Milana Fedorova

Born in the Arkhangelsk region. At the age of seven, moved with her family to the Perm Region, lived in Kungursky District and in Gubakha. She graduated from PSHPU, faculty of biology and chemistry, later — faculty of psychology. Guide, local historian, enthusiast of Permishics.

Quotes

• It's great when you discover something new and unexplored in something longtime familiar and well-known, and you can also share these discoveries.
• Interested people and attentive eyes energize me.
• If you don't want something and can't do this, you don't have to break yourself over your knees. If there appears a barrier, then maybe it happens for some reason.
• I am a big fan of the Alexei Ivanov's works. His historical books are beneficial in the profession, and fiction — in life.
• The problem of modern humankind is the inability to stop in the movement, physical or mental. Everybody is in a hurry, but there is no need to hurry.

My story

My mother is a teacher, philologist by education, she taught Russian language, literature, history, and world artistic culture. I had someone to get interested in culture.

Although I managed to work both in teaching and in advertising, there was always craving for changing places. When our service was discharged, I analyzed my life experience and qualities and chose tourism. Or did it choose me?

I started my touristic career in one of the most successful travel agencies of Perm at that time. For several years I was in charge of domestic tourism, trips around Russia and the Perm region. Since I not only sent people to the tours but also went with them myself, which means I was listening to Perm guides, I had a logical thought: would I try myself in this role? So I entered the courses of the guides in the Perm Association of Guide-Translators and Tour Managers.

It helped a lot that I visited a lot of places myself, so I knew the logistics and everyday details that needed attention. Studying at the psychological faculty helped to form groups correctly and to behave with people. The puzzle came together: all my previous activities seemed to bring me to become a guide.

Within the Perm region, I really like the north, Gubakha, and recently I discovered the south. This spring I plunged into the history of Bikbarda, the estate of the Diaghilevs. There are few houses plus a dam remained from those times, but the place is still saturated with good energy. I love Kudymkar and the whole Komi-Permyak district very much. Once a year at least, and if it works out, then more often, I am tempting someone to go to Kudymkar. It usually falls in the winter, and it gives an additional flavor to the beautiful, harsh north.

Next year, my project «Walks through Perm» will be 10 years old. It appeared not only from enlightenment purposes, but also to enable people to walk and ramble, without haste. To sit on the bench, meditate, look at the sun. When traveling in the region, people also sometimes ask: «What shall we do?» I say: «Here is a bench, here is a forest, here is a sky. Isn't it nice? Just sit on the bench and look around.» People are surprised, but they manage to relax and even to some extent return to themselves.

For several years I cooperate with the local history club «Svoya Doroga,» which organizes tours to various parts of the Kama region. I'd like to attract, entice, captivate Perm people by such a kind of travel. This makes possible to dive more deeply into the territory, in contrast to the classic excursion tours. We can get into the outskirts and rural areas, get to know the place better and appreciate it.

In Perm, I always felt calm, comfortable, successful. If there is a desire to see something new — I take a ticket and drive off. But I always want to return to Perm.