Hi, I'm Anika.

I grew up and lived in several different countries, I feel most at home in a multicultural environment: Ukrainian Borscht (soup), Kölsch beer, Turkish rock music and Argentinian asados all have a distinct feeling of home in some way.

I’m passionate about bringing people together and caring for our planet, which is why I’ve worked in sustainable finance and development over the past years, while also supporting education-focused NGOs in parallel.

Time outdoors is special to me, whether it’s spontaneous multi-day biking adventures, hut-to-hut hiking trips in the mountains, or catching a wave on a secluded beach. The more remote, the better. Will choose an authentic adventure over a comfortable city stay on most days (am also a sucker for art and design, which sometimes compete with my love for remote adventures).

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To travel is to learn more about the world, about its people and its history. Nothing excites me more than learning more about how diverse and exceptional life experiences can be, and to me the most fascinating way is to experience it from the perspective of a local.

Show me your world, and I would be honoured to show you mine.

Interests

• writing
• sketching
• cooking
• reading
• painting
• live music
• hiking
• surfing
• skiing
• travel
• sustainability
• playing guitar
• climbing

Music, Movies, and Books

Big fan of live music, whether it's jazz, indie, folk or house - and ideally even a cross-over of any two of these.

One book that really inspires me is the autobiography "Educated" from Tara Westover. She shares her journey that started in a disturbingly strict Mormon family, describes how she started expanding her horizon through education, and how she eventually escapes the horrid environment to find her place studying history in the UK.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

- Climbed to the top of the Tolbachik volcano in the eastern most Russia.
- Spent 1 month living in the Peruvian Amazon, helping a local family develop their tourism project.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, El Salvador, England, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Palestine, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Argentina, Germany, Peru, Russian Federation, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, United States