Negatives of Georgia (country) - What we didn't like.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

So now you know what we didn't like. My wife has the bite marks as a memento. Don't forget to checkout the positives video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYG6ommGpKt8isk

[@tengiz2366]

You’re absolutely right and I cannot understand why the government doesn’t do anything to address these issues. Please call city hall and tell them. They must react. Everyone is sick and tired of this government.

[@junctionfilms6348]

90% of the dogs are placid and calm. They are tagged because they are neutered and injected to prevent disease, neutering makes them less territorial. I lost count of the dogs I made friends with in my neighbourhood and all the expats do the same, as well as locals, taking them on walks and so on. They are more like community dogs. They have a good program for taking care of the street dogs and to remain scared of dogs, is not reality of how aggressive they are. All dogs are tagged in the big cities. I think Georgia has more pressing problems to deal with to be honest, alongside issues such as customer service, you have to consider that this is a country only recently pulling itself from many problems. Also, there is a southern European culture. The driving, I've encountered worse in southern France, parts of Italy and so on. I met much more aggressive wild dogs in rural France and Spain. Ordering in Georgia is not hard if you learn a few words. I found many places say 'hello' also, the comparison that Britain is fully of happy smiley faces in customer service is totally erroneous. There are plenty of fed people in customer service. Not to be funny, to expect a western culture and 'service' in the furthest possibly you can go south east in Europe, is pretty naive and sounds a little spoilt !

[@martinwatts952]

I heartily agree with all you say, having lived here on and off for 3 years.... the driving is atrocious... I drove here when I first came, but taxis are cheap, and I would rather have someone else's car bashed than mine.... dogs are a problem, but in some parts of Tbilisi there are less... I have an apartment in Saburtalo, which has these dog packs, but they are limited to less in numbers.... shops are unfriendly in the main, and few speak English, many more speak Russian... food is generally very good, but with many spicy options, I find it too much sometimes for my stomach. We all niggle, and there are not too many, but the proximity of Russia makes me wonder how long this country will be free of invasion, after the short war in 2008, as the current government seems to be in sympathy with Russia, not the USA and EU. Like all countries, there are problems, but I tend to stay in when later, as indeed in the UK.... having said that, there are more positives than negatives, and if Georgia follows the Western route, it could reallt take off here... but yes, dogs and driving, both are a major problem...

[@Sajaia92]

I agree with everything here except one, that 10% charge is not for the tips, it's service charge, or tax, some restaurants have all of that included with in the price but some prefer to separate, but that 10% certainly doesn't go into the waiters pocket, so if you want to leave the tips, you have to leave it as well as that 10% of the extra charge. I am Georgian and used to work in a lot of Georgian restaurants and Hotels, so I know for sure that this is the case with that 10% extra. Some Georgians also believe that it goes into the tip box but it doesn't

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

@@Sajaia92 It's a shame that the waiters don't get it.

[@sasazapadnik9335]

As someone who lives in the "West" yet is of "East" origin, let me state my opinion on a few things you addressed: - "peach vs coconut" is a theory about how Western people (Americans & Brits) are very friendly [soft] on the outside but usually arrest the relationship to avoid intimacy or friendship [hard on the inside, like a peach] whereas Georgians and French are "hard" on the outside [like a coconut] but with invested time and energy it turns into a very loving, soft relationship. - Georgians (and many Eastern Europeans) are "crazy" drivers, but doesn't mean they are bad. In Eastern Europe, you'll notice slow traffic stays on the right side. People know how to use roundabouts and fight their way into intersections. Drivers are very perceptive when it comes to "obstacles" in road (pedestrians, bicyclists, parked cars, unloading trucks, etc.) and will instantly drive around them without stopping. In the U.S.A., people block the fast lane, are useless at roundabouts, become flustered/hesitant when there are obstacles in the road, and constantly hit potholes. So yes, Western drivers "stay in their lane" but it doesn't make them more skilled. - Truly I empathize with your food allergies, but Georgian ancestors have been living off of wine (fructose), dairy (lactose) and grains (gluten) for thousands of years with high life expectancy. Problem is the modern diet, especially Western, is not balanced and is laden with processed and refined "food", damaging the gut, creating food sensitivities and autoimmune disease. - The stray dogs are always an issue in Eastern Europe, but if you grew up there you know how to fight them, and while I have seen dog sh*t here and there, its never been too overbearing in my opinion...

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

I understand what you are saying. I'm from England but have spent most of the last 6 years living in Ukraine and Georgia. Ukrainian drivers are much better than Georgian ones. My wife says people in the UK seem too false, and that people in Eastern Europe are more honest and won't be nice to you unless they actually like you. Good point about allergies, we eat so much processed crap in the UK that our bodies can no longer tolerate it. :(

[@sahilgujral]

No dude. Almost no one in Tbilisi knows how to drive safely -- and you couldn't do it consistently there even if you wanted to. The number of almost fatal accidents I've witnessed on almost a daily basis is worse than anything I've seen in India or Africa. Also Georgians as a culture have almost no concept of basic hygiene or skilled installation of plumbing or electricity. The former is surely one reason why Covid deaths per capita are now among the highest in the world despite all the open space. Gaslighting doesn't solve problems. And it doesn't help countries improve.

[@sahilgujral]

Tony is absolutely right with the Ukraine comparison. Leaving Georgia for Ukraine sometimes feels like leaving a slum for The Four Seasons. Sadly. I think Sakashvili wrote somewhere that his greatest regret was not improving the state of Georgian universal education while President, and I really hope the country manages to do this in the future. Most Tbilisians speak very good English but are otherwise profoundly rude, racist, and uncultured people. Smaller cities like Kutaisi are a bit better.

[@ziro9122]

I mostly agree with what you wrote...just one thing ehm no...stray dogs are not always in Eastern Europe. Im from Slovakia and there arent stray dogs nor in Czech republic or Poland. Occasionaly you see one but if it isnt tagged they are immediately caught by municipal police, brought to shelter etc.

[@mariamkhachidze3331]

Leave stray dogs alone. Most of them sterilized and given anti rabies vaccine. As a resut they are calm and friendly.

[@Qartveli84]

As a Georgian I approve these negatives. Spot on mate and hope you come back in the future.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

I hope so too. There are still lots of places I would like to visit.

[@user-pj3ow5lm8p]

Hii Does international black sea University ( ibsu ) a better university for bachelor's degree in computer science Or for any course does ibsu a good choice to study ? Please reply if have seen this message. 🙏🏻 Humble request 🙏🏻

[@Tinamaria2114]

I am a Georgian with gluten intolerance and I have hard time finding gluten-free products here, so every time i visit western countries I always bring some products home.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

I hope there will be more choice for you in the future.

[@rosyanil948]

Ma'am does amazon ship to Georgia tiblisi?

[@Tinamaria2114]

@@rosyanil948 Yes, it does. I have never ordered anything from Amazon to Georgia, but people around me do it all the time. And, i think, some also use service “USA to Georgia” for shipment of different items.

[@rosyanil948]

@@Tinamaria2114 thnx a lot 🙏☺️

[@iuriegiazarov7960]

it would not be a bad idea to start a European products shipment to Georgia business, get all the latest technologies and open up a door for future opportunities

[@mcmaltaeurope4777]

Sadly I was Robbed during lunch hours near McDonald's in Batumi Georgia by group of kids they attack like professional and so quickly and unexpected and Dispite we were Screaming for help NO BODY HELPED I was told by several other people the same happened to them So Sad

[@vd2613]

they are called ,,tsigans,, or gypsy people ,nobody wants to have problem with them,even police,because they cant legally arrest them. next time shout at them and be aggressive they will understand the situation and will go for someone else

[@maximumsdecimusceckhladze3173]

I worked in supermarket and piting on a smile is hard when you are getting payed 120$usd a month

[@--calliope]

I live in Georgia and one time, three dog's followed me to my house. They didnt bite me but i was scared a sh*t. The dogs started to figth and whould have biten me if a kind old man didnt save me. I wanna thank whoever the old man was for saving my live form being almost biten🙂

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Glad you were ok.

[@AleksandreMzhavia]

As a Georgian I completely agree with most of it, I find most of this also bizarre. Taxi service is made a little better by using "Bolt" application... those drivers are still sometimes crazy, but not Georgian driver krazy... Electronics? - Amazon, Ebay via USA2Georgia, there is no other way, unless shopping for Home electronics like a Fridge or TVs (For these there are atually may decent shops like "Alta" or "Elite Electronics" or "MetroMart"). PC parts, Laptops? - Those are much better imported with a "delicious" 18% of import tax... xD

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Indeed! We all love a bit of delicious 18% import tax!

[@bibiguruli1832]

Very accurate and honest review of our drawbacks. As a Georgian I agree with you. We have to improve in many areas. Employees not being friendly drives me crazy as well.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Thanks for watching. Georgia is still a wonderful place though

[@mtanyctrainatlantamartatra7164]

Employees in the USA state of Georgia are no better, their rude, as well the USA almost as a whole.

[@vadimzdonutube]

Having been to Georgia recently, this is spot on. It was insane seeing the way drivers behaved, driving over 100 kph and bypassing other vehicles on a regular basis. While the stray dogs didn’t bite me it was quite sad seeing them everywhere, they followed me around, thinking I could feed them.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Yeah! Those drivers are mental!

[@davidgogol3984]

And you should! Nothing wrong to take care of dogs - we Georgians doing that and not waiting for a “special” people:))) hahaha 🤣

[@leonardfrasco3856]

Sounds like the driver in Ukraine The more expensive the car Drive like crazy very dangerous

[@noisemen1767]

don't worry evary neighborhood feeds the dogs and alot of the stores that aren't world wide feed them things that re going to waste

[@something2941]

yep

[@kosasigwalo1895]

from where I live, we also have a lot of stray dogs. most of them are flea ridden with scabs(yummy). they're usually either passive or afraid of you at daylight, but at night, they can be really protective and aggressive so be careful around them. don't show them your fear, and don't ever panic, or they will really go after you. I usually pretend I'm gonna pick a stone, and they suddenly back out a bit. keep at it until you're far away from their turf. or carry a baton... intimidation tactics don't work well when they're in packs. stay safe, and always watch your step :D

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Where do you live?

[@alduin8488]

Im a native georgian and currently still live here. I probably agree with you on everything except for the service complaints. I personally hate overbearing costumer service, especially after experiencing it abroad, i dearly missed the more casual style of georgian service. I go into a store, get what i want and just buy it without the hassle of making smalltalk or having to deal with people trying to sell me more things. I go into a cafe or a resteraunt, order what i want and i never have to deal with them until i leave. I don't care if they're smiling or im smiling or whatever, i know what i want, i get it and jobs finished. I guess it's just a difference in culture.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

I guess it's what I was use to in Britain. Although, I get what you mean. When I visit the UK now, I do find people a bit too friendly.

[@mrnothing444]

(I am using Google translate) I agree with what you were talking about 100 percent , these problems must be solved, that is why we are a "developing" country. I want to give you a little info about Georgian drivers. In the 1980s, as you know there was militcia, quite corruped, so people were buying a driver's license, the government tried to fix this problem by: driving licenses taken before 1990, were not considered as valid, although now modern drivers are better off on the roads. Thanks for talking about these problems. Sincerely, Luke.

[@mrnothing444]

Great video BTW and i am sorry about your wife :((

[@tklinguaveterinaryenglish]

@@mrnothing444 thank you Luke :) I'm fine now.

[@Tellytuber-r6x]

Very honorable to acknowledge it sir.

[@Tellytuber-r6x]

@@mrnothing444 I was in khada valley and got attacked by three dogs. In the end picket up a stick and belted them, they were jumping at my snapping. Also in Stepantsminda hospital was visiting, and a chinese lady came in heavy gouged. It was awful

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Thanks for your comment Luke. I hope that as Georgia develops, the driving will improve :)

[@yousefalkalidi4975]

Hi: I know that this video is two years old, but I'm getting ready to head to Georgia in a few weeks and I needed to verify one thing. You mentioned that you had to go through hoops to order some electronics from the US back then. Are their any types of restrictions in Georgia on ordering electronics from abroaad such as excessive tarifs? Thank for your informative video.

