Hello!

My name is Olesya. I worked as a teacher of English and French in Russia. Now I'm studying English and American literature at the University of Caen, Lower Normandy. I'm also working on the literary (French-Russian) translation.

I believe that one of the most important things in life is to fill memory with colors!

The world is sooo rich! We just need to be curious, not to be afraid to leave our comfort zone and let ourselves be open to the world!

Life is not about "someday." Life is now. This "someday" may never come.

I love getting to know people. Absolutely different ones. I appreciate honest people, and also wierd ones. Lonely people often attract me - there's some particular magic about them ("lonely": "Real loneliness is not necessarily limited to when you are alone" Charles Bukowski). I admire people who are able to act, those who are not afraid to look ridiculous or to try and maybe to lose. We lose much more when we never try. I'm impressed by strong people with weaknesses, these are "weaknesses" that distinguish us from robots.

"Commonsense is square whereas all the most essential visions and values of life are beautifully round, as round as the universe or the eyes of a child at its first circus show." V. Nabokov

"You will hear thunder and remember me, and think: she wanted storms." Anna Akhmatova

At least I can say that I've tried...

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

A friend of mine has told me about the site Couchsurfing. The idea of staying with local people while travelling seemed pretty interesting to me. So I decided to give it a try. All I can say is that I did the right thing! My trips turn out to be so unpredictable and full of events! I love spontaneity. I've met a lot of amazing people whom I would have never had an opportunity to meet if I had travelled otherwise! For me travelling is not just places, it's people!

Interests

Travelling, literature, cinema, theatre, psychology, languages.

• culture
• literature
• movies
• traveling
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

"Martin Eden" by Jack London, "Lolita" by Vladimir Nabokov, "Asya" by Ivan Tourgenev, "Stranger" by Albert Camus, Cristina Garcia "Dreaming in Cuban"

"Rainman", "Trois couleurs" (trilogie: Bleu, Blanc, Rouge; filmed by Krzysztof Kieślowski), "Malena", "Girl, Interrupted", "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"

Ray LaMontagne, Tracy Chapman, Two Gallants, Zemfira.
Laura Marling "Alas, I Cannot Swim". It's time to learn to swim:)

Teach, Learn, Share

I'll be glad to share my knowledge of the Russian culture with you! As well as to get to know your town/country and your way of living! In any case I like listening and talking about various things. It's not "obligatory" to talk about cultures:)

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Russian Federation