Me in 2.5 sentences

My story is the classic “I took my midlife crisis a little early to pursue a life of passion” kind of story (that’s a thing, right?):

A bright and upbeat young woman discovers her true love for architecture and history (what else?), turns her back on the temptations of money and fame to combine her greatest talent (that would be talking) with her greatest passion (exploring city cultures), and lives happily ever after – or at least, that’s the plan.

The long story

What do you even say about yourself?

Well, apparently, I’m a huge nerd. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have walked away from a lucrative career in marketing to become a full-time tourist guide. And let’s be honest – it doesn’t get much nerdier than that.

I’ve been in love with Vienna ever since I first moved here from Ukraine over 21 years ago.

I’ll spare you the full story – let’s just say I was ready for a change.

I always had a strong interest in the fine arts, but unfortunately never quite enough talent to pursue them professionally. So I went into marketing instead. Connecting with people and presenting things in their best light comes naturally to me, so it seemed like the obvious choice.

Still, over time, it left me strangely unfulfilled.

I started exploring the city that had become my home – first casually, then more and more intensely. What began as curiosity turned into something deeper, eventually leading me to spend a year balancing work with internships at the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Museum für Angewandte Kunst.

That’s when I realized I was onto something.

I still remember the moment it truly clicked – how much meaning was hiding in plain sight all around me. It felt like falling down the rabbit hole of Alice in Wonderland. Learning about the history and conflicts that shaped my surroundings was like learning how to see.

Suddenly, the noisy, ordinary rhythm of city life – the background static we usually ignore – filled with meaning and life.

Needless to say, I was hooked.

But as much as I love discovering and learning, what excites me most is sharing that process with others. Pulling them into the rabbit hole, if you will. Getting them hooked on discovery, too.

And now, that’s exactly what I do.

I help people discover my favorite city – and when I do my job well, they leave as explorers in their own right.