[@temukaxd2037]

You're spot on with the allergies and stuff like that. I'm a Georgian myself so every time I'd go to my village my grandmother would get very upset when I couldn't eat her food. Especially tomatoes and other vegetables because she grew it in her garden. Btw I've never been bitten by a dog even tho I had contact with em.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Yeah I think maybe my wife was just unlucky with the dog.

[@nbogdann]

Don't forget about being a taxi magnet as tourist. When they realise you're a tourist, they come to you asking if you need a taxi. Sometimes they even pull up to you to ask.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

That's a very good point. I forgot to mention that. They are like flies on shit.

[@God_is_Justice]

I appreciate you as a Georgian man. Right on.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Thank you

[@aifutureknowledge]

As a native Georgian, yes this is very true. agree 100%

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Thank you for watching. I still love your country :)

[@davitizivzivadze6396]

Georgian here. Couldn't agree more. It's strange how many of these cons I've slept on until I moved to States and went back. Now that I bring some of my friends from Europe and States to Georgia, they always mention this points and I try to prepare them for it and be ready for the possible "surprises" to make their stay as great as possible knowing how much good the country has to offer. Also, I think it's worth of mentioning that I go back to Georgia once a year and unfortunately, I don't see anything being improved but opposite.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Indeed. Georgia is a wonderful place, but the gov needs to step up and make it better for the people. I hope they can do this at some point.

[@jakenake3401]

@@TonyGoesGlobal No my friend, people are stupid here at least 80-85% of them, they don't deserve good life, did you see what they did recently ? burned UN flag... and someone should give them better life ?

[@BH-gh6qm]

Wife and I have spent the last 6 weeks in Tbilisi and we cant agree more with all of your cons of Georgia so far. Highly recommend to future tourist to not spend a lot of time in Tbilisi and instead go out into the countryside. Kazbegi was great. Heading to Batumi for a month next !

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Awesome! Have a great time in Batumi. Beautiful city.

[@ZsmovRevenge]

For me Tbilisi, it's the worst cities that have been there

[@gohere5416]

Im from rich arabian country and i agree with Mr / Tony . Georgia by the way was the worst country i have ever visited . They need at least 50 years to become a modern !.

[@ZsmovRevenge]

Also to me, the worst country I saw

[@nickhollow]

Georgia defenetly is not modern enough but it also DEFENETLY AINT 50 YEARS BEHIND. Not to mention you live in a rich arabic country what do you expect? It is about standards. Thing is that if you visit georgis you gotta visit parts of it that are actually good. Also georgian echonomy is starting to improve and I have seen many of the issues getting better. Honestly kinda happens for many post soviet countries that were "protected from russia" by some countries.

[@AngloSaks666]

2:30 'We love you, but you can't drive'. We are always brutally truthful to those we love in trying to help them fix any shortcomings that may be holding them back.

[@JS-re7ne]

Seeing the Georgian people in the comments makes me want to go to Georgia even more! No one getting pissy and pretending like the country is perfect, which obviously NO country is! Georgian people seem awesome!

[@karanvarma4843]

Literal rednecks so you will fit in very well

[@_jen_z_]

One thing to note regarding customer service is that, though you pay a 20% tip, usually it does not go to the waiter/waitress.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Yeah it’s annoying. It’s the same problem in the U.K.

[@SvanTowerMan]

They need a Gordon Ramsay equivalent.

[@SvanTowerMan]

If you think the driving in Georgia is bad, you should've seen my driving the first time I drove home from work by myself! I went the wrong way down a one-way street (thankfully there was no one coming), and my mistakes added up as my disorientation increased. I failed to stop at stop signs, forgot to put on my turn signal, and in general just acted like a crazy driver. It's a good thing that there were no cops around or they would've stopped me in a heartbeat! Maybe drivers in Georgia are all new?

[@eljefe9738]

Ive been in NYC where man has dollar sign in his eyes when he greets you in. Georgian people have more pride and dont really care for tips they just want respect generally speaking, of course there are some Americanised minds here as well..

[@rollingwave2732]

I am going to Tbilisi in two weeks time and I have been looking forward to seeing the stray dogs. Apparently they are looked after - fed, neutered, flead. I think it is a better way of keeping dogs. Dogs don’t like to be stuck at home all day by themselves while their owners go out to work. They are pack animals. For me this system reaches back to when wolves became dogs by living around the outskirts of the village. Also you can just get friendly with a neighbourhood dog rather than owning one and having to take full responsibility and not being able to travel for extended periods.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Not all of them are fed. You will see skinny, malnourished, sad dogs too. People like to feed the cute ones.

[@kippsguitar6539]

Ridiculous

[@MsBlonde0000]

This the dumbest thing I've read

[@whiskeybluez]

stray dogs are never good mate

[@rollingwave2732]

@@whiskeybluez I’ve just come back from Tbilisi. They are worth seeing. Like communal pets. Well looked after and loved. Verging on the fat rather than the thin! It was a completely different experience of stray dogs. They are leading their own lives happily.

[@traveldiarieswithadi496]

Apart from what you have shown here, in my opinion the biggest negative of Georgia is street beggers. I was really surprise to see them coming inside the restaurants and hotels for selling flowers or asking for money. The experience started right from the time I arrived at the airport. While i understand that Georgia is a poor country, however the street beggars really put a dampener to your trip when they approach you and kind of clings to you demanding food or money.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Good point. They are pain the arse.

[@steafandubhuidhe]

All of the evidence points to a "begging mafia". I've read stories of people held as slaves in Georgia and forced to beg. I've also seen vans bring beggars to their "stations" in the morning and take them away in the evening. They seem to be assigned locations and can be seen every day at this places. There is another phenomenon of beggars entering apartment buildings and knocking on everyone's doors - one by one. For a foreigner that cannot speak Georgia, this is not a pleasant experience. Also, during a pandemic, this is madness.

