I think the three words that describe me the best are smart, quick and sarcastic. Whilst I am neither Brockhaus nor Efron, I am able to maintain a conversation on quite a wide range of topics (though there are areas where I am embarassingly ignorant, such as cinematograph, for instance). I think I have a good sense of humour, and in any case a very specific one. It's not rare that seeing the faces of people around me I feel I must say "IT WAS A JOKE" - this happens often with foreigners and almost never with Russians, so let's call it "national specific".

Outgoing, talkative more often then not (sometimes I do not feel very happy, which is normal for a human being, I guess), purposeful, structured mind yet very emotional, with opinions on a wide range of subject matters, funky, rebel in soul. I have a mind (of my own) and values but I am tolerant of those of others and prepared to learn. This however does NOT mean that I approve everything I encounter; there are things that are a big NONO for me, and basically I have my own scale of good and bad. But again, very eager to learn others' scales.

I am responsible as hell, hate being late or otherwise not sticking to my word. Very honest, it's a pain for me to lie, and it's usually an epic fail, since it's obvious when I am not telling the truth.

Love to help people, I try to host as much as possible (personal life and work commitments permitting). Being a couchsurfer from June 2009, still constantly amazed by people opening their homes to strangers, sharing the best they have, being generous and kind without expecting anything in return.

I am direct and straightforward, well aware that I can be too blunt and perceived as simply rude - try to change it somehow .. with more or less success. Sometimes people's first impression would be that I am arrogant and not interested in others' lives - this is COMPLETELY wrong, I think it's just the way my shyness and lack of confidence show themselves? In fact, I am a sucker for people interaction.

I hate stupidity, ignorance and envy. A resentless fighter for fairness. I like a good debate.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To meet you guys! and to show off a little bit too ;-)

Interests

reading, cartoons and comic strips (like, I love Calvin & Hobbes, Pearls before Swine and such),

geography - someone called me geography snob recently, I guess that's pretty fair,

Russian nation and economy - here I can get pretty mad, Soviet Union -> check this out, it's hilarious! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTSA_sWGM44

• cartoons
• reading
• snowboarding
• mountains
• laughing
• friendship
• bycicle
• drinking tea
• vino

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: Intouchables , Inception. (almost) all Tarantino movies, Snatch, The Hobbit. I dont really watch movies, I love cartoons!

Music: a bit bizarre Russian music; Soviet "underground" music of 80s and 90s (less so underground apparently). Classical music, Rakhmaninov, Beethoven, Prokofiev, Shostakovich and Bach are among my favourite composers.

Books: just to name a few authors - Vladimir Nabokov, Joseph M. Coetzee, Leo Tolstoy, Stephen Fry, Francis Scott Fitzgerald, Evelyn Waugh, Julian Barnes. My ever favourite books are Brave Soldier Shwejk, Anna Karenina and Catch 22

Teach, Learn, Share

some Russian? - especially if you're heading Transsiberian. I've got a perfect set of words for you (just three!), necessary and sufficient for travelling Transsiberian and being a star of the train!