Hi all,

It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm somewhat of an R4R veteran (not on this account) and have missed the delight and excitement that comes with meeting new people. I'm hopeful that this post will generate the same positive results as it has previously, so please don't be shy and surprise me with a little orange envelope!

About me: I am based in Ottawa but from Montréal originally, pursuing a master's in International Affairs and currently working in diplomacy and foreign policy for the Canadian federal government. I consider myself a friendly cosmopolite, always pursuing adventure and fulfillment. I love all things culture - food and cuisine (top of the list because it's important to me in a variety of ways), art, music, religion (I am nonreligious but find it respectful to inform myself of other traditions), philosophy, and more.

Some fun facts about me:

• I think banana flavored candy is highly underrated and that is a hill I am willing to die on.
• I've traveled to 40 countries and counting, and I've lived in 3.
• I'm an artist - I sculpt tiny foods out of clay, love to paint with watercolors, and I can decorate cakes pretty well if I say so myself.
• I love the movie Her with a passion - I'd say it's my favorite of all time.

Ideally, you...

• Are personable and a good conversationalist interested in stimulating dialogue
• Are interested in long-term friendship rather than a day-long conversation
• Share some of my values or at the very least aren't diametrically opposed to me when it comes to politics (I think you can gauge where I stand)
• Are comfortable sharing pictures of yourself and your life
• Are funny, like to text, and possibly voice or video chat

Anyways, feel free to reach out! All I ask is that you write something a bit more substantial than just "Hi" or "Hey, what's up?". Even if we don't have much in common, tell me a bit about yourself and I'm sure we can make a conversation out of that. I look forward to hearing from you!