[@hifromanne]

Yes, we experienced beggars in the form of kids who would surround us and in a very hostile way try to rob us or get money from us, we saw them attack grown men while looking for money, if you stand out they will come after you! No one ever tried to help us in these situations, not even the hotel staff who were watching the situation unfold.

[@worldtraveler2020]

I used to live in 6 countries and have seen more beggars in Mumbai, Berlin and New York, than in Georgia. Germany and US are not 'poor'.

[@traveldiarieswithadi496]

@@worldtraveler2020 Yes beggers are everywhere in the world but they don't come inside the restaurants or even hotel premises. The surprising part was none of the restaurant or hotel staff objected to it. i spoke to my local georgian friends and they said its normal there

[@sophieblack8864]

Dear Tony, I was born and lived in Georgia for 35 yers. I left in the mid 90s and have been living in the US for 26 years. As someone who learned how to drive in the US and have been driving for over 20 years, I cannot imagine getting behind the wheel in Georgia. I will probably end up in an accident within 5 min for driving "differently"...Another Huge negative that I find very disturbing: cars don't give way to pedestrians! During my visit about 5 years ago I was walking in Saburtalo part of Tbilisi, near place called "Ipodromi". Unfortunately, in some parts of that road there were no pedestrian walkways and I was forced to cross the street a few times. I was shocked to see that not a single car would slow down and all the drivers, men/women were honking and cursing at me...and this is called a civilized nation! What about people who cannot rush, who are elderly or disabled? I think this is a deeply embarrassing thing overall and this has to change. I am sorry that your wife ended up being bitten by a stray dog! There were always plenty of stray dogs and cats in Georgian cities and my association with it is that in the 90s, during the extreme economic devastation when we were hungry and had 1-2 hours of electricity a day, those stray dogs and cats strangely disappeared...most likely eaten by people who had very little food...I really appreciate that you are describing negatives of Georgia with kindness and respect. I also appreciate kind responses by Georgians viewers. There is an ancient tradition that is deeply ingrained in Georgian's psyche: "Guest is a gift from God" and I hope that most of the times your experiences were positive...And it's not a great place for gluten free, dairy intolerant, etc. people. I think it can be fixed but will require a more systematic approach.

[@mtanyctrainatlantamartatra7164]

I never been to eastern hemisphere, I would love to see the country Georgia, only been to the state Georgia.

[@mtanyctrainatlantamartatra7164]

And yes the USA state of Georgia are one of the worse drivers along with my city of NYC, horrible drivers to.

[@kadyrov3218]

It's extremely difficult to deal with the problem of dogs. Georgia is a part of the Eurasian Continent. If all the stray dogs of Georgia were shot, it wouldn't be too long before dogs from elsewhere would come in and breed. Look at the wild dog problem in Australia for example.

[@alameri563]

Very true, the drivers are worse. And the service is very bad where ever you go, if you go to bank they think as if they are giving you money, if you go to restaurant they think they are giving you food. And nowadays the curruption is very high, the power is just belongs to the people who have money.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Hopefully things will keep improving there.

[@atomicvagrant2442]

You described Albania Perfectly, especially the dogs and insane driving.

[@mshvidogio]

Albanians lived in Caucasus next to Georgia long time ago, may be that explains))))

[@kippsguitar6539]

Very few stray dogs in tirana when I was there

[@jakenake3401]

I am Georgian, wealthy person but don't drive myself, I have driver because people are crazy on the roads they have nothing to lose

[@oddhuman3315]

In georgia stray dogs are friendly but sometimes there not we have a dog in the front of our ampartment and we have a dog he plays with other stray dogs but he attacks people that he thinks that are trying to like hurt us and we always have to stop him

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Yeah some are friendly, but others a bit territorial I guess.

[@yeastandgrapes]

I am very sorry about the accident with your wife in Sighnaghi. Unfortunately, the dogs in the villages are sometimes aggressive, often because they are hungry or maybe rabid. But despite this, I would be very sad if they disappeared one day. I really love Georgian stray dogs and, fortunately, have always found kind ones. In Soviet times, stray dogs were very aggressive, as people treated them very badly and aggressively, so they defended themselves. Now the situation has radically changed in relation to cats (many Soviet people did not tolerate them for some unknown reason) and all animals. When I travel around Europe, I miss stray dogs. All animals live like humans). They seem to go to work and also pay taxes)). As for the georgian service, I would advise you to compare their salary with the British one, and you will understand the reason. Also working conditions and so on. I also do not like the service here in most restaurants, but I force myself to remember how it was 5-10 years ago and it passes and gives hope). I would say that the services in western and eastern Georgia are completely different. Of course the east is much better, but it's a matter of climate, I think). I know all these problems well, but we are learning and improving as we are still a young country. I absolutely agree with your statements about Georgian drivers. Yes, we have a huge mess on the roads. We are always in a hurry, but when we arrive we are the most relaxed in the world. This is the only thing that we do not improve))

[@Diongreco]

There many other things that Georgians don't try to improve but obviously this guy hasn't lived long enough there to understand all the nuances of georgian mentality.

[@mallukittens177]

@@Diongreco can you explain?

[@jcnobels]

I am Dutch and live in Georgia for 5 years but never experienced such kind of dog you spoke about they barking but you must keep them on distance and in case you know how to speak with them then they are more scarred from you then you need to be from them. Concerning the shops I am very agree with this point and I have in Georgia only foreigners from several countries who are our friends but it's complecated to be friend with Georgians the only way is to go to a other city and the hotel where you stay you can have a nice talk with the staff!

[@davittofuria9774]

As a Georgian agree in many point expect for customer service that is not about our mentality that's because of low salary and low standard of life as a British and western cityzen u might don't understand this but unfortunately that's reality but anyway hope u had a great time here ! 🇬🇪

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

We loved our time in Georgia, and would like to return sometime. Beautiful country.

[@gooba2390]

I’m from Mexico, sounds very similar so I’m hype

[@MasterCommander.]

