Malaina Stopchycki (She/Her)

GET TO KNOW MALAINA.

• What is your Favourite film or book? 
• I have been reading a lot of different kinds of books recently so picking a favourite is difficult. Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder is the book I have learned the most from. It reviews the history of philosophy, but in a way that is very easy to understand. This is the book that got me interested in philosophy. Which is what helped me find my other favourite book, Nausea written by French Existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre. This novel looks at the absurdness and emptiness of existence, which I found very thought-provoking (my copy is filled with underlines and notes). 

• What was your favourite trip you’ve taken?  
• In February 2020 I went to Thailand for a month. I was very lucky to have a family member living there so I was able to see many different cities and islands, and we even took a little road trip down to Koh Chang from Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. I love everything about Thailand; the people are super friendly, it's absolutely beautiful with lots of cool wildlife, the weather is nice, and the food is DELICIOUS! I definitely plan on going back eventually. 

• Favourite dish to make? 
• Perogies! I don’t make them often because they are a lot of work and time-consuming, but they are delicious and I love making them to connect with my Ukrainian side. My Dad’s family is from Ukraine so we use his Grandmother’s recipe for an authentic experience. I think everyone should try homemade perogies.

• One thing people might not know about you? 
• I am an artist! I have been drawing since I was young and started to become more passionate about it in elementary school. I took art class all through high school, and I am now studying fine arts. I enjoy trying new mediums, but my favourites are drawing and painting.