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LIVING THROUGH GEORGIAN CONCEPTS
TIKA SVANIDZE – VANCKO
LIVING THROUGH GEORGIAN CONCEPTS
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Turning Points presents an outstanding guest: a young girl from Georgia who would often hear from her grandpa: “leave this country and return when you feel that you can change something.” The grandpa had a European education and the Soviet regime was totally unacceptable to him.
Some years after her grandpa’s death, the girl packed her suitcase and headed to Holland.
– What do you plan to do after you graduate from university? While studying at the University of Groningen, this was the question she received from the Queen of the Netherlands at one of her receptions.
– Georgia is my motherland while Holland has become my fatherland. My biggest desire is to do something that would be beneficial for both of my homelands – such was the answer of the girl from Georgia.
– Welcome to the Netherlands! – said the Queen.
Almost 25 years later the little girl of that time Tika Svanidze-Vancko recalls this story with a smile and says
that everything that has happened in her life has had its due purpose: “even in the complete darkness I would see a light spot and would head towards it in hope that soon this spot turns into a bright sun. And this belief has never failed me. Whenever you say – it’s over, there is nothing I can do! You should understand that this is the very moment when you gather all your strength and resources and go forward. This is the key to success, which unfortunately many people do not understand.”
The holding which Tika Svanidze-Vencko manages, engulfs several business spheres. Among them are tourism and connected with the latter the services of the highest quality (a restaurant and a Sulphur bath in the oldest part of Tbilisi, Chateau in Kakheti, with restored ancient traditions of winemaking…). The list of all other activities would have taken some pages; they are of culturaleducational and charitable natures and serve the cultural dialogue, popularization of Georgia, and the unification of the Georgian diaspora scattered throughout the world.
The first country and the first steps
In the 90s when she graduated from the musical school, Georgia witnessed the war in Abkhazia and civil confrontation. “I did not see my future there; achieving success was not within my hands anymore,” recollects Tika. I tried to go toAmerica to study but in that period going abroad from Georgia was a very difficult venture and she could not manage it. But thankfully, she could go to the Netherlands at the invitation of the University of Groningen. She managed to study the Dutch language within a year so well that she received her education in that language. Her background in East European studies led her to one of the big tourist companies; she had to work with tourist groups from Russia and Scandinavian countries. It was the time when the idea of creating tourist interest in Georgia came to her mind. She shared the idea with her company too. The answer was “but we have already worked with Russia.” That is the period when the post-Soviet states were perceived as Russia abroad and Tika had to explain that Georgia is a completely different country. Within a few years she managed to collect about three hundred people ready and willing to visit Georgia. When the time had come she offered them tours to Georgia as an operator and the number of participants increased up to six hundred. Foreign tourists headed to Georgia and Tika was their guide; the girl who would make her guests acquainted with Georgia before even visiting.
But all of this was sometime later.
Having arrived in Holland with a Soviet passport, she returned to Georgia eight years later. She came for two weeks but then changed her tickets and a week later she went back. “there had not been any obvious changes in my country yet. But what was most important, I saw with my own eyes that my country still existed; as before that, I was overcome with doubts about whether my country still existed or not”.
Encounter on the train
She got used to everything in Holland but the weather. One day, tired from her everyday routine and the bad weather, and lack of sun, she decided to go to Barcelona for a few days. On the way from Groningen to Amsterdam, she fell asleep on the train and mechanically occupied more than one seat. When she opened her eyes the train was already at the Amsterdam railway station and she was facing a handsome man who was smiling at her.
“Am I dreaming?” that was the first question that came to her mind after opening her eyes. It turned out that she had occupied that men’s seat who was patiently waiting for her wake up.
Initially, his accent made her think that he was from Amsterdam but he turned out to be an American. He happened to travel to Armenia and Azerbaijan not long ago and expressed a desire to see Georgia too. “I am lucky enough to have one more tourist” Tika would think and they exchanged their phone numbers.
Within a few months, he came to Georgia not as a tourist but as a future husband to Tika. Their wedding ceremony took place in an ancient Georgian church, as for the wedding party, it was in New York. Soon after the marriage, the couple went to live in Singapore: Robert Vancko, a chemist by profession, represented one of the biggest Dutch chemical companies, and this time he was put in charge of 36 Asian countries.
They lived in Singapore for five years and all their three children were born there; that period was significant for Tika due to other circumstances too: this is when she started her touristic company “Tika Tour”, which along with Asian countries encompassed Armenia and Azerbaijan too. “I would have 30-person groups almost every month. I would work at night so that the daytime could be free for my children and tried to give them the kind of relationship that no nanny could have ever provided.”