IF GEORGIA WANTS TO BECOME PART OF THE WESTERN WORLD THE QUICKEST WAY , ALL THAT GEORGIA HAS TO DO IS TO RECEIVE A SIGNED ASSURANCE FROM THE USA that if Georgia adopts and implement the American Georgia State Constitution to be part of the American Georgia State, and implement English as official State language starting with the next generation of children, and the USA to sign such insurance if the European Georgia implements it to become part of the United States of America's Georgia State.

[@fjorddenierbear4832]

Haha, love the idea

[@DANIEL-bl9dp]

Also next time you see dogs running towards you just don't run, walk very slowly and trust me they won't bite, they will just burk doesn't matter how scary a dog seems it works

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

My wife didn't run. The dog was just very aggressive, and attacked her.

[@DANIEL-bl9dp]

@@TonyGoesGlobal too bad, i guess I'm lucky enough

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

@@DANIEL-bl9dp I expect that particular dog was either hungry or maybe had been mistreated.

[@ZstationZ]

Totally agree with someone who is a native in tbilisi. its definatly a problem of so many dogs and their presents. i grew up terrified of dogs because one bit me when i was very young. so i lived in constant fear at the time. at night all you can hear are dogs barking at cars driving by and at each other.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

They like chasing cyclists too :)

[@Tellytuber-r6x]

Totally agree dogs and driving. I've been reversed into on a crossing, and a bag knocked out my hand on a crossing also, by nutter driving through crossing. Also - Friendly people, but strange at the same time. Someone opened a car door and hit me, builders in the street pulled a cable as I was stepping over it and tripped me up fell on the ground, people turn and bash into me, someone dropped groceries and I picked it up for them, not a single acknowledgement or thank you or apology. Lack of human interaction skills. Also hotels. Not all, but even some up-market ones have issues. Most common - No hot water, no WiFi or temperamental , no housekeeping, charging for lifts (especially in aparthotels), and very rare that TV works. Finally Noise. Crazily addicted to noise. Whether it is driving, music while driving ,restaurants music (always boom, boom,boom, boom and not just loud, freakin deafening), cell phones, beeping, neighbors , shouting, laughing 2am, dogs barking all through the night doesn't seem to bother them, but you're right, good to talk about negatives also :-)

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

The charging for lifts thing was a bit strange. I had never seen that before. Pain in the arse to find the right coins too. Noise is a good point. There is construction going on everywhere. Inside, outside... bang bang bang.

[@mrnothing444]

Let me acknowledge you again :D Most of the buildings in tbilisi are Soviet built, which includes charging lifts. Companies which build modern houses does not charge for lifts.

[@mrnothing444]

And the construction yes, in 1992-2000 (after Georgia's independent) there was no economy, people got poor, ispecally in villages, so the started going in other countries or in big cities like tbilisi. Thats why they are building that many apartments in big cities. Villages got empty, that dogs like never interacted a human, thats why they are so agresive( i spelled it wrong ) but dogs in tbilisi they dont bark, they are friendly, people and government feeds them. :()

[@marekdackus7950]

@@mrnothing444 not so sure. I stayed in an orbi towers hotel last week in batumi, built 5 years ago. Had to pay for lift

[@marekdackus7950]

@@mrnothing444 I'm not so sure. Everywhere you go apartments bring marketed for sale to foreigners for investment.

[@anthaz3076]

Beautiful country with a lot of rude locals. Starting from immigration to waiters etc.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Yes unfortunately. Let's hope it that things improve.

[@rasputin5746]

It's the only country I've been to where when you say a few words in their language , or try to start a friendly conversation you are met with total ignorance or contempt. You can see it in their eyes , I believe a lot of the people there don't like foreigners. I was in the local supermarket, and the girl serving literally threw the change back at me. Every day I went there , I said Madloba and was always friendly , I was totally ignored. This was a recurring theme. They say that it is because they are on low wages , well I've been through south east Asia and they are very polite and friendly people... Manners cost nothing.

[@fjorddenierbear4832]

Yup, for reasons you describe I use self-service at Carrefour for 98% of my shopping. But to be fair, one time the other day a woman smiled when I bought a bucket of raspberries from a street vendor. But for each smile, I experience 5-10 service people who don't smile. After a few months here, I am starting to feel that my smile is wasted, so sometimes I don't smile anymore. I figure that if I don't smile, I don't have to feel annoyed by their lack of smiling. My experiences are all in Batumi. But yea, it's all about self-checkout and minimizing human contact here. I never got a positive reaction to madloba, but often I don't want to look at their faces after saying it. Because it would not be moving. In a country like Japan, I always prefer going to the cashiers over using self-service, because they do things faster and the generally high-quality customer service is enjoyable. In Malaysia I also felt fine about the cashiers, altho sometimes they are frolicking and chatting with each other, but at least they have a kind demeanour.

[@AlpineFlowersssss]

Fair. I agree , as a Georgian

[@timchen5299]

Thank you for your videos. It give us useful info on our planned trip to visit Georgia.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mrdclark2003]

I got bitten while living in Georgia as well. Three shot series. Attacked a few times. It is a pain.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

My wife still has the bite mark. It will be a memento of Georgia for her.

[@mrdclark2003]

Goodness. I was working for the Georgian government at the time. A few of us complained about the dog issue in our city. The next thing I know a load of feral dogs were caught and killed. It's a shame it took foreigners getting bitten for something to be done. Of course dogs and cats aren't fixed so it was a temporary solution.

[@alan-the-maths-tutor]

I bought a "new" Xerox printer from a big electronics store next to the railway station in Tbilisi. 3 years ago. I took it home and then found out when I took it out of the box that it was eight years old! I messaged and emailed the store in English and Georgian and was completely ignored.

[@andyv8889]

How is the covid situation in Georgia? Heard the country approved a new therapeutic for severe disease. Anyone heard any success story?

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

We're not in Georgia anymore, so I'm not sure of the current situation.

[@nordkorean]

Thanks for mentioning the stray dog problem. Not much is being done about it if anything at all. Most people don't think of it as a problem even.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Yeah it's unfortunate. My wife will forever remember the Georgian street dogs!

