What song do you think everyone should listen to once in their life?
Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell
What film is a must see?
Atonement since Joe Wright’s movies are absolute visual and atmospheric delights.
Amadeus by Miloš Forman because even though it tells a story of perpetual fight between genius and mediocrity it also shows that being human inevitably means being imperfect, no matter how exceptional or simple our talents and abilities are.
What book is a must read?
Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov as it represents the limitless possibilities of human fantasy and, therefore, every reading can be an entirely different experience. The fusion of bizarre humor and serious socio-political issues creates an intriguingly unpredictable atmosphere and the combination of various supernatural events reflects the reality of Soviet Russia where people disappeared on a daily basis. It is an engaging and critical allegory of Bulgakov’s society in which everything was so upside-down that talking cats and devils in human form could seem completely ordinary.
What are you most grateful for?
During the first lockdown, I started hiking, which has become an essential part of my daily (or in this overly temperamental weather at least weekly) routine. It gives me time to calm my mind and escape from the current messy and confusing reality. That is why I am continuously grateful for all the beautiful places around Edinburgh, especially the Pentlands, that have provided me with numerous opportunities to wander around, pretend to be a period drama heroine fighting her inner demons along with dysfunctional social structures, and most importantly swoon over fluffy lambs.
The older I get, the more grateful I am for my sister. We had our ups and downs caused by a very small age difference, which can make teenage years even more turbulent. I think we both had to mature a bit, stop seeing each other as a competition and instead embrace the same peculiar sense of humour as well as a close mental connection. Thankfully, we are now too wise for pointless fights over boys (and other banalities). She is the first person I ask for advice and even though I might not always like it I know she is usually right.
Living in a small country definitely has its benefits, but it can also make you feel like you have already explored everything or met everyone and that there is not enough space for you to expand your abilities and find new opportunities that would inspire you. Even though I know that this is not an objective and general truth, it was one of the reasons why I decided to leave home and try to find a sense of fulfillment somewhere else. It might also be connected to one of the irrational attributes of my personality, that is always searching for something better, a way of life that would be more memorable or exciting.
The more pragmatic side of me loves planning. It makes me feel ready to handle the immense variety of scenarios that might happen, or just gives me a false but comforting sense of preparedness. Before I moved to Edinburgh, I tried to plan the details of my life here and where it could potentially lead. The thing I did not and could not plan was the pandemic. Being forced to adapt to an unpredictable, but at the same time stagnating, way of life for an unclear amount of time was extremely challenging for me. After three or four weeks (or months/years/who knows?) I realized that I had to go back to a certain structure even if it meant scheduling my daily walks, doing jigsaw puzzles and watching Homeland, The Crown or The Bake Off, depending on my current mood.
Along with the majority of people in the cultural industry, I suddenly lost all of my potential career opportunities and we all kept hearing that we should probably start thinking about changing professions. As if I could just move my magic wand with a phoenix feather and become a lawyer. I felt that I had to defend my choices not only from people around me, but also from myself. Since I had a lot of time to spend with my many, many, many thoughts that were influenced by the overwhelming uncertainty, I naturally started to question my decision to work in this industry. Even under normal circumstances, it is challenging, competitive and sometimes extremely exhausting. Some people still consider it to be a hobby and not a valued career and politicians continuously place it on the bottom of their interest. I kept asking myself if I’m really able to constantly prove my skills and dedication, fight over jobs with other 700 applicants and keep reminding people that culture has an important impact on our personal and social development. But because books, movies, TV shows and (some) online theatre performances filled my last 15 months with joy and excitement, I eventually strengthened my belief that nothing feels more rewarding than being a part of creative process. Moreover, creative collaboration between people with different personalities and from various backgrounds eventually increases our openness to diversity and helps us become more open-minded, unprejudiced and educated. It also strengthens the attributes, which are essential for human coexistence, such as acceptance, solidarity and kindness. And I can’t wait to be back in that hectic but fascinating environment.
