CURRENT MISSION

To put some pieces of the puzzle together!

ABOUT ME

I started to develop a philosophy of life that suits me after taking a road trip across the United States with my friends in 2009, then travelling around India and Nepal, and finally working with kids in an English kindergarten. I feel happy for many reasons, one of them being the fact that we can never fully comprehend or discover all the mysteries of this complex and wonderful world. I feel grateful for my ability to enjoy its wonders so much.

I'm addicted to traveling -- I always feel like it makes me a better person. Right now I'm working at Cornell University with my parents in the Astronomy Department (family business ;) but looking forward to traveling again soon!

PHILOSOPHY

All the good in the world stems from compassion - empathy, in my opinion, is the most important human virtue. I love it when people are good to each other. I am touched by forgiveness, and when people give each other a second chance. I try as hard as I can to be good to the people that surround me.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I've mostly surfed, because I never really had a place of my own in Ithaca, NY. I hosted a little in Moscow and met up with some CSers to show them around. The CS times in Moscow were extremely fun and rewarding!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Great experiences in Poland, Finland, Estonia, Switzerland, Austria, Puerto Rico, Jordan and at my home in Moscow. Met some amazing people!!

Interests

... mountaineering, hiking, hitchhiking, singing, playing guitar & piano, jamming, busking, writing, reading, dancing, running, yoga, swimming in random waters, canoeing and kayaking, finding myself adventures, hearing music, watching movies, making campfires, nature - the great outdoors!, meeting people, playing pool at favorite bars, meaningful conversations, thinking, introspecting a lil', exploring people and their cultures.

• writing
• singing
• dancing
• yoga
• running
• boating
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• eating out
• billiards
• socializing
• music
• guitar
• piano
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• canoeing
• kayaking
• mountaineering
• swimming
• astronomy
• business
• hitchhiking

Music, Movies, and Books

Music -- Reggae, funk. Otherwise eclectic!

Movies -- I'm a sucker for Contact.

Books -- A fan of Kurt Vonnegut.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Road tripped with my sister from New York to Texas, then hitchhiked through Mexico and Central America, eventually taking a boat to Colombia, where I finished the 5 month long trip. Some of the best times!

Teach, Learn, Share

Be good to each other! I can teach you how to speak Russian and how to hitchhike... the things I do best. At this point I feel more in a position to learn things than to teach them!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Nepal, Nicaragua, Panama, Poland, Puerto Rico, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Virgin Islands, British

Countries I’ve Lived In

Russian Federation, United States