Being Georgian, Part II: Displacement, Culture, and Finding Home

My connection to my Georgian heritage became even more important after my family moved from New York to Miami. In New York, I had Georgian friends and family around me, and I had a Georgian dance community. In Miami, I haven’t been able to find the same community or a place to continue Georgian dance. I still try to dance on my own, but being away from that community made me realize how much it had helped me feel connected to my culture. It also made me understand how much the people around us can shape our sense of belonging.

My family’s history has made that feeling of belonging even more complicated. My family was forced to leave Georgia because of the war with Russia and lost everything they had. Hearing about what my family went through has taught me that sometimes you have to start over without knowing what comes next. At the same time, they showed me that starting from scratch doesn’t mean giving up. You can build a new life while still carrying the parts of your old one.

I don’t feel completely rooted in New York, Miami, or even Georgia. Instead, I feel most at home when I am around Georgian people, speaking our language, eating our food, listening to our music, or dancing. I hope that when people hear that I’m Georgian, they become curious about the country and its history instead of only thinking of the state. Coming from a place that many people don’t know much about has made me appreciate my culture even more and has made me want to share it with others.