Oldenborg Center

Where do you live in your home country?

 I live in St. Petersburg, the so-called Northern Venice, and that’s the city I’m in love with. Why? Because of the joy of being trapped on the wrong side of the river at night, when the bridges are drawn… the romance of the white nights period… the magnificence of the Neva river and its granite embankments… There are countless wonders in this city, and it’s the place I belong to.

What is your favorite cultural tradition or holiday? Why is it special to you?

My favorite holiday is New Year – that’s the time to feel free from the routine and to indulge into dreaming. And among Russian traditions and holidays the most amusing for me has always been the period we call Sviatki. It’s in January, between the Nativity of Christ (7 January) and Epiphany (19 January), and it was believed that during these days you could do everything you wished. Young girls engaged in various rituals to read their fortune. In present times we have fun meeting up at night and trying to do the same – in a dark room with candles and a book revealing the secrets of fortune-telling.

What is your favorite dish?

That’s a difficult question because I cannot say that I have some specific dish that I like the most. Talking about Russian cuisine, I would advise trying traditional Russian soups – like schee (cabbage soup) and borsch (beetroot and meat soup), of course – Russian pancakes, blini, with caviar, and sbiten’, a traditional Russian drink made on the basis of honey with spices.

What fun activities do you like to engage in?

I adore snowmobiling in the forests of the city suburbs, but unfortunately last winter in St. Petersburg was almost snowless. In summer my favorite entertainment is going to boat-tours around the city – I think I never get weary of them.

What do you look forward to the most about being in the U.S. this coming academic year? (Or simply in terms of being at Oldenborg or Pomona College?)

Well, this is my first visit to the U.S., so I think the year will be full of impressions and discoveries. What I really look forward to is experiencing the atmosphere of an American university and meeting new people – especially the students I’ll be working with. Moreover, judging from the pictures I found on the Internet, Pomona is a very beautiful place, and I cannot wait to find myself being there.