I first met Ksenia in Israel. We both were at a mutual friend's birthday party on the beach, and she stood out - a tall, beautiful girl from Moscow. We never met again, but our paths crossed professionally; after writing and editing for a Russian travel magazine, Ksenia, like many creatives, decided to embark on a tech adventure. She joined the team behind a new Russian-based travel app named Friendly Cities, where I later became the Bay Area editor. Then, by the force of Facebook, I found out she moved across the world, to South Africa of all places, and soon founded Gummie, a curated travel experienced website. Wait, what?
Age: 26
What do you do: I'm a co-founder of a travel tech start up.
Why did you move: I moved for love :)
What makes you happy about living in your new location: The people! South Africans are incredibly open, down to earth and warm people. Also, nature. It is like a different planet; Mountains, oceans, flowers, wild animals, seal swimming past you while you're having a drink in the harbor. It's all real here, but feels very unreal.
What makes you sad about moving: It's pretty far from home (and the rest of the world) so I can't travel as often as I would like to.
What do you do: I'm a co-founder of a travel tech start up.
Why did you move: I moved for love :)
What makes you happy about living in your new location: The people! South Africans are incredibly open, down to earth and warm people. Also, nature. It is like a different planet; Mountains, oceans, flowers, wild animals, seal swimming past you while you're having a drink in the harbor. It's all real here, but feels very unreal.
What makes you sad about moving: It's pretty far from home (and the rest of the world) so I can't travel as often as I would like to.
How often do you visit home and what do you do when your'e there: I visit once a year, and I mostly go out and see friends and family. I always try and combine the visit home with a little European vacation. Last year I spent a week in the south of France and the year before visited Finland and Denmark.
What do you miss the most about Moscow: I miss my family and my best friends. I miss long heated debates in the little Soviet kitchens, super human women who manage to be smart, successful and endlessly feminine at the same time, and the joy that is May — when everyone is euphoric about the upcoming summer.
What are you happy to leave behind: I feel very good living without Russian negativity and cynical approach to life, which is typical for Moscow. Also, winter! OMG, I hate winter.
What are your travelling essentials: Black and white clothes so that I can mix and match them in hundreds of combinations. Evian thermal water for the plane. My Kindle and my iPhone with all my music.
How did you style change since you moved: The winter is 9 months long in Moscow, and here it is a never-ending summer. Sandals, ridiculously short shorts and tops are my uniform in Cape Town, while busy streets and cold weather back home call for darker colors and lots of layers. I love winter in Cape Town though, since it's an excuse to wear a light coat, nice ankle boots and something frivolous underneath, like a jumpsuit.
What do you miss the most about Moscow: I miss my family and my best friends. I miss long heated debates in the little Soviet kitchens, super human women who manage to be smart, successful and endlessly feminine at the same time, and the joy that is May — when everyone is euphoric about the upcoming summer.
What are you happy to leave behind: I feel very good living without Russian negativity and cynical approach to life, which is typical for Moscow. Also, winter! OMG, I hate winter.
What are your travelling essentials: Black and white clothes so that I can mix and match them in hundreds of combinations. Evian thermal water for the plane. My Kindle and my iPhone with all my music.
How did you style change since you moved: The winter is 9 months long in Moscow, and here it is a never-ending summer. Sandals, ridiculously short shorts and tops are my uniform in Cape Town, while busy streets and cold weather back home call for darker colors and lots of layers. I love winter in Cape Town though, since it's an excuse to wear a light coat, nice ankle boots and something frivolous underneath, like a jumpsuit.
Ksenia's Must-Haves for Travel and Life
(Click on the image to shop it online)
(Click on the image to shop it online)
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(click on the image to check it out online)
1. A COS spring coat. It is brilliant and works with every outfit, every season.
2. The Ditte watch by Skagen, a new love.
3. Brown leather loafers by a local brand Jane Sews. So comfy and work with everything.
4. My Dear Rae ring, from Life of Pi collection — it's called a Flying Fish.
5. Moleskine notebooks. I get one every six months, they pretty much run my life.
1. A COS spring coat. It is brilliant and works with every outfit, every season.
2. The Ditte watch by Skagen, a new love.
3. Brown leather loafers by a local brand Jane Sews. So comfy and work with everything.
4. My Dear Rae ring, from Life of Pi collection — it's called a Flying Fish.
5. Moleskine notebooks. I get one every six months, they pretty much run my life.