A country like Georgia, so remote and unfamiliar to many, was a destination I’d dreamt of traveling to for years ever since I read a blurb about its culture and history in a generic “World” coffee table book. It goes without saying that I jumped at the opportunity to teach for 5 months in the country. The opportunity came through TLG, a government funded program, relayed through a friend. Knowing I could work remotely at the same time due to low teaching hours, I took the chance of a lifetime.

To those unfamiliar with the country, it’s a place jam packed with ancient history, strong nationalism, and a knack for friendliness and safety. Needless to say, it’s a landscape photographer’s dream allowing for unique content and something a bit different from the average photographer’s shots of Europe in their portfolio.

Without further adieu, here is just some of the magnificent beauty I was lucky enough to see.

Here are a few fast facts:

• Georgia is the birthplace of wine, dating back almost 7,000 years ago
• Georgians have their own, unique language and alphabet (ლამაზი!)
• Georgia is argued to be one of the first Christian nations
• The country is slightly smaller than South Carolina with around 4.5 million people
• Almost 85% of people practice Georgian Orthodox
• Georgia has a pleasant Mediterranean-type climate due to its latitudinal location along the Black Sea