Natalia was NYLESA Co-Chair 2021-2022 and is currently in charge of the Membership Team
I am from Russia. I have a Masters in French Language and Literature, and have lived and worked in Saint-Petersburg, and UN’s duty stations in Nairobi and Vienna.
I joined NYLESA right upon our arrival in New York and started volunteering for the membership team in 2018, after about a year of being a member of NYLESA.
Since one of my favorite sayings goes: “Do something! If it works, do more of it”, I am honor to take Co-Chair position for the second year. This will give me the opportunity to use everything I have learnt over the past year for the best of NYLESA.
To the newly arrived, I would recommend them to find a community of their own where they truly belong. Joining NYLESA was the best decision I ever made because I found my friends. Friends are priceless and finding them in a new place is not easy.
Things I love about New York – There are a lot of attractive things in New York. I love its museums, I am impressed by its people, I really enjoy its parks. But the thing about the City that I love probably the most is you walk a lot in NYC! I do a lot of walking in New York, and it is never boring and never ceases to amaze me! All sorts of people I meet on the way, hidden gems I discover, shows and performances where I least expect them, those are few of my favorite things in the Big Apple. More walking, better mood, happier life…
My hobbies and interests in New York – Last summer I discovered a new hobby to enjoy New York even more – cycling! Pedaling around the city has helped me avoid public transport but still go anywhere I wanted. Riding along Broadway through an absolutely empty Times Square or across Central Park after dark turned out to be highlights of last summer.
Living here I discovered how much I appreciate nature and how much I would like to experience life in the countryside, but not too far from a big city though!