Hi all. For the past 4 years I've been working with veterans, returning from the war in Eastern Ukraine. Currently I'm lauching a major project, called Veteran Hub ++, working on a documentary about the phenomenon of returning to civilian life and continue my work with Pobratymy NGO, providing psychosocial support during the transition process. When I was 16 I went backpacking around Europe for 3 months, as part of my, so called, gap year. It was an amazing journey and my first experience of couchsurfing. I took bartending courses right after, but then the Revolution of Dignity started in my country and I took active part in it. Eventually, it led me to a career I'm pursuing at the moment. In the meanwhile, I also worked as Deputy Director of the biggest Ukrainian contemporary Art Festival GogolFEST, organized a bunch of my own events and was the Team Operation Lead for the Invictus Games Team Ukraine. It's been an amazing time, I should say.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ikostyna
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivonakostyna/

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

It gives you an opportunity to sneak peek behind the tourist walls, become local at least for a moment, experience real life of the place you're visiting.

Interests

I love hiking, travelling, of course. I love animals and have great adopted cats and a dog. Sometimes, we travel together:) I love good food, though I don't eat meat. I paint, run from time to time, dance a bit - lindy hop, to be concrete. Had done a course of tango, but it's been a long time, let's be honest. I like exploring the everyday life of different communities and think of myself as a quite non-touristy person. My biggest interest is the process of transition from closed cultural communities into the globalized open society.

• arts
• literature
• festivals
• dining
• movies
• traveling
• music
• hiking
• backpacking
• history
• languages
• hitchhiking

Music, Movies, and Books

I adore movies like "The boy in the stripped pajamas", "Les choristes", "La nouvelle guerre des boutons", "Under the Tuscan sun", Adriano Celentano movies. Hemmingway is one my favorite writers, though I do read quite a lot. It depends on the mood, actually.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I lived in Africa for 3 years as a child, backpacked around Europe, being aged 16, took part in a Revolution, was a humanitarian volunteer at war and survived an avalanche.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Libya, Montenegro, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Serbia, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Libya, Nigeria, Ukraine