Globetrotters Writer Spotlight — Daria K. (INFJ Traveler)
Hello everyone!
Travel far from what I know, I’ll be swept away, I need to know I can be lost And not afraid…
[“Trip the light.” Song by Garry Schyman]
Hi Globetrotters. My name is…
Daria K., or INFJ Traveler.
I love to travel because…
It is always a discovery of something new — in the outside world as well as in myself.
My number one travel activity is…
Observing wildlife :) I love seeing birds, animals, and insects — the way they live and what they do, be it a not-so-rare pigeon, a fluffy nutria, a chirping sparrow, or a bright red-and-black firebug!
I come from…
I identify myself as an international person. I was born in Russia and now I live in Spain, and I have a very strong personal connection to France and India.
I work as a…
Research engineer — in my current work, I help scientists to analyze climate data, and before, I took part in different research projects in fluid mechanics and astronomy. And it was thanks to my studies and research work that I could travel to many places, as I participated in various conferences where I presented my results. On the side, I also teach languages (French, English, and Russian).
The best place I’ve been is…
There are several of them, I guess. I love France, especially Toulouse and Paris, for their architecture and lifestyle and for being my home in different time periods. I love Dhaka in Bangladesh and Tiruchendur in India for their colors, culture, and welcoming people. I love Hamburg in Germany for its green parks and calm mornings near a lake. And many more...
In my spare time, I like to…
Learn languages! In addition to Russian, English, and French, I speak intermediate Hindi and know the basics of Tamil, Bengali, and Spanish. There are a few other languages I am familiar with — for example, once I took a short course in Breton, a language spoken in the northwest of France. I am fully convinced that by learning a language, you are discovering a whole world!
My top travel tip is…
Take time to slow down and just observe the world around you. It is easy to get overwhelmed while traveling, so it is important to take a moment and reconnect with yourself, your dreams, and your feelings.
If I could live somewhere else, I’d live in…
A small French town called Chambly, not far from Paris. I love so much its wildlife and history. The soft cooing of pigeons and melodic singing of blackbirds, two small rivers flowing past houses and trees, old lavoirs (wash houses) and watermills, and a beautiful medieval festival of a tree burning in the town’s main square. I have lived there for one year and when I had to leave (as I got a new job), I felt like I left there a part of myself.
My favorite way to travel is…
Slow travel. As an introvert and a highly sensitive person, I like to observe things around me, notice small details, feel immersed in the local life, and then get some time for myself to process my feelings and emotions.
Three lessons I’ve learned from traveling are…
- People are actually so similar despite their differences. And someone from a totally different culture might understand you much better than someone who lives in the same country as you.
- Learning languages is a great way of traveling even if it is only in your mind.
- Sometimes traveling is so messy: trains are late, your bag is too heavy, and you are too exhausted. But there are always a few little and seemingly insignificant things that will eventually make everything better!
Thanks for welcoming me to the Globetrotters community, I am happy to meet you all!
