I've been living in Vienna for over 6 years now, and I work as a conference interpreter. It's an interesting job and leaves me with a lot of free time for hobbies (swimming, music, cooking, watching pointless YouTube videos for hours, reading...).

Things I've done in the past: I've taught English in France, Russia and the UK. I've made beer. I've drawn quite a lot of naked people. I've worked in a nuclear power station.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I've been sleeping on couches for some time now - mostly by visiting friends I've made around the world through my university studies. I've been shown around monasteries in the Urals, frozen lakes in France, and outdoor swimming pools in London (bbrrrrrrr).

I also regularly put up acquaintances and friends who are passing through wherever I happen to be. They all get freshly washed bedding and a comfy spot on the sofa, as well as tea and good company. My favourite spare duvet cover (stranded in the UK, alas) has an old world map on it, from 1988, and always provides lots of amusement since quite a lot of the countries on it do not exist any more....

Interests

Things I like:
- good food (especially cake, but by no means exclusively. I'm not vegetarian, but I am very veggie-friendly.)
- playing the piano (especially Debussy, Tiersen and Satie)
- life drawing
- ceilidhs
- swimming
- 19th and 20th century art
- tea
- books
- languages and puns

Things I don't like:
- dance music
- fast food
- feather bedding (I'm allergic)
- drugs
- drinking to get drunk and being around those who do so

• arts
• books
• singing
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• recipes
• drinking
• socializing
• drawing
• music
• piano
• outdoor activities
• swimming
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

Films: Amélie, Brokeback Mountain, Secretary...

TV: Black Mirror, OITB, Mad Men, Six Feet Under, Star Trek TNG/DS9...

Music: Tori Amos, Sigur Rós, Regina Spektor, Wir sind Helden, klezmer, jazz, folk, Russian rock (especially Zemfira, DDT, Surganova, Nochnie Snaipery and Chicherina).

Books: Beigbeder, Houellebecq, Murakami, Chekhov, Dovlatov, Nothomb, Atwood, Ishiguro, and popular science/economics

Radio/Podcasts: More or Less, The News Quiz, 99% Invisible, Guardian Books, Guardian Long Reads

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Only one?

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm always up for sharing recipes (and cooking together is the best way to learn!).

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Russian Federation, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Austria, England, France, Russian Federation, Scotland