ABOUT ME

I was an exchange student at Philipps Universitat in Marburg, Germany for a year but I am currently back in the United States finishing my master's degree.

PHILOSOPHY

You never know what you can get until you ask for it.

Interests

I love to have a meal or a drink with locals when I travel. Learning languages is also fascinating to me because I am only fluent in English and Russian but I am learning Spanish and German. It makes for great practice when I can finally use the words I know in one of the new languages I am learning. As a lifelong student, I also love going to natural history museums and reading biographies but I also love going biking/hiking outdoors and trying new cuisines!

• walking
• drinking
• reading
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• backpacking
• history
• languages

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

When I decided to move away to attend college, I packed everything that could fit into my car and drove from California to North Carolina in 6 days on Route 66 in the United States.

When I was walking the streets in Florence, Italy, I needed water from a fountain but I couldn't get it to work. A complete stranger watched as I failed but he walked up and did it for me. :)

The day I arrived in Warsaw, Poland, my friends and I were bewildered as to why the cashier won't accept the exact change for a bus ticket to the downtown (she only accepts Euros if they are bills, not coins). Despite the miscommunication, a man who walked in and saw what was happening decided to just pay for our tickets, refuse our money, and walk away with a smile. :)

After a train ride to Mainz, Germany, I was waiting at the station for a friend to pick me up at a convenience store. The lady behind the counter gave me an extra pastry for free when she saw I was a student with a rather large traveling backpack. :)

:) = People always surprise me with their kindness and I can only hope that my kindness will also be helpful to someone else.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Germany, Russian Federation, United States