¡Hola! I’m Brandon, 22, a half-Australian, half-Maltese student with an endless curiosity for new cultures, languages, and experiences. I’m heading to Spain this year, with the only objective to meet and connect with locals and share some experiences.

I speak English and Spanish (and I’m always keen to practice more!), with a dash of Maltese. I’ve lived and studied in different countries—most recently in Italy, where I fell in love with Cuban salsa and all things Afro-Latin dance. Whether it’s a night out dancing or just showing a few moves at home, I love sharing music and movement with others. This love for dance and history is one of the ways I learnt about the influence of dances such as Flamenco on salsa.

Cooking is my other big passion—I try to master my favorite dishes from every country I visit, and I always love swapping recipes or learning something new in the kitchen. I’m equally happy hiking up a mountain, exploring quiet villages, running in the morning, or getting lost in a local festival. For me, the best way to experience a place is through its people, food, and traditions.

I’ve both hosted and been hosted plenty of times (just not officially through Couchsurfing yet!), and a friend I hosted recommended I join the platform. I love the spirit of sharing and openness that comes with hosting and being hosted—I love to be a traveller, not a tourist as I believe that the best experiences have come from my time spent with locals from countries, such as Azerbajan, Malaysia, Georgia.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I’m coming to Spain to improve my Spanish for 1 month and enjoy the summer heat before I start a 2 week course in Portugal with the European Innovation Academy. I want to learn more about Spanish culture and make genuine connections.

I had revelations of the meaning of travel and learning languages through my experiences of my first solo travelling when I was 20. Realising the most fun I had as cliche as it sounds, is the journey not the destination, especially with the hospitality I received. Which has made me host lots of these people and others back in Australia.

I’m not just looking for a place to sleep, but for people to share meals with, music, hikes, language exchanges, although I understand you may not be free to share this time with me so even talking about our countries and philosophies on the world and understanding how our experiences have shaped us in the people we are.

In return, I’m always happy to cook, or speak English and share each others company.

Interests

• marathon
• reading
• music
• jazz
• hiking
• engineering
• history
• philosophy
• gym
• hills
• ultra running

Music, Movies, and Books

Music is a big part of my life—my all-time favorite song is “The Girl from Ipanema.” I’m really into bossa nova, samba, jazz, and salsa. I used to play saxophone in a jazz band, and my Brazilian teacher definitely helped shape my taste in music.

I’m not a huge movie person, but I do love films that are about perseverance and people from all walks of life—Seabiscuit is one of my favorites for that reason.

When it comes to books, my favorite is Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. I’m really interested in philosophy—think Friedrich Nietzsche and similar writers. I love reading about different ways of thinking and seeing the world.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I once ran a 24-hour ultramarathon and covered 140km. It was one of the toughest but most rewarding things I’ve ever done-it put me in a mental state of pure tranquility at 120km where I felt the most peace in the world. It helped me realise the capability of the human mind and what persistence and determination can achieve.

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach:
I can teach you some salsa moves or how to cook dishes from Malta, Australia, or places I’ve traveled. I also love sharing tips for language learning, and I’m always happy to help people with their English .

Learn:
I want to keep improving my Spanish
Porque vivo en Australia con un colombiano así que no estoy acostumbrado a escuchar castellano.
I’m always interested in learning new recipes, local traditions, or anything about your culture—whether it’s music, history, or just how people really live in your town.

Share:
I love to share stories, meals and good conversation and travel recommendations over food, beer or wine. For me to share speaking spanish is something which is so important. I had a revelation when I was invited to a party in Italy when I lived there and I just had moved there, there was 100 Italians and myself... I had a realisation of the importance of language and how even if they could speak english, sharing this language can be such an enritching experience, and creates a greater understanding for us about the place a person is from with unique words and slangs from a country revealing so much about its history.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I’m always happy to share a homemade meal—whether it’s Maltese, Aussie, or something I’ve picked up on my travels. If you’re interested, I can show you some salsa or Afro-Latin dance steps, or just put on some good music and teach you the basics!

I love having conversations about travel, culture, and languages, and I’m always up for a good story or a laugh. I’m respectful, tidy, and flexible, and I’ll always do my best to contribute positively to your home—whether that means cooking, helping out, or just bringing good vibes.

Of course, I’m also happy to share my time and help out with anything you need while I’m staying with you!

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Italy