I used to always be true to myself. In 2019, I moved to Belgium due to the dire situation in Georgia, where friends and acquaintances were being killed by the government. Escaping that horrific reality was my only option. Belgium offered me the chance to live freely and grow stronger, but it came at a cost: a constant feeling of insecurity. The societal norms in Belgium, dominated by religious backgrounds and beliefs, clash with the democratic values we have been cultivating for centuries.
I spent four years in Antwerp before moving to Brussels. Brussels, however, constantly makes me fearful of being robbed, stabbed, or even killed by people who don’t belong here. Despite this, I must continue fighting to survive and seek happiness.
In Antwerp, I met my ex-boyfriend, a movie director and writer. Our relationship started well but became strained after a year, marked by his controlling behavior, jealousy, and anger. Despite my efforts to remain calm, it was often impossible. After three years together, we broke up in the summer of 2022. I relocated to Brussels at the beginning of 2023, confronting a new and frightening reality.
Living with undiagnosed autism in Georgia taught me survival skills. Though challenging, these experiences have made me resilient, enabling me to handle life’s adversities. I was diagnosed with autism in 2022, and after realizing and analyzing the way people treated me while growing up, things made sense. I think autism is a power that makes you handle things happening around you with more precision, especially in Brussels.
