He became the first Georgian graduate of the Master's program at the New York Academy of Arts. Then he continued his artistic career in the United States, participating in events, art projects and exhibitions, continues Levan. - I am the first Georgian artist of the Brooklyn Museum, my works are exhibited along with Egon Schiele, Durer, Picasso and others.

The musician argues that it is impossible to describe the United States based only on life in New York. After all, this city is a separate world.

Levan also said that he was busy from the first day of his stay in the United States, so he did not really have time to get to know other Georgians, but he knows that there are many of them.

“I have several Georgian friends who graduated from the Juilliard School, New York, Columbia, Yale universities. They have good relations with the Consul General of Georgia in New York. They organize useful and interesting events for Georgians, ”says Levan.

The artist and musician says that he does not plan to sit in one place for a long time, because travel is necessary for a creative person.