Natalia Krylova is many things rolled into one. She’s an interpreter. A Russian language instructor. A scholar in the Soviet avant-garde. And, most recently, the Assistant Director for Academic Affairs for the Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh. This latter title is just a long-winded way of saying she’s the academic advisor to students studying the region. This wearer of many hats has an interesting life story as a result. She grew up in Karelia in northwestern Russia. Studied Soviet literature in St. Petersburg. She lived through the twilight of the USSR and the turbulent 1990s. She’s an expert on the work of Vladimir Mayakovsky and Vladimir Vysotsky. The Eurasian Knot sat down with Natalia to learn about her many ventures and adventures. Tune into this wide-ranging discussion with Natalia about life, love, and literature and how she navigated post-Soviet life. Guest: Natalia Krylova is the Assistant Director for Academic Affairs at the Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh. She received her Ph.D. in Russian literature from the St.-Petersburg State University. Her research focuses on gender in Russian culture, avant-garde art, and the legacies of the two prominent Russian poets – Vladimir Mayakovsky and Vladimir Vysotsky. She’s also a Russian language instructor, translator, and interpreter.