Christopher Dedeyan

48 hours in Tbilisi 🇬🇪

And honestly… I was massively impressed.

The whole drive there, my friend Levon kept telling me:
“Don’t end up liking Tbilisi more than Yerevan” 🤔

I didn’t fully understand what he meant until we hit the very first roundabout.

The architecture, infrastructure, the way the river flows through the city, the strong Christian presence, the cleanliness, the energy… I was genuinely caught off guard by how beautiful it was.

What surprised me most is that many Armenians told me beforehand that Tbilisi and Yerevan are very similar cities.

But once I got there, all I could see were noticeable differences.

And after thinking about it more, I realized maybe what people mean is not necessarily the architecture or infrastructure… but more the ideology, culture, religion, values, and lifestyle of the people.

That part, I definitely felt.

I truly believe Tbilisi is a hidden gem, and I’ll definitely be going back to explore it more.

That being said, there was also a part of the trip that weighed a little heavy on my heart.

Knowing how much Armenian history is connected to that city created a strange emotional contrast in my mind throughout the visit.

But at the same time, it made me very happy seeing such a strong Armenian diaspora community there 🇦🇲

And honestly… during this whole trip, all Levon and I did was speak about geopolitics 😂

There’s a line in a song that says:
“Eating seeds is a pastime activity.”

I genuinely think for Armenians… discussing geopolitics might be one too 😅

History, culture, politics, development, mentality, identity…
Safe to say we unpacked everything 😄

All that being said, I truly left amazed by what the city has to offer.

And if I have to give one point back to Armenia…

I still think our food scene and nightlife are better 😅

The energy, cafés, people, and warmth… there’s something very special about Armenia.

Do you think Tbilisi and Yerevan are similar cities?

One thing that’s beautiful about moving to a new country is that you kind of reinvent yourself.

You try new things.
You meet new people.
You step into experiences you might have never considered before 🇦🇲

And honestly, that’s exactly what happened with squash.

Huge thank you to my brother Hovhannes for getting me into the sport 👊🏼

What I love about sports communities is that you instantly meet like-minded people. People who value discipline, growth, competition, and challenge.

And squash… definitely surprised me 😅

I genuinely felt like a gladiator in there.

Fast paced. Confined space. Constant movement.
You’re reading angles, walls, timing, positioning, and your competitor all at once.

It’s incredible for athleticism, hand-eye coordination, reflexes, and strategy.

And the funniest part? 😂

I’m such a delusional optimist that after only playing 3 times in my life…
I genuinely walked into the tournament thinking I might actually win the whole thing 😅

But honestly, I think that mindset has served me more positively than negatively throughout my life.

Sometimes you have to believe in yourself a little irrationally before reality catches up.

Trying new things and putting yourself in uncomfortable situations is one of the best ways to grow.

That’s something we speak a lot about in our book Play for Profit 📖
Some of the greatest business and life lessons come through sports.

Safe to say… I’ll definitely keep playing 😅👊🏼

And I’ve truly been enjoying this experience and the amazing Armenian community around it 🇦🇲

Tell me I’m not the only delusional optimist her