hey there, fellow travelers!
i’m Arina—but just call me Ari! an international student, and at this point, i feel like a full-time traveler and citizen of the world. been living abroad on my own since i was 17, constantly on the move, figuring things out as i go. i grew up between Russia and Ukraine—two places that are deeply connected but politically complicated, so right now, i can’t go home because of the war, and honestly, it’s been a wild and emotional ride trying to make sense of everything in the past few years.
after finishing high school in Russia and Freiburg, i somehow ended up in Portland, Oregon, and now i’m back in Munich for my study abroad :) i’m super into Germanistik and Sociology, and i’m currently working on an independent project about immigrant communities in Germany—how people hold onto their culture, adapt to new places, and build new identities. it’s personal for me because, well, i know what it’s like to be caught between two worlds and figure out where “home” really is.
since i have semester break, i’m taking this chance to travel around Germany, meet amazing people, and explore places i’ve never been before. my plan? Munich → Berlin → Leipzig → Dresden. it’s actually my first time really traveling solo across Europe, and i’m just trying to soak in the freedom, collect some cool stories, and enjoy life a little.
i’d love to meet open-minded people who are up for deep talks & spontaneous adventures or a walk through your favorite spots. let’s make some great memories together :)

Por que estou no Couchsurfing?

being an international student in my early 20s means i’m always on the move, meeting new people, and making the most of every place i visit. i love getting to know a city through the people who actually live there, rather than just ticking off tourist spots.
i’m on Couchsurfing because i enjoy good conversations, exploring new places, and experiencing local life from a different perspective. if you're up for hanging out, and showing me around, i’d love to meet you!

Interesses

• yoga
• traveling
• electronic music
• rock music
• biology
• language exchange
• marine life
• guitar playing

Músicas, Filmes e Livros

i listen to a bit of everything, but mostly Russian post-punk and underground artists with barely a thousand listeners on Spotify. i also went through a full emo phase—i still know almost every song by twenty one pilots, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, and Panic! at the Disco. And if we’re talking classics, i’m a big David Bowie fan.
movies? soviet films feel oddly nostalgic to me, even though i never lived in that era. lately, i’ve been diving into French cinema and want to explore it more.
when it comes to books, i love classics—Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and right now, i’m reading Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak, which paints a huge picture of Russian society at the dawn of the empire.

Ensine, Aprenda, Compartilhe

Ich möchte dieses Jahr mein Deutsch wirklich verbessern und kann dir dafür Russisch beibringen!

Mein Hauptfach ist Biochemie und Molekularbiologie, also kann ich dir spannende Fakten über die Welt um uns herum erzählen – von den Wundern der Natur bis zu den kleinsten Molekülen, die unser Leben steuern!

O Que Posso Compartilhar com Anfitriões

deep talks about life, travel, culture, and identity—i love hearing people’s stories and sharing mine from living in different countries.
a mix of random languages—i speak English, Russian, Ukrainian & came here to learn German, so we can have a multilingual conversation.
cooking experiments! i'm not a chef, but i can try to make some Slavic comfort food for you. let’s cook together sometime :)

Países que Visitei

Armenia, China, Cyprus, Egypt, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, United States, Viet Nam

Países em que Morei

Germany, Russian Federation, Ukraine, United States