ABOUT ME

We are a family of three members: me and my two boys.
The three of us have as much similar as different interests but what we sure do have one thing in common: we love adventure! We love to get into the world and meet all beautiful people, we are curious to get to know them and share stories with them.

A little bit more about each one of us:

Ann:
That’s me, I’m the mam.
As a mam I find it very important to make my children interested in the beautiful variety of people, cultures, ways of living, … And of course, to appreciate this variety.

In my professional life I work in an elderly home near Gent. At work I empower the elder people by giving them opportunities. Opportunities to try things out they’ve never done before. Opportunities of things they dreamed of or loved to do when they were younger like singing, dancing, producing artpieces, … The main purpose in my job is to make or rather keep life worth living and enjoyable, even at certain ages. And of course I don’t do this all by myself. I’m surrounded by a group of motivated people.

In my free time I love to dance. The Lindy Hop is my favorite dance, which makes me a very lucky person because in Gent Lindy Hop is very much alife.
If you don’t know it and want to see it, check this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqTACTxTXOo
I’m not as good as these dancer but one day I will!

Next to the dancing I love to paint. Mostly I paint portrets but lately I’m into 3D.

Arne:
Arne is my eldest son.
He is 12 years old and in the 1st year of secondary school. He follows human science. He’s much interested in biology and fysica. He’ good in mats – if he keeps his attention to it ;-)
Arne is now a young boy who is in his first steps to get to know the world of a teenager – very interesting!
He’s like Games Workshop, where he can play games of Lord of the rings and Warhammer with some friends.
Just like his younger brother he loves to swim and they both are nearly as good as a fish in the water.

Nils:
Nils is my youngest son.
He is 10 years old and in the 5th year of primary school. At school he loves to work out different project. At the moment he’s making stories by ‘stop-motion’ which means that he makes stories with pictures (taken by himself). Frequently he draws a cartoon with frensh talking in it.
Nils adores Lego and he really wants to go to Legoland some day.
Because of Nils we have some pets in the house. Recently we have adopted two lillte birds for which he cares a lot.

PHILOSOPHY

Sharing a little place in your house and your life can only be done by people who trust and have faith in other people – or lets say strangers.
Although I hear a lot of people who can’t stand the idea to have someone in the house I believe in the beauty of it.
Let’s support and get to know each other – I’m sure we will learn a lot.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I offer hospitality. It might sound strange, but I prefer to welcome you when the kids are at their dad’s.
Not because I don’t want them to meet you, or reverse, but because of the limited place in the house. And even, if you come over, there’s always a big chance you meet them anyway because they come around very often 

When you come over you’re very welcome to prepare a meal together of just share the meal I’m preparing that day – I’m a vegetarian, but I don’t mind if you want to eat meat.

I can’t promise to take you out into town, but I sure can give you some information of the beautiful town Gent is.
If I know in advance that you like to visit Gent together with me I will do my utmost to arrange that.
Or … after you have visited Gent, we can just have a bear/wine and a chat in the house.

As I just joined CS I haven’t surfed yet, but I really would love to go to France or Germany with the kids next summer.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Till now we only hosted 3 very nice people of France. This was a pleasant experience.
We haven’t surfed yet, but we are very curious to get some experience.

Interests

music: all kinds of music
dancing
reading: all kind of books: fiction and non-fiction
art: admiring it and making it
children
short trips with kids
culture
walks
fine food
enjoying a coffee on a sunny terras
meeting people
inviting or visiting friends
...

• pets
• birds
• fish
• arts
• culture
• books
• singing
• beauty
• dancing
• dining
• wine
• coffee
• vegetarian
• working out
• reading
• socializing
• painting
• music
• fishing
• swimming
• biology
• science

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

The most beautiful thing I had last summer was the nice and warm stay-over during my holiday in Germany. I spend a couple of days with people who were willing to let me stay without even knowing me. This has touched my hart and this is the reason for joining couchsurfing.

Countries I’ve Visited

France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Belgium