[@mariamkhachidze3331]

Yes it is only a problem when stray dogs are treated poorly by humans. Which happens a lot, therefore it is not safe for stray dogs in Georgia. However they are kind people who look after strays, feed them and pet them.

[@Diongreco]

So many stray dogs in the streets is the result of some 'kind' georgians who abandon these dogs.

[@vladeymir5231]

I haven’t been to Georgia for 30 years. I think some things don’t change. Bad driving, stern faces and stray dogs are leftovers of the Soviet mentality. But overall, I miss Georgia 🇬🇪 my home country. Best food, best hospitality, ancient history. Best years of my childhood were spent in Georgia.

[@giorgigogoladze4190]

Slight misunderstanding on driving. It's not that Georgians can't drive, they can, most of them have been taught since single-digit ages, it's just that they plan the route on the fly. If the drivers see someone crossing the road, they judge the speeds of both parties and then decide to either wait for the walkers to cross, or just go without disrupting the traffic flow. I understand how that might be a culture shock to someone from USA or UK, or any other western developed countries, but it's really normal.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

No misunderstanding at all. Knowing how to drive and knowing how to drive safely and within the law are 2 different things. I stand by my comment, Georgians are terrible drivers. That's why there are so many damaged cars on the road and and a lot of car repair shops! It has nothing to do with being from the UK. Reckless driving is reckless driving anywhere.

[@nitzindian8505]

Nice video.. surely not for negative comments but for being fair in all aspects

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Thanks a lot

[@ZsmovRevenge]

Georgia is the worst country I've ever see.

[@gohere5416]

Azerbaijan is more modern and safe.

[@onboardtraveler]

I agree with you

[@leo7325]

if supermarket workers were paid as same as uk salaries they would be smilling too

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Supermarket workers in the UK are paid minimum wage. Relative to the cost of living, it's not much different to what their counterparts earn in Georgia. They still manage to smile though.

[@leo7325]

@@TonyGoesGlobal supermarket workers in Georgia are paid 400 lari on avarage. Thats just 95 pounds.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

@@leo7325 fair enough, it's a low salary. But I still don't believe it's an excuse to be rude. Noone forces them to work there. If they have decided not to better themselves, then I don't have any sympathy.

[@leo7325]

@@TonyGoesGlobal thats a very privileged statement. Finding jobs in georgia is very difficult, and not putting on a fake smile doesnt mean being rude,we georgiands usually dont pay attention on that, we imagine us in their place, they are overworked and they are paid very low

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

I'm not remotely privileged, I work hard for everything I have. In my opinion, being rude because you don't like your job is just stupid. Thank you for taking the time to put your points across. We don't have to agree. Have a nice day.

[@iconicflag7324]

I agree mate

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Thanks for watching.

[@iconicflag7324]

Np

[@callmemari8971]

The first point is very true there are many stray dogs everywhere on the streets I know because I’m Georgian

[@superman5858]

If i ever reborn, I wish to be born as Georgian, very beautiful people

[@traveldiarieswithadi496]

ohh that was scary experience to be bitten by the dogs. Yeah even I have noticed there are many street dogs here and I do hope the govt should do something about it. I do experience the driving is not safe and many times the local drivers dont follow the lanes and drive insanely erratic. My experience of customer service was ok. Some hotel and restaurants were extra polite but yes there were few who were quite rude.

[@jackoneil3933]

Thanks for that. Much appreciated bit of honest reality is always appreciated and valuable. I noticed in other Tbilisi videos a lot of barking dogs and wondered if it could be like Mexico or Thailand where Buddhists don't believe in exterminating animals and Mexicans don't eat them as in Korea or China. As an alternative to escaping poverty in the U.S., and in particular Oregon and California, we seem to be at bigger threat from two-legged, armed and drug-crazed, ferrel animals and ANTIFA revolutionaries than the smaller four-legged verities you describe in Georgia. Here, literally everyone on my street have half-crazed pit-pulls they allow to run loose and I've been attacked three times already and one child-was recently mauled. So from that aspect, perhaps the former Soviet state of Georgia ranks above the New Soviet States of California Oregon for wild animal attack risk eh?

[@scottfuller1711]

For someone that looks as healthy as you do, you have allergies to quite a large number of things. You may want to learn how to become a master chef so that you will never have to worry about strange restaurants and their staff not understanding what you mean by gluten intolerance.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

I'm a master of cooking chicken and rice!

[@scottfuller1711]

@@TonyGoesGlobal lol, Chicken and rice is good, I'm telling you this while I'm eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on perfectly toasted white bread.

[@kippsguitar6539]

The gluten thing is a modern invention they nobody noticed years ago, ridiculous

[@georgiodavid]

Thanks for honest review.. I am Georgian emigrant living in Europe for 30y and I hate all this minor bad habbits and teaditions.. o was there in 2010 .cars are kings of ther road ! Hate it. Air is terrible in Tbilisi !

[@bybargin]

The words - "Dogs are a just problem" - are wrong, because "Dogs is a HUGE problem"

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Actually I said "It's just dogs that are a problem"

[@Georgian2go]

interesting points, what initially inspired you to travel to Georgia? I'm Georgian based in Hamburg and my Partner is German. We'll be out and about there in August posting a lot of content from there soon, so I'm going through ALL the videos anyone ever posts about Georgia (-: so that's how I found you. I think the allergy awareness is becoming better. They recently opened a SUGARFREE cafe for all people with diabetes or other types of sugar sensitivities BIG LIKE for the video

[@lisalprojectafrica6774]

Can I connect with you?

[@Georgian2go]

@@lisalprojectafrica6774 hi Lisa, sure! Do you have some questions?

[@Bearhawk58]

They respect dogs and share their space with them. They are good people and would not let the government kill them. That is how it is in Thailand where I have retried except for the Tourist corrals. I enjoy the stray dogs very much.

