CURRENT MISSION

To learn Ukrainian

ABOUT ME

I am a happy person who enjoys culture, history and tries (but normally fails) to have deep meaningful philosophical conversations about life the universe and everything. But sometimes I just like to have a laugh as well.

I work at the University of Glasgow in Central and East European Studies and am co-director of the Russian Up! project (www.russianup.com)

PHILOSOPHY

Enjoy life, meet intersting people, and learn something from everyone.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am always happy to meet new people and think that you can learn something from anyone.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Completely new to this.

Interests

culture
speaking Latvian and Russian
having a laugh
nature
the great outdoors
national identities
sports (playing, watching, and discussing)
travel

• culture
• politics
• traveling
• eating out
• outdoor activities
• sports
• history

Music, Movies, and Books

Favourite books:

The Famished Road (Ben Okri)
Master and Margarita (Mikhail Bulgakov)
Satanic Verses (Salman Rushdie)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Became a dad
licked my elbow with my tounge (they said it couldn't be done)

Teach, Learn, Share

I am a lecturer in nationalism and identity and am interested in (among other things) ethnic and national minorities, the politics of memory, nation-building, politics and society of the Baltic states, and Russia's foreign relations

Generally I am interested in anything but especially anything to do with Latvia and/or Russia (and increasingly Ukraine)