Pavel Itzhak Moskowitz

[obviouschild]

Name: Pavel Itzhak “Pasha” Moskowitz
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Hometown: Kostroma, Russia, then Montréal, Canada
High School: Lester B. Pearson High School
Do you know any Russian?: “I speak fluent Russian.”

Why do you want to study in Russia?: “I was born in Russia, and lived there until I was eleven. My desire to return is equal parts intellectual curiosity and an interest in my roots. My community was always somewhat insular, and although I grew up alongside Russian culture I had little chance to explore it in depth. I am fascinated by Russia’s history, literature, art, and music. My family’s last experiences in Russia were disenchanting. That is why we left. But I am not ready to dismiss the place that was once my home.”

What do you hope to get out of your experience?: “I would like to gain a better understanding of Russian culture and everything it has to offer. In more general terms, I’d also like to make my final year of high school a memorable and unique one. I look forward to chance to meet people from around the world, as well as people from my home country. I want to learn why things are the way they are, and what should be changed, and how to change it.”

What are your interests?: “My main interests are music and woodworking. My musical background is mostly classical. I play violin, as well as a little piano. I also sing and compose music. I act as apprentice to my father in his carpentry business, and I sometimes carve wood in my spare time. I’m also interested in languages. I’ve been teaching myself Hebrew and French over the past few years. I love cooking and do altogether too much of it.”

Should we know anything else about you?: “I’m thinking about becoming a teacher, so if the school offers this kind of thing I would be happy to tutor other students in Russian, or, well, anything else they’re having trouble with. It’s also worth mentioning that I am an observant Jew, so I’d appreciate it if the dining hall had an option that’s more or less Kosher.”

[Unsung]

Accepted! Now please do the claims and get started. (: