ALISA
Exited to meet you!
SMIRNOVA
Skills:
Sommelier expertise
Permaculture
and forest gardening
Vegetarian cooking
Holistic Wellbeing Practices
Music composition
and performance
Digital content creation
Soft Skills:
Adaptability
Empathy
Communication
Resilience
Open-mindedness
Interpersonal skills
Cultural sensitivity
Teaching and mentoring
Community engagement
Environmental awareness
Crafting and DIY projects
Renovation, construction, and
decoration
Hospitality and Property
Management (Hotels, Airbnb,
Restaurants)
Photography (concert, nature,
beauty, etc.)
Languages Spoken:
Russian
English
Portuguese
Spanish (in progress)
A B R I E F I N T R O D U C T I O N
Hello, my name is Kseniia, but all my international
friends call me Alice (because it's easier), and I really
enjoy it! I am 31 years old, speak English, Portuguese,
in progress of improving my Spanish (it gets mixed
with Portugues which is understandable ). As you may
have guessed from my unusual name, I am Russian,
but I left my country six years ago and have since
lived in Brazil (three years), Mexico (one year), and
Colombia (one year).
F R O M E S T A B L I S H E D S O M M E L I E R
T O W A T E R S P O R T S & N A T U R E
E N T H U S I A S T
From being one of the highly rated sommeliers and
science enthusiast in Saint-Petersburg, I have
transformed myself into a nature lover and
caretaker. My interests now include permaculture,
forest gardening, jungle adventures, vegetarian
cooking, a bit of herbalism, and a fascination with
crystals, meditation and breathwork.
I am also actively involved in water sports such as
surfing, kitesurfing, and windsurfing.
Beyond that, I am dedicated to supporting local
communities, preserving their culture, promoting
sustainability, and advancing education. I follow a
Zen and Stoic path in my personal philosophy.
I am open to learning from various sources without
prejudice. This has led me not only to reside in
beautiful places like Sierra Nevada, Jericoacuara,
Mazunte, and Bogota but also to travel to numerous
"spiritual places" across different cultures, religions,
and popularity levels. Through these experiences, I
have gained a deeper understanding of humanity
and myself.
I have managed kite schools in La Ventana (Baja
California, Mexico), Salinas del Rey (Atlantico,
Colombia), and Jericoacoara/Prea (Ceara, Brazil),
utilizing my organizational and communication
skills honed during my sommelier career in high-end
restaurants in Russia. (I often joke that I prefer
milliners in swimsuits over those in business suits.)
F A R M I N G , T E A C H I N G A N D
FARMING
A R T I S A N A L

C R A F T I N G & M U S I C

At the same time, I have pursued my

passion for music, singing in bars at night. I
am a quite gifted musician and composer
who loves jamming, improvising, and even
using my voice for "healing."
I also prepare and sell my own natural
cosmetics, a passion that arose after I
became aware of the toxicity of regular
sunscreens, deodorants, and other products
available on the market.
Additionally, I have taught meditation,
breathwork/mindfulness, stretching, yoga,
and fitness classes.

My journey into biodynamic organic

farming began two harvests before I left
Russia while working at the Domaine
(winery) of my friends in the South of
France. As a staunch supporter of the
natural wine movement and biodynamic
agriculture (written by Rudolf Schteiner), I
spent three months each summer staying
and studying agriculture, permaculture,
and winemaking at their property.
This passion continued on a beautiful
organic farm in Minas Gerais, Brazil, where I
lived and studied planting and cooking for
about six months.
My next incredible opportunity was to
volunteer on a remote piece of land in the
Sierra Nevada mountains of Colombia,
alongside the indigenous tribe Wawi, local
residents, jaguars, snakes, eagles, and other
magnificent creatures. There, I was
responsible for the organic terrace garden
project, a sprouting area, and general
planting on the property. I learned forest
gardening, indigenous construction
techniques, spiritual practices, and how to
coexist with the wildlife that surrounded us.
C O M M U N I T Y E N G A G E M E N T
A N D S O C I A L P R O J E C T S
As an active member of my communities
wherever I reside, I strive to learn from
locals and make a positive impact on the
community. For example, we created a
social project for kids in the tiny village of
Tatajuba on the coast of Ceara, Brazil,
offering English, French, kitesurfing, and
environmental care classes to around 20
children, ensuring them a better future and
contributing to the village's preservation
and sustainability.
I also participated in projects for boys living
on the streets of a favela in Fortaleza, where
they received meals and learned to surf,
kitesurf, and repair equipment. And other
little services in surrounding communities. I
see these engagements as exchanges, as I
have learned a great deal from the people I
have worked with, probably more than I
personally impacted them.
 ARTS
C R A F T I N G A N D
M A N A G E M E N T E X P E R I E N C E

I have always been deeply involved in renovation,

construction, decoration, and hotel/Airbnb
management. I have personally redecorated and
renovated small hotels in Teresopolis (mountain
jungle around Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Salinas del
Rey (the coast of Colombia). I have also managed
Airbnb apartments while residing in Jericoacoara,
Brazil.
I have a passion for DIY projects, painting,
building, and construction, which led me to the
capital of Colombia, Bogota, where I worked for a
well-known art direction and production company,
previously affiliated with Netflix. With them, I
participated in the production of several music
videos, live shows in various venues, and even a
theater production in Medellin. This experience
allowed me to merge my two passions: crafting and
music.

M U S I C A N D P H O T O G R A P H Y
J O U R N E Y

I have been part of rock bands since my teenage

years, touring in Russia and organizing small and
large concerts in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus,(for myself
and other artists) and even working backstage at
the major French festival "Les Nuits de la Guitar" on
Corsica Island in 2019.
In 2009, driven by my love for music, I purchased my
first professional camera and became a concert
photographer. I always carry my camera with me
while traveling, which has given me experience in
photography for water sports, nature, beauty
shoots, fantasy shoots, hotels, restaurants,
entrepreneurs, and more.
 S H A R I N G M Y P E R S O N A L I T Y A N D
V O L U N T E E R P L A N S

I share this life experience to give you an idea of I'm easy-going. open-minded and non-
the wide range of my skills and hope to provide judgmental. I don't impose my lifestyle on others,
a more comprehensive understanding of who I but I'm always willing to share my knowledge
am as a being and person. about health, nutrition, fitness, meditation, and
I am currently seeking an opportunity to volunteer spiritual practices when asked. I can easily engage
because my visa in Colombia is expiring, and I in joyful communication with people of varying
need to leave for a period of three to six months. perspectives and lifestyles because my life
As a Russian citizen, I have encountered significant experience is quite diverse.
discrimination from the global banking system,
making it difficult for me to work online freely and I'm not particularly fond of drugs or parties with
impacting my financial situation. excessive drinking, but I definitely know how to
Therefore, my highest hope is to find a Workaway have a good time dancing!
opportunity in Costa Rica, as it aligns with my
interests, offers a supportive community, and Also I'm not the most enthusiastic about social
provides an affordable flight option from Bogota. media. My Instagram was hacked, stolen, and
I also aim to earn a little income while deleted three months ago.
volunteering or through open vacancies in the However, you can contact me through my
area. Given my current financial situation, I kindly Facebook and messaging apps.
request that at least two meals per day be
provided by the host. However, I am open to
discussing any alternative solutions that may be Alisa Smirnova
Saint-Petersburg, Russia
feasible.
During my stay, I plan to continue working on my +57 322 908 56 69
ongoing creative projects, including music, writing
a book, and giving lectures. I also look forward to
actively participating in community activities,
make new friendships, learning about different
ways of life, and acquiring new skills.