Hey, I'm Milan, from Germany. I grew up in a small village nestled in the southern German countryside, close to the Black Forest and the Rhine, directly at the border to France. With a big family full of relatives, I'm always surrounded by kids whenever I'm home and I absolutely love it. I'm laid back, open minded and always up for an adventure. I love strategic games and chess is definitely one of my favorites. I'm also an outdoorsy guy thanks to my dad who introduced me to the magic of nature early on. Whether it's camping with just a sleeping bag, hammock or tent, I'm in my element outdoors, especially in the mountains, forests and by lakes. For me life is about getting out of our comfort zones and doing things that make us feel alive. Before I really started exploring the world I did my military service with the mountain infantry in Bischofswiesen, right at the foot of the Berchtesgaden Alps. It was tough, sometimes exhausting, but looking back it was one of the most formative things I've done. It taught me a lot about discipline, working with people under pressure and being comfortable in uncomfortable situations. Around the same time I trained as a foreign language correspondent, which added another layer to how I connect with people from different backgrounds. What drives me is not really the places themselves but the experiences and the people behind them. I hitchhike a lot, I sleep on couches, I show up at strangers' doors and somehow those moments always turn into the best stories. I'm genuinely curious about what makes people tick, what they care about, what keeps them up at night, what they're proud of. A night in someone's home tells me more about a place than a week in a hotel ever could. I've always been drawn to experiences that push me a little, situations where I don't fully know what's coming next, and I think that's what keeps life interesting. A while back I took everything I'd learned and founded Global Pioneers, a small adventure travel company based in Germany. I take groups of young people into wild and remote places and try to give them the kind of experiences that actually stay with you. Real human connection, real discomfort, real stories. It's a lot of work and still very much a work in progress but it's exactly what I want to be doing. Some of my best memories from years of being on the road have nothing to do with landscapes or landmarks. They're about sitting in someone's kitchen late at night, talking about life, realizing how much you have in common with a complete stranger. That's what Couchsurfing is for me and it never gets old. I'm somewhere between introvert and extrovert, it really depends on the people and the setting. But when the connection is there I can easily talk for hours about almost anything. I bring good energy, I'm easy to have around and I'll always offer to help with dinner. Currently based in Dresden, Germany.