My mother was born in Latvia. She and most of her family fled from the capital city of Riga in 1944 with the final approach of the Soviet army.
I grew up in Russia. I grew up in Latvia, to be exact.
Dentists, doctors, surveyors from Latvia wanted to come to England, do anything to get away from the Soviet regime.
I've been almost everywhere. But I've never been to the steppes of Latvia. It's something I've always wanted to do.
It goes without saying that before its culture and literature can continue to evolve, Latvia first must endure the political comedy of creating a stable, functioning and unthreatened democracy.
I often heard Latvians compare Russia and America. Latvians find both countries and their leaders possessed of the same mysterious confidence.
I met my wife in Latvia 17 or 18 years ago, moved over to Norway in 2003 or 2004 and after a couple of years living there, I was able to represent Norway as a snooker player.
We must all live so that our children do not have to pay for our deeds.
I was born in Eastern Europe, in Latvia, and I'm fluent in Russian.
'Lauv' comes from the Latvian word for lion, and my mom's side of the family is from Latvia - it's a place I've been probably 15 times or more. I'm also a Leo, and my real name, Ari, means lion.
Basketball is pretty big in Latvia.