[@salshivasubbukrishnan7867]

Hi Tony, Greetings of the day. How about public transportation in Georgia. Are hotel are clean and teddy in budgetary range. Vegetarian foods are available ?. Do they understand and respond Russian language? Sivakumar, India

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Hello. Please watch this video. I talk about public transport, accommodation and food. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aombd3aCa9yAppY

[@salshivasubbukrishnan7867]

@@TonyGoesGlobal , Thanks a lot.

[@eidyidertork9048]

Hi is there any changes price wise in 2023 ,are you still there?

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Huge changes. Rents have more than doubled since Russia invaded Ukraine. Lots of Russians have gone to Georgia and there aren’t enough flats. Hence the increased rents. I wouldn’t recommend going to Georgia until the situation resolves itself. We have left now.

[@fjorddenierbear4832]

The only traffic rule in Georgia: "There are no traffic rules in Georgia".

[@mcmaltaeurope4777]

Not safe I was robbed sadly in Batumi

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

I'm sorry to hear that you were robbed! That sucks.

[@temurtopuria6808]

The only negative thing about Georgia is that I haven't been back in over 22 years. And as far as the street dogs go, here in America, over 10000 dogs are put down each week because nobody wants to adopt them. Granted, the USA is a far larger country but still, America should be allowing these dogs to live wild in the streets-given that they have proper vaccinations and do not display aggressive behavior rather than killing these dogs.

[@something2941]

I was born there but people think it's really a paradise it kinda is but reckless driving lots of homeless people drug addicts and dogs high prices its not paradise as people say it is and a lot of Georgians are moving to like America or Canada georgia was big powerful feared but it just became a random country with half the population almost beeing Russians and drug addicts there's so many car accidents 1 happening right next to me 1 or 2 died I I think but my family is kinda thinking to moving to NYC one of my family members has a big house with a big yard but the country is kinda not moving forward its just high power people making more money I don't care if Americans move here I just want to see the country improve they don't join nato because it might anger russia but country is not moving forward its just still not moving

[@ZsmovRevenge]

Georgia it's horrible

[@rukshika03]

Totally Agree with Dogs and Customer service.. Customer service is really bad..

[@kinorosales881]

stray dogs are everywhere.. most of them are big and friendly.. so far nothin happened.. for driving and customer service, this is the top priority of the government to fix.. so far georgia is a good country..

[@MrVodka66]

georgian post is also a big negative, 50% of my post either gets lost or returned to sender. totally agree on traffic, i get road and pedestrian rage every time i venture out on foot or by car. a lot of the dog poo is caused by owners who think it above them to clean their own dogs mess..

here in Madeira island it's the same...crazy drivers...stray dogs..cats...almost same in every country

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

I've never seen stray dogs in the UK, Poland, Germany etc. Seen plenty of stray cats in Spain though.

[@katep7774]

I'm Georgian and everything is truth. I'll never visite Signagi any more, because same was in my case, this is one what we have for tourists and no one managed to take Care of dogs. I'm really afraid to go alone. Hope it will be better, i am very happy that so many people are interesting to visite my homecountry and we should offer better conditions.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Despite the dogs, we still really loved Georgia :)

[@annushka0804]

Don’t be too bitter, they will spit you out. And don’t be too sweet either- they will swallow you 😁I think Georgia has achieved a perfect bittersweet balance . Cheers!🍸

[@wesparsons5331]

Driving in Georgia sounds awesome, it’s like grown ups Mario Cart! Can’t wait to get there👍

[@johanneskatch4162]

As a foreigner you have to adapt and not trying to make Georgia another Texas .

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Why would I want to make Georgia like Texas?

[@johanneskatch4162]

@@TonyGoesGlobal I just see that majority americans like to change the way of living of other countries ,pushing their "culture" . I do not pretend to generalize or being ofensive. It is just the perception that many of us have in europe.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

@@johanneskatch4162 I'm British. I don't want to change the culture of Georgia, but if they want to grow as a tourist destination, then the gov has to address some of the problems I mentioned.

[@johanneskatch4162]

@@TonyGoesGlobal you are right, I am sorry for calling you gringo.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

@@johanneskatch4162 no worries.

[@lineup9300]

You are correct in most points, even though I am not a Westerner. Some notes are taken into account for development. I noticed that some people here are nervous to deal with

[@steafandubhuidhe]

My theory on not being able to find small items is based on the profit motive. Most shops are small. They seem to only sell items with a high mark-up. For example, in a computer store, you can find most things, but not cheap things, like mouse pads, adapters of various kinds, etc.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

That's a good point. I struggled to find a WiFi adapter, which was compatable with a Mac. I had to order that from Amazon.

[@jimsbooksreadingandstuff]

Georgia is a fantastic country but the driving and parking is crazy!

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Indeed. Cars littered all over the place, and drivers talking on their phones.

[@jothybaran6801]

Thank you .

[@worldtraveler2020]

Everything is so true...

[@MasterFeiFongWong]

As to the crap problem. I recommend informing your government to start up a program where people can first get easy cheap access to a simple extended bar pooper scooper device with bags and if people scoop it into bag and deliver it to a receptacle that would be like a unique small garbage container along streets. Then people will get credit added to a special card (Like a Debit card they can scan at receptacle when they deliver poop) that they can use as real money towards their purchases. So effectively people would be paid to contribute to the clean up. & the money they would get from it would easily eventually even pay for the extended bar pooper scooper device they buy.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Good idea. They do a similar thing in Germany with empty bottles.

[@tutsecret499]

I was thinking about moving to Georgia, but dog poop everywhere is not safe. People can fall, break bones. And bad driving. So all this turned me off.

[@SvanTowerMan]

Having not been there, take this with a grain of salt, but I would say the positives far outweigh the negatives if you're okay with having a simpler lifestyle.

