HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING In 2011-12, I worked as a language assistant for 7 months in the South of France (Agen). I was so lucky to meet some amazing people who taught me lots of things (including how to make a tartiflette). My boyfriend and I travelled through Europe for 3 months in 2012. We CS'ed together (mostly in Germany) - it was such an enriching experience for us! In 2012-13, I lived in the Falaise (Lower Normandy). CS'ing allowed me to meet some folk and enjoy some exchanges with locals, particularly in Caen. COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE Positive! Thanks to everyone for the kindness they have shown me.

I lived with a Tibetan family in a Tibetan refugee community in Nepal for a few months. I taught English at the primary school, and I learnt much about generosity of spirit and what is really important in life. I was reminded of this generosity of spirit in a completely different setting in 2013 during a holiday in Thailand. On this trip, my boyfriend and I did a homestay in a small muslim village (220 people) which had been devastated by the boxing day tsunami in 2004. The villagers were lovely. We saw parts of the village which were destroyed and heard about how the surviving villagers have recovered. We did some local crafts and chilled with the locals who told stories and happily welcomed us into their way of living - they are very proud of their lifestyle and rightly so. It was wonderful to slow down, reflect, reconnect, refocus.