Georgia                  The Sakartvelo Chapter        12 September 2023


   Exactly six months ago, at five in the morning, I passed through
   border control in Sakartvelo and found myself at Tbilisi
   International Airport.  Thus concluded my escape from the Russian
   police, who had been persecuting me for my anti-war stance.  This
   journey had started in September of the previous year and only
   concluded in March of this year.

   These have probably been the most productive six months of my life.
   An incredible number of events have occurred during this period,
   and I'll likely never have the opportunity to tell the full story
   of them all.  Although, perhaps if I write my memoirs one day, I will
   certainly strive to remember every detail.  Today, however, I want
   to focus on the most significant ones.

   My first night after arriving in Sakartvelo was spent at Ivan
   Drobotov's flat, and I'd like to extend my thanks to him once again.
   Following that, I spent two weeks living in a shelter.  After my time
   there, I moved to a different shelter for a brief period.  Finally, I
   settled into a rented room in a house near the Marjanishvili metro
   station.  There, I met Maxim Ivantsov and many other equally
   fascinating people.

   Thanks to Maxim, I conducted a lecture series called "Privacy Day"
   in the educational space "Frame."  Importantly for me, I also
   organized my first CryptoParty.  During this event, participants
   exchanged PGP keys and went a step further by signing them for each
   other.  In addition, I held a lecture on personal productivity
   methodologies like "Getting Things Done" and goal management
   strategies such as "Agile Results."

   I was also fortunate to find remote work as a DevOps engineer
   at a Cypriot IT company, complete with a wonderful team
   and a competitive salary.  This job allowed me to get my mother out
   of Russia, where she had been unfairly targeted by the police.  They
   had visited her and threatened to fabricate drug charges against her
   in order to open a criminal case, all because of my anti-war stance.

   I didn't want to stay in Tbilisi, as it was too noisy and large
   for my liking, so I moved to Kutaisi.  I settled near the railway
   station, which allowed me, for the first time in many years, to visit
   the sea via a direct train.  Kutaisi seemed more peaceful, quiet,
   and clean compared to Tbilisi.

   In August, Charlotte, my beloved from France, came to visit me
   to spend our joint vacation together.  We visited Tbilisi, Kutaisi,
   Tskhaltubo, the Prometheus Cave, Poti, and journeyed up
   to the mountains in Svaneti and Mestia.  We had a wonderful time
   together and were fortunate to share many very special moments.  It
   was an extraordinary and unique adventure.

   After our vacation with Charlotte, my close friend Ivan
   Aleksandrovich came to visit me.  The last time we had met was
   in Russia in February of the previous year, just a couple of weeks
   before the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.  I was genuinely
   pleased to see my friend again and, if I get the opportunity
   in the future, hope to visit him in the Czech Republic, where he now
   resides.

   Importantly, I was also able to address many health issues that had
   been plaguing me since I began hiding from the police in Russia.  I
   must admit it was quite stressful, and my body was thoroughly worn
   out over those six months.  However, I now feel full of energy
   and ready for new achievements.

   I want to thank everyone who has supported me throughout this long
   journey: my wonderful mum, my amazing brother, my incredible friends,
   and my dear Charlotte.  Thank you all for everything you've done
   for me.  I really appreciate and love you.  Be happy, my dear
   friends.

   These have been remarkable six months.  Let's see what life has
   in store for me, my family, and my friends in the foreseeable future.





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