| What is your most memorable childhood experience? | It was, without a doubt, a sunny July day some years ago. It was the very first time my dad took me to watch our favorite soccer team, Torpedo Moscow, play against Kamaz in Russian Top Football Division at the stadium. We also met my cousin at Avtozavodskaya subway station. Together, we headed to the stadium from the station, passing by other people proudly wearing the black and white colors of our beloved team, having banter and eating Caucasian fast food at small cafes. Then we bought our tickets and went in the nearby convenience store to buy some beverages and snacks. My dad and cousin were drinking beer with pistachios while I was sipping lemonade, passionately waiting for the kick-off. When we entered the stands, I was amazed, standing with my eyes wide open - the picture seen so many times before on TV came to life. I enjoyed every single moment of it, the atmosphere of everything got deep beneath my skin, producing goose bumps during all ninety minutes of the beautiful game of football. The fans were cheering and chanting all the way, and Torpedo gloriously won. Even though I was fairly young then, I still remember every moment of it. I should say, that was the day when I found my second home, until I departed to USA. |
| What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why? | My mom. Although I shared a lot of interests with my dad, she is the only person with whom I can share almost everything - my worries, troubles, wins, hopes, even dreams sometimes. The reason is that I was afraid to show my natural feelings to my father a little bit - just because he sometimes seemed to me as a man without sensitivity, a bit of a tough guy, that is why I was quite shy with him (now, throughout the years, I know that it's not like that). And my mom was the opposite - a kind and calm person who is always with me no matter what. |
| What character traits do you admire in an individual? | Honesty, standing for your own rights, being compassionate and respectful. |
| What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you? | The one that comes up to my mind right now happened to me in my university years. The second week after I began studying there, one girl was throwing a party at her house. That was a pretty typical kind of a party - floods of liquor and fun. I ended up being so groggy that I forgot my Dr. Martens boots at the apartment while trying to follow some of my mates on the streets who were on their way to the subway. Only ten minutes after I had gone outside I found myself walking just in my socks. Had to return, only to find that beside my boots I forgot to put my jacket on, too. |
| If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why? | It would be Iceland. Its nature and unique landscape terrifies me throughout my life. I would easily dedicate a significant time of my life to it, simply walking all over the country, trekking, camping, hiking. |
| When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them? | Always standing their ground and beliefs. It doesn't mean being a person who never listens to others and disagrees with them all the time, unable to see two sides of one coin. It means not to give up yourself to such things as public opinion and so called opinion of the majority, even if you are threatened by some individuals. |
