GRUZJA - Culture Smart! przewodnik KUPERARD

GRUZJA - Culture Smart!

przewodnik brytyjskiego wydawnictwa KUPERARD

Georgians often compare their country to Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and transitions, who looks in different directions with two faces. They say that sandwiched between Europe and Asia, Georgia has the best of both – East and West.

The Georgian attitude toward office work can be very laid-back by Western standards. Tbilisi gears up late in the morning and life officially starts at ten – until then most shops and offices are closed. In summer it gets very hot and the city grinds to a halt, with most middle-class Georgians commuting to work from their vacation homes. They will come to the office later and leave earlier. During this time you could receive an out of office reply to an important email saying ‘sorry, might take some time to reply, it’s August.’

The political turmoil following Georgia’s independence had a catastrophic effect on the country’s economy. By the end of 1996 Georgia’s economy had shrunk to around one third of its size in 1989. Today economic activity is based largely on agricultural products, the mining of manganese and copper and a small industrial sector with tourism becoming increasingly important. On the positive side, The World Bank has recognized Georgia as one of the world’s fastest-reforming economies and ranked it in the same tier as countries such as Australia, Norway and Japan.

Culture Smart! Georgia is a concise guide to understanding the Georgian people, with illuminating insights into their national identity. Familiarise yourself with their customs, traditions and culture and experience Georgia authentically.