I had a delima when starting this page. I have met so many interesting and amazing people who deserve a spot on this page, so I had no idea who to put first. But when I rolled out of bed in Vagabond Hostel this morning, something caught my attention. A most magnificent fragrence drifted through the air, beckoning me to the kitchen/living room area. I stumbled in I was greeted to a a large apple cinnamon pie, a giant oblet big enough to feed several families, numerous warm slices of white and brown toast, and a fruit filled bowl of oatmeal so volumous I could dive in and go for a swim. My choice for first awesome person was now obvious: Nikita, the master chef and person on shift that night.

I sat down with Nikita and here is his story (told in third person):

"Years and years ago, there was a young man named Nikita who had always wanted to travel, but he was convinced he couldn't. It seemed to dificult and expensive, plus he had no idea where to begin. Then, two years ago, he came to a place in Moscow, his hometown, called Vagabond, and instantly thought, "Wow! What a great place." Nikita decided it was time to be more outgoing and started introducing himself to travelers, tring to find out their stories, who they were and where they had been. This intrigued him, and he began to feel something. The travel spirit he had was returning! But there was still something holding him back. Until two particular travelers arrived.

The first was a Russian woman from Perm. She was kind, talkative, generous, and always seemed to happy and up beat. Also, she was in her sixties, and traveling alone with a goal of seeing every part of the country she calls home. Nikita talked to this woman at legnth throughout her stay at Vagabond and was amazed not only by the fact she was doing this at an age where most people start thinking of retirement and closing themselves off from the world, but by how she seemed so enthusiastic, as opposed to cautious and apprehensive.

Seeing groups travel together was one thing, but seeing a lone traveler or an older person take their adventures with such joy insipred Nikita in a way he didn't think was possible. If all these people could live their dreams and travel, why would it be any different for him? That is when Nikita made the decision. He broke through his comforte zone, bought a plane ticket on a discounted website and set out to Europe. Within the first few months, Nikita did so much, had tons of experiences, and lived more than any other time in his life. That was two years ago, and Nikita hasn't stopped since. He continually returns to Moscow to save up some money by working at Vagabond and cooking amazing breakfasts and help foreigners (including this writer) practise Russian, but whenever he gets the chance, he's up in the air and off to a new destination.

NIKITA QUOTE: "Enjoy your activities, your work, and your life. That is more important than anything."

SUMMARY: Be like Nikita. Draw inspiration from everyone around you. Break your comfort zone and allow yourself to grow, and most of all, enjoy it all as much as you can!

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