Welcome!
Hello everyone, welcome to my website!
I’m Valeriya and I wear many different hats in life. I’m a finance professional, a fiction writer, a blogger and a mom. I love traveling around the world and getting to know people of different cultures and backgrounds. After living in Washington DC for almost two decades, I temporarily relocated to Tashkent, Uzbekistan due to my work. It’s been an amazing experience exploring Uzbekistan and its many attractions. The Great Silk Road passed through several cities of Uzbekistan, so there is a lot of history here. I’ve also been enjoying the outdoors- there are some incredible mountains in this country and ample hiking opportunities.
Where I am from
I was born and raised in Kyiv, Ukraine. Most of my friends and relatives live there. Kyiv is a historical city and home to many architectural masterpieces. I love walking down its streets and admiring its landmarks, like the gorgeous Saint Sophia cathedral, which is the first site in Ukraine to be included on the World Heritage List. The cathedral is very ancient: its foundation was laid back in the 11th century. The Soviets called for demolition of this historical masterpiece, but it managed to survive, thanks to the efforts of historians.
My Blog
In this blog I write about my favorite places, my recent trips, various interesting facts which I discovered while traveling, as well as experiences which our family has with different activities–dancing, sports, vacations… Whatever made us happy and put a smile on our faces. Or whatever made us think and look at the world differently.
I’ve also been busy writing fiction novels inspired by my heritage and travels. The latest one is The Dream Lives On. You can check it out on the My Books page.
So relax, read on, and I hope you will discover new things together with me.