CURRENT MISSION

...and not, when I came to die, discover that I hadn't lived (H.D.Thoreau))

ABOUT ME

I'm an active young lady that knows we only live once. If I have to take a complicated decision or to do something new, I just do it - I say YES, and then it goes itself. It's like diving into the dark sea in the night - have you ever tried that? (UPDATE: be careful with this technique - now I've ended up saying YES to the wonderful man who has become my husband! )

I like loving my job and doing more than it is possible.

As I was at the Lyceum (14 years old), I gave an oath:
Taking the way of serving the Truth, People and the Motherland, I swear:
- to be willing for knowledge and get it in labour
- to respect a Human in myself and in the others
- to be faithful in friendship, bring people kindness and joy
- (that has always been my favourite) to keep the free spirit of the Lyceum's student
- to take care of Lares and Penates

I still remember each word of it, and that's exactly the situation, when you know something BY HEART.

PHILOSOPHY

Not to lie to myself. At work, in the relations or just in front of the mirror :)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I started tasting CS-Spirit by participating in Aachen (Germany) events (as I made a one-year practice there) and by organizing a "Photo-Surfing" for those who wanted portraits for free. The point is that I'm an amateur photographer, I enjoy capturing the beauty of a human face and proving that there are no "unfotogranic" people. Here are some examples: http://xenia.eckly.fr/

The offer is still open ;)

Interests

Travel, horseback riding, photography, theatre improvisation... Life!

• horses
• fish
• photography
• beauty
• cooking
• traveling
• equestrian
• fishing
• surfing
• scuba diving
• mathematics

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: In the Mood for Love, Bridges of Madison County, Mar Adentro, Out of Africa, Mamma Mia!, Under the Sand, 8 Women, Dead Poets' Society, Immortal Beloved, Breaking the Waves, Dogville, Life is a Miracle, Don Juan de Marco, Hable con Ella, The Others, Schindler's List, Life is Beautiful, a.o.

Music: Classical (Beethoven, Rakhmaninov, Chopin, Paganini), ABBA, Pink Martini. Oldies, Jazz, some folk tunes from Spain or Balkans.

Books: after reading plenty of Russian and international classics, now I'm using books for learning languages: that doesn't let me feel ashamed reading Harry Potter or romantic novels "for girls" - because I'm reading it in English or German or French =) When I need something more intellectual, I choose books by Haruki Murakami or Dina Rubina.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

A friend of mine (also a young lady) and me have driven 1500 km from St.Petersburg to the North, beyond the Polar Circle, to a place where no road runs and where only helicopters connect villages - just to meet and photograph the free horses. The two blondes in a city-jeep, we got stuck in sand and after 4 hours got out ourselves, met a bear, overnighted by a half-paralised old woman that didn't let us neither pay, nor help, ate the most delicious fish on earth and then we nearly domesticated the "wild" horses. This trip has changed my view on some things...

Teach, Learn, Share

I would be pleased to tell you about my motherland - Russia. If you are learning Russian, it would be honour for me to help you a little (I still can't understand, how you guys learn this damned complicated language not in the baby-age!). I can't cook "Borshch", but I can teach you to cook "Pelmenies" - russian kind of Ravioli, or classical armenian shashlyk (a kind of grilled meat) or Georgian "Chakhokhbili" (stewed lamb or chicken with herbs and tomato sause). I'd love to learn some original recipies from your country.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Everything I know - I'm pleased to share. Everything I don't know - I'm eager to learn. You never know, what common interests you find in a talk!
But please don't expect me to help you with maths - I'm a 100% humanist :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Russian Federation, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Germany, Russian Federation

•