Is it possible for life to be slow, romantic, and, dare I say, even peaceful in a large city?
It is for me, and it’s possible for you too.
I don’t see big city life as noisy, smelly, unsettled, or crowded.
It’s the opposite; living in a big city, in a lot of ways, can be just as calming as country life if you learn how to view things.
Here’s how I romanticize big-city life, using my five senses, in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Sightseeing isn’t Only for Vacations
Do you stop, look up, and take note of architecture only when you’re visiting a new place, or do you live in architecture?
Is street art and graffiti something you’ve learned to tune out when walking under a bridge or passing near a tunnel?
Are advertisements eye sores for you?
They aren’t for me.
I notice everything, no matter where I live or how long I’ve lived there.
One step to romanticizing big city life is to never let the normal become normal.
Look up and take notice of old buildings and the intricate details they have.
Enjoy the crumbling side-by-side with the modern.
Let park statues, street art, and well-executed advertisements become a roadside art museum for you.
I go down new alleyways, walk on Old Tbilisi’s cobblestone streets, and revisit the Bridge of Peace during the day as well as at night.
All of the sights of the city are a daily, living tour for me, and they can be for you too.
When I walk down the street, I see things as if viewing them for the first time, and something new always appears; colors, materials, craftsmanship, and more should all be appreciated on a daily basis. Whether on your way to the gym or out for ice cream.
Sightseeing should never end.
Get To Know The Sounds; Get To Know The People
The sound of a big city like Tbilisi can only be described as hustle and bustle.
I think no city on earth can avoid being classified by this word.
But if you listen closely, if you truly make a distinction in what you hear, listening becomes a romantic experience through which you get to know the culture and people of Georgia.
Listen to the intonation in their voices as they speak. Men and women speak at the base of their throats (which is useful to know when trying to speak the language yourself).
At 2 am, I celebrate from my balcony with inebriated partygoers down the street whose drunken songs introduce me to a new type of music.
When my Armenian neighbors speak Russian and Armenian on the street, I’m almost transported to another place.
Children playing, teenage girls laughing, vegetable market sellers yelling out prices—how are these things romantic, calming, or peaceful?
They remind me that I’m not alone and of the beauty of cultural and unfamiliar noise.
Unfamiliar music is always nearby, and it means there’s so much more about differences to explore.
Sounds remind me of the unique experiences I encounter daily.
The foreign words, music, and even arguments you’re hearing are the ones you choose to hear because you were privileged to select where in the world to live.
Tasting is Easy
Try to describe Italy without taste.
Or India, or Mexico.
It’s impossible.
Food is too romantic.
It can be a shared experience between friends and me or an exploration of new flavors alone at home.
Tbilisi has Indian restaurants down the street, sushi around the corner, Lebanese a Glovo order away, and Georgian tonē breads being baked on every side street.
Small kiosks abound with pastries and stuffed doughs, while grocery stores fill their hot sections with the spicy, sour, and mayonnaisey taste of salads, beans, and barbecues.
Food links us to new places almost as much as people, and living romantically in a big city can be as simple for you as a good meal with new flavors that you savor slowly no matter what’s going on around you.
Smells Create Nostalgia
When you are around bad smells, you seek out and prioritize the good.
Tbilisi is a polluted city (like any city), and that means fresh air is a commodity.
While this is the norm, it doesn't mean beautiful smells don’t exist. It means that when they come about, you savor, value, and cling to them like fresh rain on a hot and dry day.
Those same small kiosks that sell pastries also produce the most wonderful aromas that transport you to a Georgian kitchen while at the same time igniting your appetite.
My neighborhood street, which is loud with Armenian and Russian voices on cooler evenings, also produces the uniquely fragrant smell of breakfast when I walk my dog at 7 a.m.
Nature, too, elevates its value when living in a big city.
Seek parks, green spaces, water fountains, or any tree to find refuge under for shade.
These areas will allow you to take big, fresh breaths that smell of green, flower blossoms, and puri all at the same time.
Smell ties you so well to a place that a memory could be triggered by it, no matter where you live.
Just a Touch of Touch
One of the most romantic things in life is touch.
Studies show the importance of touch for someone as frail as premature babies, helping them gain more weight in a short time period.
I look with my eyes and my hands.
I touch old stone buildings, like to feel cool marble columns against my back on hot days, and run my hands through any fountain and sprinkler nearby.
The number one thing I touch in Tbilisi is plants. I try to be connected to green (as I call nature) as much as possible.
Soft flower petals and pointy aloes.
Barky tree trunks and smooth leaves—I run my hand along them all.
And don’t forget person-to-person touch.
We are afraid of touch in the West. Afraid of upsetting people's boundaries.
That doesn't exist here.
On average, in one hour Americans will touch each other twice, the French 110 times, and Puerto Ricans up to 180 times.
I can’t imagine what that number would be in Tbilisi.
Touch, for an American, is the most infrequent experience with romantic life in Tbilisi.
But every time you receive a hug, plant your feet on the park grass, or are greeted by a kiss on the left cheek by a friend, I hope you realize we all need much more of it.
Conclusion
Using your five senses on any normal outing can prove to be a calming practice that allows you to fully take in the sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and feelings of living in a city like Tbilisi.
I make no time for romanticizing my life; it comes naturally to me.
I can't help but live like every place is something new and every day is a new life.
Take time for yourself to take it slow, look up, and savor an aroma so that no matter where you go, you can say you truly lived in Tbilisi.
I moved to the country of Georgia in 2015, here's why I fell in love with it.
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