Matt was born in Odessa, Ukraine, a large city in Ukraine with the Black Sea on the south end of it.  He loved playing sports growing up, including basketball, soccer, tennis, and karate. He also is skilled at playing piano. The thing he misses the most from his home country is his family. 

He was not nervous coming here, he was actually very excited. His favorite food in America is tacos, he likes them because they seem like a healthier fast food option and delicious at the same time.  He most looks forward to seeing other states, playing basketball in America, and meeting new friends along the way. When asked what surprised him about America he said “I was most surprised by how genuinely nice people are, and how inviting they can be!”