HERE I AM
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As you might have guessed my name is Stepan (by the way, thanks for taking a while to read my profile). Currently, I study in Helsinki. I like playing music on any imaginable instrument, piano/synth and double bass are my favourite and I dream about playing on a hang drum. Although I'm rather young I'm already married and I have a son (see my photos) and I love my gorgeous wife and my curious son:)

ABOUT TRAVELLING (In short)
I began travelling abroad with my parents when I was 8. Since then I've visited 8 countries mostly in Europe, sometimes not once. What I got from these trips is the understanding that you can truly feel the country you are in if you communicate closely with people who live there. I'm sure travelling is a superb opportunity of the contemporary world that we must not miss. Every trip gave me a lot of unexpected experience and changed me and even my life.

MY TRIPS
I remember with joy participating twice in exchange program between my school and French lyceums in Grenoble and Meylan in the Southeast of France. In 2011 a big French family hosted me. It was a great experience in terms of language! The next year I was hosted by a mixed Family. The father was of Haitian origin, which meant a lot of unusual tasty food and engaging conversations. I was also able to learn a little bit about Haitian community in France. The third time I visited France as a volunteer. We were a multinational team of young people from France, Bangladesh, Belgium, Italy and Russia. The aim of the program was to help local community in a village in the Northeast from Paris to rebuild caves that once served for defence purposes during the First World War. Unforgettable guys. Each of them influenced me in a way and shifted my worldview.

SUBSTANCES

Not at all into that stuff, though I do not judge those who are into. I don't smoke either. There is a stereotype I faced occasionally in the web and in real conversations that Russians , so to speak, favour strong alcohol in large quantities. That part is not about me, although I do enjoy some good cider/beer (most of all in a company) or something stronger) but rarely does my enjoyment go up to forgetting my name and making irreversible mistakes. I can dance my head off and do crazy funny stuff without being under booze.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To my mind, in the world we live in today the role of relations between people out of any borders matters like never before. CS, in my view, is a huge community of great open-minded people that can bring more joy and support into the world.

Interests

Things that drive me and light me up:

Science and all the hype about our species living on the planet Earth.

Books and illustrated books for children (OH MY there are sooooo many, the whole universe).

Product design, more specifically, democratic and minimalistic items like IKEA, similarly I appreciate some authentic nonindustrial objects.

Education. In fact something I've recently realized to strike a chord with my deepest values. I have thoughts as well as questions about it, how it differs across the countries? how to make it engaging and inspiring?..

I'm crazy about foreign languages and cultures. Anything new or different from my home country is superinteresting!

NATURE/Ecology
I am totally sick of how the trash is handled in my home country!! I'm not a convinced environmentalist, though. Definitely a topic to discuss:)

I'm a huge fan of flea markets and garage sales(OH MY GOOSE HOW I LOVE THEM!), and an advocate of the idea of sharing and reusing things

• books
• design
• dancing
• education
• dining
• cooking
• beer
• traveling
• garage sales
• music
• piano
• ecology
• teaching
• languages
• science
• sociology
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

Let me name what influenced me most from each category.

Music:ORGAN music, the Doors, Massive Attack, Tricky, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Björk, Die Antwoord, CVRCHES, some Russian underground bands and singers and many more;
TV series/shows: A Bit of Fry and Laurie, House M.D., Mighty Boosh))), Doctor Who & more
Movies: Whiplash, The Straight Story (by David Lynch)films by Tim Burton, films by Miazaki, Almodovar...
Books: 1984, A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Bulgakov, Chekov. And many many more! Always open to new things!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Ask me, I will tell you!)

What I Can Share with Hosts

Stories and conversations any time on any topic. I can cook some dishes my grandmother cooked me when I was a kid! Sharing Some food expenses is not a problem.
As for the conversations, I don't really have taboo topics myself, but as a principle, I do not touch upon topics people tell me not to mention:)
We can jam together even if the only musical instruments you have at your place are frying pans and tablespoons:)

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Greece, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom