| What is your most memorable childhood experience? | I was observing fireworks in the countryside sky from afar. At that time, things like fireworks were not easily accessible in Russia. Despite the great visuals, I said to my dad that I wished I could also launch some fireworks upward. My dad fell silent for about half a minute and asked me to wait while he went to the car. He brought back a flare gun which he brought with him on fishing trips in case of emergency. As he placed the flare launcher in my hands, he held and pointed my arms upward, allowing me to shoot the flare into the sky. I lit up with happiness as I watched the bright red fireball slowly fall downward. I think that experience, other than being of positive sentiment, served as an important lesson in improvising and finding joy in the things that are available. |
| What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why? | While I have many similarities with my father, I identify more closely with my mother. My mom was home more frequently during my childhood due to my dad's more rigorous work schedule and I therefore learned many adult behaviors from her. I'm cleaner and more organized like she is, and I learned to cook and generally take care of myself in other similar aspects. |
| What character traits do you admire in an individual? | I admire consistency, especially when it comes to following through on promises. I think that trait is telling of how much self-control a person has, which I believe transfers over to most aspects of life. Whether it's how a person takes care of themselves, the types of habits they form or break, and the type of success they have in life, it all boils down to how consistent they are, which is determined by that person's level of self-control. |
| What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you? | It seems like something extremely funny happens on a nearly weekly basis, so it's difficult to pick the funniest one. Many events would also require a lot of backstory in order to make their way out of the inside joke territory. Among the simple things I can recall is our family's pet bird having learned how to yell phrases at the fish in the aquarium we placed next to the tank. It was hilarious to hear a phrase that was brand new, yet coincidentally applicable to the situation being yelled at the fish by the seemingly intelligent and emotional bird. |
| If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why? | I would likely travel to Japan due to the interest I have in their language and culture. I grew up consuming many kinds of various Japanese media and would like to eventually go there to learn the language. |
| When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them? | The most important thing to pass onto a child is an upbringing that would allow the child to be successful in areas in life that many people neglect to educate children in. Some of the most important things that can be taught to a child are critical thinking skills and information that is neglected by most schools. There is an evident lack of knowledge in public and private schools regarding such things as healthy nutrition and lifestyle, scientifically observable effects of meditation on the body and brain, investing financially, and many more. |
