Hi, my name is Grisha, and I work on the International Space Station (ISS). How did I end up here? Well, that's a long and pretty funny story.

I was born in Naberezhnye Chelny, where winter lasts nine months, and the other three are just continuous snowfalls. My mom was a cashier, and my dad was in the military. I was a pretty ordinary guy, and when the time came to serve in the army, I went without much fanfare. But let's get to the interesting part.

When I turned 22, I was job hunting, and believe me, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack, only the needle was a decent job, and the haystack was short-term gigs. I worked as a security guard at a store where my mom worked and as a loader in a seed warehouse, thanks to my stepsister’s connections. Life was simple, and I spent my free time with friends, doing fun but risky things that only someone who grew up in Russia would understand.

How I Ended Up on the ISS

The turning point in my life came thanks to my neighbor, a girl I really liked (yes, the same one I now work with on the ISS). Her mother worked on the ISS and knew I was struggling to find a job. One evening, she invited me over for dinner. During the meal, she suggested that she could talk to her boss to help me get a job. I jumped at the chance, not just for the job but also to impress the girl.

So, I went for an interview. Picture this: me, in my best (and only) pants, sitting in front of a stern panel asking about my physical attributes. Suddenly, one of them asks, “How’s your physical fitness?” Realizing my two years in the army, where I spent more time eating porridge than doing pull-ups, wouldn't help much, I quickly replied, “I can eat a whole tube of toothpaste in five minutes!” The panel exchanged glances, and someone said, “Let’s give him the tests.”

Two days later, I was in the gym. It was serious: pull-ups, squats, pedaling with wires attached to me. At some point, I thought they wanted to turn me into a cyborg rather than send me to space. But after finishing, I felt like a hero.

On the way out, they mentioned I needed to come for a medical test. I thought, easy peasy. So, there I was in the clinic, giving urine and blood samples. Suddenly, the nurse asked, “Do you have any allergies?” Without missing a beat, I replied, “Boring jobs!” She laughed, and I felt like a winner.

A few days later, they called and told me I was hired. I couldn’t believe my ears! I did a little victory dance right there in the living room, scaring our cat, Mr. Whiskers. Then I grabbed a spare shirt, a lunch in a container, and headed out for my first day. I even packed an extra sandwich, just in case I met someone who looked hungry.

So there I was, standing at the gates of my new workplace, feeling like a hero from a sci-fi movie. As I walked in, I couldn't help but think, "Grisha, you're really doing this!" I went through the security checks, hoping they wouldn’t find the emergency chocolate bar I had hidden in my sock.

My first day was a whirlwind. I got lost three times and accidentally walked into a meeting for the advanced rocket scientists. They all looked at me, and I said, "Sorry, wrong room. I was looking for the bathroom." They laughed, and I knew then I was in the right place.

By lunchtime, I had already spilled coffee on my spare shirt and dropped my sandwich on the floor. I thought to myself, "Well, it can only get better from here." And it did. I met my neighbor, the girl who got me here, and she smiled at me like I was some kind of hero. Maybe I was, or maybe she was just amused by the coffee stain that looked like a map of Russia.

That’s how my space career began. From the first awkward steps to finding my way around the space station, I embraced every moment with a mixture of awe and humor. And yes, I think I did impress the girl too. Who would’ve thought that a simple dinner invitation would lead to me orbiting the Earth, navigating the ISS, and even learning to appreciate space food? Life is funny that way.