CURRENT MISSION

to identify and implement a purposeful mission :) , but really to travel and expand my literal and figurative horizons

ABOUT ME

I just finished my doctoral dissertation, which means that I've effectively been living under a rock the past couple of years. I'm looking forward to traveling more and finding meaning in something other than academic papers and statistical tests.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I started traveling independently about 8 years ago, and I've found that the best part is not where you go but who you meet. I've really enjoyed the destinations as well, but the friends I made are the highlight. I enjoy going to the meet-ups when they're available, but I've also had the pleasure of hosting and being hosted. I hope that the couchsurfing community will hold strong through its growing pains and help bring people together for years to come.

Interests

Virtually everything. Or at least almost anything can be interesting from the right angle. And, conversely, anything can be made dull if approached with the wrong attitude. I can list my top interests in no particular order though: literature, scientific advancement, chess, animal intelligence/learning/cognition, psychology, metacognition, meditation, and of course - travel!

• animals
• literature
• cooking
• meditation
• chess
• traveling
• teaching
• mathematics
• psychology

Music, Movies, and Books

I haven't read much aside from academic works in the last few years, just a few novels here and there. I like almost all types of music, but the genre that I listen to the more than any other (maybe 25% of the time) is rock/alternative.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

It's so hard to choose! While taking a year off from grad school, I drove across the US from New York to Los Angeles via New Orleans and Austin. Since then I've visited Italy (loved Venice!), France, Greece, Turkey, Ukraine (my home), Warsaw, Amsterdam (just a layover, but spent a few interesting hours in the city), Tokyo, Kyoto, Okinawa and Honolulu.

One thing I'm proud of is having worked as a teacher in New York, but it's not so much amazing as just very challenging and eventful.

One thing that amazes me is how much more energy I have when I'm traveling. I can drive for 12 hours straight, walk 20 miles with only a few short breaks, or get little sleep for days on end and still love every minute of it.

Teach, Learn, Share

I used to be a teacher - middle school and high school math, pre-GED, GED. Now I teach college-level psychology. I would be happy to share any of that with you, but the lesson that has been most important to me is how to appreciate people (even when you disagree with each other).

What I Can Share with Hosts

I genuinely enjoy sharing, so if you think I can be a resource please do not hesitate to ask. I'd be happy to cook together, help you with academic things, teach you some Russian or tell you about my travels.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Russian Federation, Turkey, Ukraine, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Ukraine, United States