I originally come from Belarus, but for 4 years already I live in Latvia. I got my BSc in Economics in Business here in Riga, and currently work in banking as a risk controller. As boring as it my job may sound, I'm involved in a number of other activities, with traveling being the most favorite of those. I travel frequently for work, but largely enjoy exploring new cultures through backpacking with my friends. I read a lot, hang out with my friends (I'm shy and reserved the moment you meet me, but the barrier gets broken pretty quickly), watch biathlon (no one else supports me in this, but hey, that's one of the few sports Belarus is good at), play novus (that is, Latvian billiard; yep, it's weird; yep, it's addictive), learn data science on my own, and enjoy good food.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I enjoy meeting new people and hearing their stories; I feel like it's the best way to learn and sustain open-mindness.

Interests

• poetry
• festivals
• italian food
• cooking
• live music
• budget travel
• personal development
• biathlon
• finance
• data analytics
• dystopias
• novus

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg; A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess; White Oleander by Janet Fitch; 1984 by George Orwell; Fahrenheit 451 and The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury; Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevski; Brave New World by Aldous Huxley; We by Evgeniy Zamyatin; War's Unwomanly Face by Svetlana Alexievich. Russian poetry of the 20th century - Brodsky, Tsvetaeva, Akhmatova, Yesenin. Modern - Vera Polozkova.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Moved out of my home country on my own at age of 17.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'm a great listener, most of my friends are great story-tellers - with our powers combined, we are fun to hang out with :) Belarusian and Latvian candies, Rigas balzams, traditional Belarusian dishes, and other treats included.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Netherlands, Russian Federation, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Belarus, Latvia, Netherlands