[@mdnazmulislam1989]

I went work in Georgia I’m living in Qatar How to get work permit

[@Bearhawk58]

I hate conversational service people, polite banter and small talk. I do not have that kind of social need or require that kind of stimulation. I am pretty comfortable alone inside my own head. I have thoughts and I like to observe people rather than join them in meaningless chirping.Sometimes I read books and watch KZbin video. ------------------------ So along with all the street puppies it sounds attractive to me. The dogs will not bite you if you do not act like prey in most cases. One should always watch where you are walking. I think it is natural for humans to watch where they are stepping. In Thailand we have poisonous snakes and dog poop to avoid. ------------------------ The automatic ten percent tip is unacceptable. I would pay only what was on the menu unless they could beat me into submission and pluck it from my wallet. If there was a sign warning me that I missed seeing I would pay it without trouble. I would find out before ordering in a resaurant if they extorted tips or not. ----- The driving is very bad here in Thailand too but is always improving. It was much worse fifteen years ago. The subway and the underground run like a top and are smart and safe. ------This was a great video. You communicate well. I don't think you are the kind of person that should travel or adventure. but hat makes for an interesting angle when you report. I am going to subscribe and watch some more of your videos. Thank you for the skilled , hard work you do. I think I will probably visit Georgia soon. Maybe I will stay there. I will watch the video with the positives now.

[@malcolmnicoll1165]

Thanks, Tony. Very informative and well researched. Most grateful.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Glad it was helpful!

[@zurabiutarashvili5876]

You right draiving is so bad in Georgia end dogs is big problem

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Yeah. Hopefully the situation will improve. :)

[@vishnumayac6687]

Hi,is it possible to visit Tibilsi, Georgia for an Indian citizen

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Hello. Take a look at this website. It lists the current requirements. stopcov.ge/en/page/sazRvris-kveTis-regulaciebi

[@Dupawpaski]

I don’t think the Georgians should change their ways just because you’re intolerant or don’t like dogs or their driving. You go to Georgia you adapt yourself to them, not the other way around.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Congratulations on your stupid comment. Gold star.

[@Dupawpaski]

@@TonyGoesGlobal thankyou.

[@gohere5416]

Georgian view LOL

[@lussdoru3108]

Humanity is becoming weaker. In some 20 years people start to complain about birds in cities)))))

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

In England we love to complain about pigeons and seagulls

[@testtor2714]

@Justin Łukaszewski Georgians have a much deeper sense for freedom. In Georgia freedom means having a free environment and being part of it. In central and western Europe freedom means having the possibility to do whatever you like. Free dogs, bikes without license plates and little control over everything else is not part of it. I personally prefer the Georgian way of thinking about this and that is one big reason for me to like this country. With more freedom comes more personal responsibility though, so you gotta watch out for yourself a bit more.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

It's not, but it's also quite annoying to get bitten by them or put your foot in their turds. :)

[@SenorJuan2023]

@@TonyGoesGlobal shit, indeed, does happen.

[@SenorJuan2023]

uh, things that affect your safety/health are WORTHY things to complain about.

[@hbp69]

Thanks God Georgia is one of few countries which had not been sacked by anglosaxons so that they could keep their own eastern culture and heritage...

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Indeed. It won’t be long though. They are desperate to join the EU.

[@hbp69]

@@TonyGoesGlobal :)

[@dont2630]

yeah i see what you mean but thats in the not well known places. soo supermarkets...yeah its weird for us, we dont rly do that if we dont know the person..or if they are not talking to us. and probably those products were here but you kinda need to know where to search. and i always walk and ive seen a lot of stray dogs but all of them are tagged and they dont even come close to you so you were either really unlucky there or walked in like a shady place and they were someones dogs.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

We were in Signagi when my wife got bitten. I think the dog was hungry. I guess she was just unlucky :(

[@mariamkhachidze3331]

@@TonyGoesGlobal not everyone feeds the dogs especially in suburbs therefore poor dogs were most likely hungry... It is unfortunate that one of them bit your wife.

[@AngloSaks666]

Let's just hope the 'doing something about' the stray dogs is not the cheap and easy thing (extermination), but far more humane and positive; i.e. there's a fund for opening shelters for them, and they are rehoused with responsible families, who are very seriously vetted (interesting coincidence of language there, vets should be involved too, of course, but that's not what I meant), with proper documentation, probably electronic tagging, in order to make sure the new owners are held accountable for the dogs if they end up stray again, and that any dogs not rehomed kept in nice conditions in those shelters for life. I'd mention that it also wouldn't look good to any country wanting to attract western investors or tourists, or to have better and closer relations with the EU, to be seen to be exterminating stray dogs. I wonder if there are any charities there, or anyone anywhere in the world willing to fund such a project.

[@dartbull24]

i spent 3 months in Tbilisi, Georgia (May-July 2021) and i loved it! The people were great, they all looked angry but were incredibly nice when you talked to them... its just their default face ha ha. The ONLY thing i didn't like about Georgia... was the horrible politics and complete intolerance of Gay and lesbians. Im a straight dude but believe we are all humans and just let people be.. there were riots and protests there when i was there and it got pretty out of hand.. but other than those 2 weeks i really did enjoy it there.

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

We were there at the same time. If I remember rightly, they were protesting outside cinemas about a film with gay themes. Former Soviet states do seem to be a way behind on gay rights.

[@xFlazz]

That's a good thing. They are orthodox Christians. If you don't like it you don't belong there.

[@dartbull24]

@@xFlazz did you just say that complete intolerance is a good thing? I don’t care if their silly religion says so, doesn’t change the fact it’s wrong. Thats like saying “killing a 12 yr old girl for being raped is just part of the Muslim culture, its a good thing, if you don’t like it don’t go there.” You are disgusting and are the problem.

[@tengenuzui5774]

@@dartbull24 respect religion.

[@dartbull24]

@@tengenuzui5774 When religion respects human beings, then ill think about it. Religion deserves zero respect, BUT people DO deserve respect. I love Tbilisi and the people, some of the archaic ideas should be criticized but the people are great.

[@georgianborat]

Driving is the worst part. Especially if you own nice vehicle 🤣

[@TonyGoesGlobal]

Indeed! We saw so many cars with pieces missing off the front!

[@atgeo]

You forgot to talk about the scams

[@bizmark7930]

That's strange because initability in my neighborhood we have tons of dogs and cats and they're not this hostile or any other neighborhood I saw they mostly leave you alone but if you have food sometimes they're going to follow you