“I’m Tati. I moved to Poland from Georgia. I didn’t expect it to be such a developed country.”

Klaudia Kolasa, Gazeta.pl: How did you come to live in Poland?

Tati: My husband and I haven’t thought about moving to another country. We have been together for 6 years. It’s a happy marriage, we never lacked anything. One day he received a message on LinkedIn and a woman from Poland offered him a job. As part of the Poland Business Harbor program, the company was to cover all relocation costs and help with formalities. He assumed I wouldn’t agree to it, so he only replied: “Thank you for the offer, but I’m not interested.” Then, somewhere between words, he mentioned to me that he had received an offer. I immediately replied: “Cool, let’s move.”

So his assumption turned out to be completely wrong. I can imagine what his face was like…

He was shocked, but very happy! I was only afraid that he would move for work and I would be on my own. When he talked to the employer about it, they assured me that they would help with arranging the documents for me as well. Stone fell from my heart. We’re both terrible at paperwork. Fill this, fill that… it’s boring and exhausting. We got the visa within two weeks. Then I found out that people who want to move to Poland outside this program have to wait up to 8 months. It was very easy for us – technically. But when it comes to the emotional aspects of moving, that’s a different story.

A painting painted by Tati private archive

I’d love to hear from her.

In Georgia we lived in Tbilisi. Even though it is the capital and a city the size of Warsaw, I have spent my whole life there. I felt like I was in a small town there. Everyone knew each other, I always knew where to go, I never had to use maps or a translator. I had family and friends close to me.

We moved in December 2022. A lot of time has passed, but every day is still learning new things. It’s exhausting. Moreover, we assumed that we would return to Georgia once every two months, but as it happens in life… In the meantime, we bought a dog, so the possibility of using low-cost airlines was eliminated. Ultimately, we had to come to terms with the idea that we would return home once a year. We miss you.

I’m not surprised at all. Changing your place of residence means building everything from scratch – including friendship. Your husband had a chance to meet his colleagues at work, so it’s probably a bit easier for him.

Not at all! I am an extrovert, he is an introvert. He’s best at home with me. Going out and meeting strangers isn’t his style. When we moved here and didn’t know anyone yet, he was over the moon. “It’s great, no one bothers me. I don’t have to do anything all day long,” he said.

I love it when something happens. Two weeks ago I met a Georgian woman here who took drawing lessons with me when I was 16. I could not believe that. I saw her at the airport while I was waiting for my friends. I quickly checked the photo on Facebook and walked up to her with my phone in my hand: “Is that really you?” She was quite surprised. It turned out that we had very similar stories. She also moved a few years ago because her husband got a job. She doesn’t work, she’s also an artist.

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What was the hardest thing for you after moving?

The most frustrating thing was not knowing the language. I believe that when you move to a country, you must speak its language. This is your way of showing respect. When a foreigner can say “hello” in Georgian, we are very happy and grateful. The history of our country is sad because most of the time Russia tried to swallow us up. Besides, not only Russia invaded us, but all our neighbors. We were very keen to maintain a separate language, although most Georgians also know Russian and English. After Russia invaded Ukraine, we no longer speak Russian. As a protest. It seems to me that Poles have a similar approach. The language is just as important, that’s why I’m trying to learn it. I feel very embarrassed when I have to ask something in English.

I saw on social media that you paint. Is this your passion or job?

I have been drawing and painting since I could hold a pencil. Previously, I treated it as a hobby rather than a profession. I have a lot of talented artists around me who didn’t make it. I assumed it was better to do something practical and earn money. For 11 years I worked in companies related to marketing and public relations, I also tried my hand at Human Resources. But all this time I felt like I wasn’t myself. I wasn’t happy, I wasn’t interested. My 9-to-5 job was killing me.

A painting painted by Tati private archive

During the pandemic, I was responsible for organizing business trips in a government organization. It turned out that my position was no longer needed. I was still employed, but I had nothing to do. I started painting, just for myself. I didn’t show my paintings to anyone. Time passed and the situation at work did not change. I felt it wasn’t fair that I was getting money for nothing. I talked to my husband that I would like to resign. I was lucky that he supported my decision.

After moving, I had various ideas for a new job, but my husband suggested that I take up painting since that’s what I enjoy. He said, “Let’s buy everything you need and go. We’re not in Georgia anymore.” What he noted at the end is important – when you are an artist in Georgia, you need to reach a specific circle of people. If you succeed, you will be famous. If not, you will starve. It really is. We agreed that I’m collecting a portfolio for now. We’ll see what comes out. Most of my paintings are post-apocalyptic visions. They are dominated by dark colors, blue. I usually paint when I’m sad.

