(be aware! everything is impermanent... changing, changing, changing...) Hi there, I’m Mariana, a Brazilian woman who’s been living in Brussels, Belgium, for almost 20 years. I studied philosophy at the Free University of Brussels and currently teach philosophy to primary school kids. It's a lot of fun seeing young minds explore big ideas! 🌻 Besides being a teacher, I also work as a tour guide in Brussels, so I can give you various tips on fun things to do in the city. I live with my partner, Shanthuru, who’s a Tamil from Sri Lanka. Shanthuru has a 10-year-old son, Chandran, who sometimes travels with us, since he loves adventures too! 😊 Shanthuru and I live together, with four other people in a house in Schaerbeek, a neighborhood in Brussels, near a beautiful park. The inhabitants of the house have different nationalities (France, Belgium, Ireland and New Zealand) so we speak English at home. They are all very nice and friendly. I live in a shared house, so I have to check with my housemates if I can host you. Normally we can host people only for 2 nights maximum so the visit doesn’t disrupt the harmony of our community. I prefer to host people with who I feel some affinity or connection. 🚫 We are vegan/vegetarian and request that you do not bring meat into our home :-) Alcohol and cigarettes are also not allowed here. Thank you! 🌈 LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC WELCOME! You have a safe space to be yourself in our home. We want to make travel accessible to everyone, with a focus on those from marginalized communities who face additional challenges and safety concerns while traveling. This includes women, queer and trans people, BIPOC, the working class and unemployed, and those traveling with children. These people will receive priority. I’ve been on Couchsurfing since 2008, I have used it a lot and met some wonderful people—many of whom are still close friends today. I’ve traveled by hitchhiking and done a lot of wild camping. I love discovering unique and independent, alternative places and meeting people who are different from the norm. I’m really interested in alternative lifestyles like veganism, freeganism, nomadism, ecovillages, and co-housing. I’ve been practicing Vipassana meditation since 2009, and it’s become a really important part of my life. If you’re curious about it, you can check out : www.dhamma.org I lean towards the left politically (anarco-communism) and am very passionate about ecology, decolonization, anti-racism, anti capitalism, antispecism and intersectional feminisms. I’ve been vegan since 2015 and really enjoy living this way. ✊ During my vacation or weekends I’m open to hangouts, especially in the parks and green areas. I also have a big love for arts, literature, and poetry. Exploring a new book or a cool art exhibit always makes me happy.📚 Traveling is a big passion of mine, and I’m planning to live in Southeast Asia in the future. My instagram accounts are: @marianaecos and @affects.percepts Looking forward to connecting! Cheers! And #FreePalestine 🇵🇸🍉