As I've said in class, I'm spending 6 weeks in Tbilisi, Georgia to work on tobacco cessation research and policy. This is a part of the Eurasian world that is very, very unfamiliar to me, as I'm used to the likes of the nicely developed and preened Western Europe. Georgia, on the other hand, has only had independence from the Soviet Union since 1991, and is considered an upper middle income country. Although Tbilisi may not be as glitzy and glamorous as Madrid or London, my goal is not to vacation, but to assimilate and understand the culture as well as I can for my 6 week stay. This means understanding the food culture, customs, dangers, and doing things like sneaking peanut butter into my checked baggage.
I'll get the "dangers" part out of the way first by saying studying public health has spooked me into second-guessing every food I put in my mouth. We talk about food safety and foodborne illnesses a decent amount in public health, and it's a topic we've only minimally covered in Eating Ethics. Basically, in any country you visit, and even in America, you run the risk of contracting a foodborne illness, even without doing anything questionable like eating 2-week old leftovers. In Georgia, my risk is probably pretty minimal in comparison to the countries some of my peers are visiting, but the risk is still there. For example, I'm not going to drink Georgian tap water or order drinks with ice in them. Even when conducting seemingly menial tasks like taking a sip of water in a foreign country, you have to be aware of where the water is sourced. In Georgia, my concern is old lead pipes. In other countries, the concern may be other sources of contamination. Bottled water will be my friend.
Additionally, although I couldn't find the incidence rate, apparently contracting Hepatitis A is still a concern for long-term visitors of Georgia. I was shocked to find I'd never been immunized against Hepatitis A as a child--only B--and now must get immunized against my needle-fearing will to stave off the acute liver infection. Hepatitis A is also a foodborne illness contracted via contaminated water or food, and is listed 6th among the top 10 causes of food-borne illnesses. You can easily acquire Hepatitis A from eating undercooked food in restaurants, undercooked homemade food, or even by eating unpeeled, raw fruits and vegetables. Although Hepatitis A will usually clear up on its own, it can do irreparable damage to the liver. Let me emphasize that I hate needles and panic at the mere sight of one, but I also value my health, and will do my public health duty and get immunized before traveling.
On the brighter side of things, Georgian food is supposed to be incredible. Georgian hospitality is also allegedly equally incredible. The first time I was ever aware of Georgia's existence and also food culture was by reading an article in Lucky Peach Magazine about their wedding supras, or feasts with endless food, Georgian wine, and prolific toasts. I was entranced by the khachapuri, or cheese bread that basically looks like a boat-shaped pizza. There's also the other popular Georgian dish khinkali, which are dumplings filled with meat. These dishes are widely available throughout Georgia so I won't need to go to a supra to have them. I already think I'm going to live off of khachapuri while I'm there. If you're curious about other Georgian specialties, check out this Lucky Peach article called Georgia on My Mind. And for the record, it is incredibly confusing to tell people I'm trying to learn Georgian phrases and am excited to eat Georgian food. They all think I'm talking about adding peaches and grits to my diet.
While I'm away I know I'll miss some American staples, but Tbilisi does have Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds since it's a fairly popular American tourist destination. So I don't starve to death upon landing (total flight time to Tbilisi with an hour layover in Istanbul: 12 hours), and as some reminders of home, I've packed peanut butter, CLIF bars, and (organic!) toaster pastries in my checked baggage. I would recommend packing snacks like this for quick breakfasts on long trips.
In summary, I'm very excited to experience the food culture of Tbilisi, and hopefully will stay healthy in the process.
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