Russian traveler Pollyanna, 27, has visited more than 40 countries with a single backpack after leaving Moscow to escape a difficult childhood.
Standing on the roadside trying to reach Brno from Prague, Pollyanna and her travel companion waited a long time as cars passed by. Eventually, two men who appeared to be Dagestani stopped their car. Although they spoke Czech with an unusual accent, the travelers got in after a brief conversation.
The men explained they were from Uzbekistan and operated a shop selling dried fruits, berries, and nuts in central Prague to support their families back home. During the drive, they showed photos of their relatives, shared fruit, bought coffee and food at a gas station, and dropped the travelers off safely. Pollyanna noted that riding with unknown traders was typical for her lifestyle.
Pollyanna explained that she began traveling to leave behind a traumatic childhood in a dysfunctional family, knowing by age 10 that she would leave. She described her departure not as avoidance or escapism, but as a gift. She added that she remains ready to take short notice trips abroad, such as traveling to Nepal to paint walls, whenever organizers cover her travel, housing, and food expenses.
At age 13, she spent about a month in England attending language courses provided by her school. The trip brought her immense relief and convinced her that alternatives to her home life existed. She was not afraid of traveling to a European country where people looked similar to Muscovites and shared a similar mindset.
She stayed with a British woman named Karen and her 16-year-old daughter Marisa. Observing their frequent arguments, she was shocked when Karen told her daughter she was grounded and Marisa responded with profanity. Pollyanna observed that children in Britain enjoyed greater freedom and independence than in Russia, where obedience to elders was strictly expected.
British food culture also surprised her. Instead of traditional Russian meals like mashed potatoes, cutlets, borscht, or shchi, her host family relied on frozen convenience meals, sugary cereals, and yogurts. Snacks consisted of vinegar and salt potato chips that burned the tongue, which were widely eaten by teenagers.
At age 14, Pollyanna returned to England for summer language classes at King's College London, a public research university located in the British capital. Her mother paid about 100,000 roubles per month for a dormitory room measuring between 5 and 10 square meters, equipped with a compact shower and a toilet resembling those on trains.
Students cooked in a shared kitchen, where strong food aromas from students originating from China and Macau filled the hallways. Pollyanna bonded with French and Brazilian classmates, recalling how Brazilians were warm and approachable, while French students remained in tighter groups but welcomed her.
She recalled an evening when students dragged a large mattress into the hallway and shared wine and vodka despite strict prohibitions against alcohol in the dormitory. She praised the British teaching staff for their small class sizes, individualized attention, and willingness to communicate via email, contrasting it with Russian classes of 30 pupils using uniform teaching methods.
Walking around London, she admired the gothic architecture but found the London Underground dirty, expensive, and intimidating. She remarked that the tube lacked visible security compared to Russian stations, creating an environment where individuals felt entirely on their own.
Life and theater in Kyrgyzstan
In 2016, Pollyanna moved to Bishkek after her mother was relocated to the Kyrgyz capital for work. Enrolling in home schooling provided her with free time to join the Chingiz Aitmatov Russian Drama Theatre, which was managed by a local Russian woman.
At the theater, she sang, acted, and improvised Chekhov plays alongside colleagues of various ages, bonding over guitar music and creative work.
She praised the fresh produce and welcoming people in Kyrgyzstan. She noted how a local resident, whom she referred to as Aunt Feruza, could open a small shop to sell imported books without formal paperwork, something Pollyanna believed police in central Moscow would quickly shut down.
As a traditional Muslim country, Kyrgyzstan maintained conservative social expectations where young women were expected to be modest and passive. Wearing red lipstick, Pollyanna stood out and attracted public attention. She also noted that traditional practices such as bride kidnapping still occurred in the country.
When graduating high school, she returned to Russia to collect her diploma without saying formal goodbyes, believing she would return soon, though she has not visited Kyrgyzstan since.
Hitchhiking across Europe
Following advice from her mother's friend who studied in Czechia, Pollyanna spent a year learning Czech to qualify for tuition-free university education. Although she enjoyed the gingerbread style gothic architecture of Prague, she felt the city's slow pace did not suit her long term.
While studying in Czechia, she tried hitchhiking for the first time. During a trip to Dresden, Germany, she and her friends missed the last night bus back to Prague, where Pollyanna had an exam scheduled the following morning.
The group went to a McDonald's restaurant, gathered paper and markers, and wrote Prague on a sign before standing on the highway. As darkness fell and their phone batteries died, an emergency vehicle driven by a Russian-speaking man stopped. Having lived in Russia and visited Moscow, the driver gave them a ride home and bought them pastries along the way.
After that experience, Pollyanna hitchhiked across much of Europe, feeling protected and confident in her safety.
Budget travel and living in France
On a separate trip to Amsterdam, a friend bought her a bus ticket but failed to secure accommodation. Searching for a restroom on the street, Pollyanna overheard Russian speakers in a high-rise apartment and shouted up to ask for help.
Inside the apartment, she met a Ukrainian youth, a Russian girl, and a Canadian ballet dancer from the Royal Theatre who performed pirouettes in the room. The host offered guests water, wine, or cocaine, and after learning of their situation, the Ukrainian host offered them free lodging in an empty Airbnb apartment.
Pollyanna noted that as a budget student traveler, she regularly found free accommodation through social media groups, though she advised against the practice today due to safety concerns.
She later spent three months living in Paris through a friend's connection. She described a relaxed lifestyle of meeting friends along the Seine after work to eat baguettes, Camembert, and drink wine while watching the Eiffel Tower at sunset.
She joked that people with diabetes should be prohibited from visiting France due to the abundance of pastries and sweets. She also complimented French grooming standards, contrasting them with men in Russia who would chew off their fingernails rather than use a file.
However, she noted that Paris faced issues with rats and urban cleanliness, arguing that walking in white socks in Paris posed health risks compared to Moscow's clean streets. She added that the city appeared less romantic to migrants arriving from conflict zones such as Afghanistan.
Overcoming depression in Thailand
Pollyanna secured university admission in France but was denied a visa, forcing her to return to Moscow to work as a barista. She later won a grant discount for a British university, where she completed her first year with top grades.
In 2020, her mother died. Compounded by isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit, a lack of closeness with her father, and a severe case of tonsillitis, Pollyanna developed depression and withdrew from her university studies.
She recovered by pursuing creative photography and building new social connections. Shifting her travels from Europe to Asia, she took a job working with children in Thailand.
Teaching children restored her sense of purpose, helping her overcome the emotional numbness of depression by reminding her of life's vibrant colors.
Safety tips for backpackers
Pollyanna characterized the lifestyle of a solo traveler as an intense challenge requiring constant safety precautions. She advised female solo travelers to carry pepper spray, choose safe destinations, or travel with companions.
When hitchhiking, she recommended searching for rides at gas stations rather than open roads and sharing location details with friends. She warned against accepting rides from drivers who offer transport without asking questions, suggesting travelers evaluate potential companions carefully before entering a vehicle.