A painting painted by Tati Private archive

Blue dominated in Picasso’s work when he was suffering from depression.

Interesting that you say this. I have been in therapy for two years. Although making the decision to start treatment was not easy. I told myself that I could handle it on my own, that I was a strong and independent woman. #Women’s power and things like that. Except I woke up in the morning and felt like I wasn’t strong at all. That I need help.

Does therapy help?

It’s a very interesting journey. I feel a million times better. I got to know myself from a completely different side. Previous generations did not care about their mental health, then these problems accumulated and today we live in a different world. Our grandparents and parents grew up in the USSR. They didn’t have a normal life and they pretend that everything is fine. They were not allowed to talk about simple things. You weren’t allowed to hold hands while walking down the street, sex was taboo, periods were taboo. In fact, for some people in Georgia it still is. I know a girl who got her period and didn’t know what was happening because she never talked to her mother about it. It traumatized her greatly. People buy sanitary pads in black bags so that you can’t see what they are. It is sick.

I understand that sex education doesn’t exist in your country either?

Come on! I remember in the sixth grade, in biology class, we studied the chapter on the anatomy of men and women. My teacher skipped this part. I once got my period during class and asked the teacher if I could go to the bathroom. She told me to wait for a break. I don’t even know how to describe my frustration and discomfort at that moment. I guess it activated my mischievous nature. I stood up and said, “I’m on my period. I need to change my pad. I need to go to the bathroom.” She started shouting that I had to leave the classroom immediately. This is the fate of a woman in Georgia. Unfortunately, patriarchy dominates. Women are treated as second-class citizens. They often experience domestic violence. They are stigmatized for having an abortion. Or for premarital sex. This often happens in gynecologists’ offices.

I remember my first visit. First question: “Are you married?” I was not. Then: “Are you sexually active?” I said, “Yes.” The doctor looked at me with such disgust that I left.

Unfortunately, I also heard similar stories among Polish women. This is not okay…

This is unacceptable.

Let’s get back to your move. You probably had some idea about Poland when you lived in Georgia. Did anything surprise you after moving?

First of all, how Poland was rebuilt after the war and after everything it had gone through. I didn’t expect it to be such a developed country. We have a similar history and Georgians keep saying that Georgia is rising from the ashes. Shit true. Warsaw is a modern city that has managed to leave the past behind and move forward. There is a lot of order on the streets here, you segregate garbage. It’s great! When we were looking for an apartment, people apologized to us for not having air conditioning. I was surprised why. After all, it’s not so hot in Poland that we need air conditioning. Moreover, you have excellent communication skills. You can get to every corner of the city without a car. It was impossible to live in Tbilisi without a car. It also amuses me that taxi drivers in Poland always complain about traffic jams. Seriously, you haven’t been to Tbilisi. I haven’t seen traffic jams in Warsaw yet. In Georgia, if there are traffic jams, you are 3 hours late for your meeting. You have to have a full tank or you’ll end up stranded in the middle of the road. Moreover, the pace of life is slower.

Image 4 private archive

Really? It seemed to me that we were constantly on the run.

In Georgia, everything has to be done yesterday. Here’s the scene at the office: You’re going to get a PESEL number. Your turn comes, you go to the window. The lady lazily asks what is needed. You talk fast. He nods, then calmly hands you the form. You fill it out in a hurry and hand it over. The lady looks, observes, analyzes. He hands this form back to you and asks if you could fill out one more box. We were shocked that it could be done calmly and slowly. Of course, there are two sides to it, because today we were standing in a queue at the office with 10 people in it. After 3 hours of waiting, it was our turn. Before the pandemic, I worked alone in an office in Georgia. I saw how many people could be served in 3 hours. Hundreds!

Moreover, I was surprised by the prices. It’s terribly cheap. When we shop here for a week, we spend PLN 300-350. You wouldn’t survive a week in Georgia. There we spend about PLN 700 on weekly shopping. Even in chain stores, when you buy clothes, it is much cheaper. For PLN 500 I can buy several styles. In Georgia, maximum one. And the salaries are much lower. But if someone complains, they get an ultimatum: Go somewhere else. When I worked full-time in a PR agency, I earned PLN 2,500.

Cheaply?! Most of us are terrified of prices in stores.

A friend of mine told me about it. It’s hard to believe.

Is Poland a plan for a moment or for the rest of your life?

We like living in Poland, and my husband has a contract for an indefinite period. I think it’s possible. But I try not to plan for the future. I would like each day to be a surprise for me. I don’t know what I’ll be doing next year or if I’ll be here next year. Life with plans is boring. I always tried to keep everything organized, but I unlearned it during therapy. My therapist explained to me that sometimes surprises are good.