Tbilisi: hiking, wine tasting and Khachapuri5 min read

Tbilisi: hiking, wine tasting and Khachapuri5 min read

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Hi Candy, tell us a little bit about yourself and your lifestyle?

I’m a coffe-a-holic! Love a good dark chocolate and americano cafe’. Enjoy getting lost and wandering alleyways and side-streets with my camera. Engaging with the locals, wherever I go excites me. I like to visit off-the-beaten-path type places, explore local food, art, music, street art, and craftsmanship. I enjoy seeing the pride in the faces of the simplest craftsmen (shoe repair?) when I get excited to watch them work and ask to take photos. 

I’ve traveled for the better part of 20+ years. First in the USA as a travel nurse (doing contract work for 3-6 months at a time); all over the nation, then more recently working as online while traveling the world.  I recently settled down, here in Tbilisi Georgia in May 2019.  I had a successful exit from my first try at entrepreneurship with an online business and now I’m giving it a try with a brick and mortar business. 

Can you tell us a bit more about Lokal Tbilisi?

LOKAL is the only CoWork and CoLive in Tbilisi Georgia (the country). Our mission is to provide professional class lodging and programming for nomadic professionals that facilitates personal and professional relationships, collaboration and success. 

We hosted our first guests in December 2019.  Since then, we’ve created a strong community of Georgians and travelers alike, bringing people together through community events, coworking, and professional development activities. 

To date we’ve hosted people from 27 countries, including Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Estonia, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, Turkey, Turkmenistan, the UAE, the UK, the USA, and Vietnam. 

What do you like the most about living in Tbilisi?

There are so many amazing aspects to Tbilisi that make it a desirable place to live.  First, the food is delicious!  Khachapuri (bread with cheese or other filling) or lobiani (bread filled with beans and/or sometimes ham) are a few of our favorite go-tos. Second, Tbilisi has all the conveniences of a major city, but the luxury of being surrounded by gorgeous nature.  Whatever your passion is, Tbilisi fits the bill: there’s opera, theater, cultural performances, camping, hiking, rock-climbing, wine tasting, and more.  You name it, and you can find it in Georgia!  Plus, with mild winters, nearby skiing, and twice the holiday celebrations, Georgia is an exciting place to be all year long.  

From a logistical standpoint, Georgia has one of the world’s most flexible visas, allowing 360-day stays for citizens from dozens of countries.  Tbilisi’s low cost of living and accessible internet (SIM card data plans are less than $1 per Gigabyte!) add to the appeal, as well.  And, because of Georgia’s central location, travelers can make their “home base” in Tbilisi and travel back and forth to popular tourist destinations in Western Europe or the Middle East.  

What do you like the most about your job?

I am a self-proclaimed connector. I love connecting the right people with the right people, the right job, the right resources, etc. My passion is in building community. LOKAL allows me to use these skills on a daily basis. 

And what are the downsides of it (in case there are any)? 

In addition to being a connector, I’m also a perfectionist and work-a-holic! Owning your own business is serious work. The biggest downside for me is trying to remember to take time out and not work 24/7. 

Can you tell us what is your biggest dream?

I searched all over the world to find a space to create a cowork/colive. Having finally found it, I would say that I’m currently living my biggest dream, right now!!

In case you have a motto, could you share it with us?

I can’t say that I have a motto, but there are a few thoughts that get me through some of the difficult times and keep me moving forward: 

“Launch before you’re ready” this has been such a great inspirational quote. Being a perfectionist, without telling myself that this is ok, I’m not certain I would have ever launched. This not only goes for the BIG launch; but also all of the little things on a daily basis. 

“Burnout is inevitable if you don’t set boundaries” I’m constantly working on this. I have a great mentor (@SimplyHudson) that is an integral part of helping me remember and apply this to my day to day tasks. 

Could you share with us the names of two inspiring digital nomads that you are following?

@simplyhudsonco Inspires me every day. Nicole recently launched her consulting business and as a customer, she has been very influential to the progress that I’ve made with LOKAL (and in my own personal life). 

@specifically.random runs an amazing and successful tax business @nomadtax and continues to enjoy life everyday. Krystal serves as a great reminder that it’s not all about work. 

You can book your stay at Lokal Tbilisi HERE!