Day 1 in Tbilisi: What to Expect When You Actually Get Here

When you wake up on your first full day in Tbilisi, you are going to realize very quickly that things work a bit differently here compared to Germany.

We spent our first Sunday exploring the city, trying new things, and walking around to get our bearings. Within just a few hours, we ran into some major culture shocks. If you are the next student packing your bags for this exchange, here is exactly what is going to surprise you on day one:

1. Supermarkets are actually open on Sunday

Coming from Germany, your automatic instinct on Sunday morning is going to be: "We have no food, and everything is closed."

Don’t panic. In Tbilisi, supermarkets are fully open on Sundays, and a lot of them are actually open 24/7. Walking into a busy grocery store on a Sunday morning felt so weird at first, but it is incredibly convenient when you've just moved into a new apartment.

2. Beer comes in 2-liter plastic bottles

When we went to check out the drinks aisle, we found a pretty hilarious surprise. Right next to the regular glass bottles, they sell local beer—and even imported German and Bavarian brands—in massive, 2-liter plastic bottles. It looks exactly like a giant bottle of Coca-Cola, but it’s actual beer. It's definitely the most practical way to buy for a group, but it looks very strange at first!

3. Cars that look completely wrecked still drive perfectly

The traffic and the cars here are an experience of their own. In Germany, a car needs to look perfect to be on the road. Here, you will see cars driving down the street completely missing their front bumpers, with massive dents in the doors, or looking like they survived a crash—and they just keep driving like nothing happened. The drivers are totally fearless and the cars are apparently invincible.

4. There are stray dogs everywhere (but they wear earrings)

We expected to see a lot of street cats, but Tbilisi is definitely a city of dogs. There are stray dogs everywhere—sleeping on the sidewalks, hanging out near shops, and wandering the parks.

But if you look closely, you'll see they all have a bright plastic tag on their ear. The city actually tracks, vaccinates, and neuters them. Because of that, they are incredibly calm and friendly. They are basically the city's community pets.

5. Trying fruits you can't get in Germany

We spent the rest of the day exploring the city and checking out the local fruit stalls. We tried a bunch of different fresh and dried fruits that you can never find in a normal German supermarket. Everything tastes way more intense and sweet here, and it's a great, cheap way to stock up your kitchen.

Advice for the next students: Don't stress too much about preparing for your first day. Tbilisi might seem a little chaotic at first glance, but it's super easy to navigate once you get out there. Go find a local market, watch out for the traffic, and enjoy your first day!