Fantasy worlds, geological experiments, Substack publications, theories of international relations, TV series, the Fermi paradox, the meaning of names, strategies for crossing a busy street without being hit by a car - anything you want to talk about, Dmitry Zavialov is keen to hear about.
But there is a catch. You have to tell him about it while you are walking.
It is part of his Walk and Talk initiative, which aims to connect people from ‘‘all walks of life’’ and allow them to talk freely, without an agenda, pressure or self-censorship.
Dr Zavialov said every second Sunday, he and about a dozen friends walked and talked around the north Dunedin area, the University of Otago campus, Woodhaugh Gardens or the Dunedin Botanic Garden.
‘‘People are interesting. They are like open books that we can read and learn from.
‘‘It’s sort of a living library. The more people from diverse walks of life that will be coming, the more enriching the experience will be for everybody.
‘‘Escaping loud bars and surface-level banter, we take time to genuinely listen.
‘‘It feels like stepping into a living library, where each person becomes a book you can read - slowly, attentively, with curiosity.’’
He said the initiative was partly inspired by his doctor’s orders to get fit, by doing 10,000 steps a day.
‘‘While I was out walking one day, I realised that it would be good to have somebody by my side, because instead of being immersed in my own thoughts, I could discuss them with somebody else.
‘‘So I started inviting other people to join me on a walk.
‘‘Not only has it kept my physical health in place, it has kept my mental health in place.’’
Dr Zavialov came to the University of Otago from Tajikistan, to do his PhD in politics, and found life in New Zealand quite different.
‘‘One of the other reasons that I’m doing this Walk and Talk is, I want to find more friends in New Zealand, and it’s nice for both building the social circle, for networking and for just putting myself out there.’’
Now he hopes to grow his Walk and Talk group into a larger crowd.
So he has invited anyone on Facebook who is interested in joining him on a Walk and Talk, at the St Clair Esplanade, at 1pm this Sunday.
