I love languages and traveling and am interested in participation in public life. These passions came together in my work - I managed human rights projects in non-governmental organizations between 2006 and 2014, concentrating on former USSR region. I also lived in Tbilisi, Georgia, which I adored.

My favourite travels have been to the US National Parks, other places that stick out for me were the Pyrenees, Taj Mahal and Red Fort in Acra, the mosques of Istanbul, the beaches of Benin and Goa, and the pyramids and sharks of Yucatan.

I love nature, do hiking regularly, prefer wilderness, though it is scarce in Europe.

These days I take a rest from serious human rights issues and I earn my living by translating, interpreting and teaching, mostly English, sometimes Russian.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love traveling and meeting travelers, love to learn about other countries, cultures and points of view. Miss the traveling vibe now that I am settled. :)

Interests

• singing
• architecture
• dancing
• cooking
• yoga
• reading
• traveling
• music
• hiking
• parks
• wilderness
• learning languages
• meeting people

Music, Movies, and Books

jazz, Latin American music and dance; watching Bollywood; favorite books: Neil Gaiman - The Graveyard Book, Timothée de Fombelle - Toby Alone; artists such as Joan Miro, Victor Vasarely and Josef Capek

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Hiked up a number of peaks in the Rockies, Grand Teton and especially my favorite Sierra Nevada

What I Can Share with Hosts

Cooking? Sharing travel stories? Comparing notes on culture or politics of our countries and the countries we traveled?

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, India, Italy, Kosovo, Lithuania, Macedonia, Mexico, Moldova, Nicaragua, Norway, Poland, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Togo, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, Czech Republic, Georgia