The first thing that no one could have given to the boys apart from their mother, was her mother language. Her sons who had to live in different countries with their parents and now reside in Amsterdam, speak Georgian fluently. Besides, they have Georgian names, which was their father’s wish: “When asked where this name is from, it will give them a chance to tell them about Georgia, and their Georgian mother.”
The Vancko family have common hobbies: playing golf, music, and jogging together. Tika says that she had three criteria for choosing the desired man: her future husband should have been clever, if not more clever than her; his priority should be his family and he must have at least two hobbies “as the latter somehow differently strengthens the family.”
Robert Vancko has risen and raised the bar even higher and he would love his wife’s homeland as his own. He knows that everything Tika does for Georgia – Holland relations is just as vitally important to her as oxygen.
He fully agrees with her that Georgia is a unique country.Though he has some remarks concerning Georgians too; for example, he stresses that they would not take the needed efforts to present what has originated or is produced (for example, wine) in Georgia.
Tika Svanidze-Vancko with family
America – scales, and lengths
Another 5-year period was spent in America; again due to Robert Vancko’s work they moved there where he managed American and South American markets. The big distances and large scales ofAmerica turned out to be difficult to get used to. Russia started a war with Georgia at that time; it was not a beneficial time for tourism.
Information about Georgia was very scarce in America. Tika started to think about working out a program that would facilitate increasing awareness of Georgia. She had even consulted with her mother-in-law who had been the president of the State University of New York for 30 years and still works there. Factually, the whole period of living in America was a set of events for journalists, bloggers, and ordinary Americans to get to know Georgian wine, cuisine, and culture. Quite often Georgians living there would join the events too (for example the group – “pesvebi”( resp.; roots)).
The next place of residence for the Vancko family was Switzerland and this time Swiss tourists would start to go to Georgia. Tika managed to interest the Swiss who would be spoiled with magnificent skiing routes, with Gudauri. She says that the first thing that attracts foreign tourists to Georgia is its diversity. But in order to turn the country into a touristic one, we should have a high level of service and Tika has tried to fulfill this mission in her own way.
There is a lack of something? Create it.
All in all a 20 million dollar investment – not totally her personal share but with her personal involvement. This is Tika’s share; she has created a whole set of segments for securing the relevant conditions and in all of these, her rich personal experiences from living in different countries of Asia, Europe, and America help her. “I was not satisfied with the services. And in order not to depend on others, I should have everything on my own: be it a restaurant, a bath, Chateau…”
Later it was Covid that impeded tourism; Tika would turn this challenge into a new opportunity: she revived a 150-year-old tradition of winemaking in Kakheti on the lands of her grandpa. The concept bears her individual style here too: The History of Georgia revived in wine. The first product “Mepis Rcheuli” (resp.; “The King’s Choice”) was dedicated to the 300-year jubilee of King Erekle II. The king’s signature is imprinted on the wine bottle. Each beverage is distinguished not only by its unique flavor and taste but they are also connected with a specific period in the history of Georgia.
The further plans are also connected with the popularization of Georgian products. A unique internet portal has been created for this purpose, which facilitates small businesses to reach consumers.
“10% of the revenue goes to charity” – this is Tika’s unwritten business norm and not only for her: some years ago, her son who was 12 years old at that time managed to mobilize 40 000 euros for the Brotsliani Nursing Home.
Robert Vancko, Tika Svanidze-Vancko
Tika Svanidze-Vancko together with the center of Georgian Culture and Spirituality in the Kingdom of Netherland manages “The Alliance of Diasporas for Georgia” which was founded by her. During the three years of its existence, the alliance has accomplished many projects. Their goal is clear: with joint efforts to popularize the Georgian culture, arts, spirituality, empathy, rendering help, and accomplishment of social and educational programs. For example, during the pandemic, based on this diaspora, the first Georgian online school was set up; it united about 500 children from different countries. The online project in Georgian calligraphy is particularly important for the children living abroad as the Georgian alphabet is unique, it is among the languages in the world with its own alphabet and this program helps them to bring the alphabet closer to them. “We should study, working together and doing everything by giving our share of love and devotion to the venture we do. Let us preserve everything unique belonging to us, to our country; everything that comes from our country,” says Tika Svanidze -Vancko who often has tears in her eyes when recalling episodes from her life. But behind this at first glance rather fragile, the sentimental woman stands a stubborn and scrupulous person who has executed her grandpa’s will.
