Hi! My name is Celeste, but a lot of my friends just call me Sea for short.

I was born and raised in Kenya but moved to the UK for school and university. I studied Russian language and literature at one of the top universities in the world! I am now beginning to read Japanese literature so please feel free to recommend some good books.

I moved back to Kenya in 2020 to work with an NGO. I mainly do graphic design work but I also work on films to promote the organisation.

In my free time, I enjoy creating digital art, composing songs, playing the bass, writing short stories, and many other creative activities. I also love spending time with family and friends, and I love animals (especially cats!) and being out in nature.

People usually describe me as calm, friendly, and creative.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love meeting new people and I find the best way to really experience a new place is by connecting with locals and local culture.

I’ve couchsurfed in the past and made lifelong friends who have invited me back to stay with them and collaborate on creative projects.

Interests

• animals
• culture
• literature
• graphic design
• photography
• cooking
• gardening
• music
• camping
• scuba diving
• snorkeling
• skateboarding
• animation
• languages
• language exchange
• art
• food
• videography
• exploring new places
• anime and manga

Music, Movies, and Books

I listen to a lot of different music so it’s hard to narrow it down! A few genres that I consistently find myself drawn to are: soul, funk, shoegaze, post-punk, new wave, downtempo/ triphop, ambient electronic, and afrobeats.

I also enjoy a lot of very different kinds of films, but I especially enjoy beautiful animation. Persepolis and Howl’s Moving Castle are some old favourites.

A book I recently enjoyed is Terry Pratchett’s Nation. In essence, it’s a moving story about surviving on a remote island in the wake of a natural disaster, but it also encourages readers to reflect on our expectations from a narrative and tropes typically associated with a genre or style.

Currently reading: Botchan - Sōseki Natsume

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I recently made an environmental film with some of the best filmmakers in East Africa and we submitted it to a film festival! Wish us luck with the selection.

Teach, Learn, Share

I’ve trained as an English teacher and I also speak pretty good French and Russian, so I’d be happy to help with language learning!

I’m currently learning Japanese, Farsi, and Hungarian so, if you are able to help me learn any of those languages (or any other new languages!) or practice French and Russian, that would be great.

I also work as a graphic designer and create digital art in my free time so, I could also offer tutorials or help with small projects.

I also love cooking and would love to exchange recipes!

What I Can Share with Hosts

If you make music, I play bass guitar and sing and have collaborated with several friends on the songs which they produce.

If you have pets, I could help look after them because I love all kinds of animals.