Bruno Demers's Photo

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  • Last login 4 months ago

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Overview

  • 26 references 18 Confirmed & Positive
  • Fluent in English, French; learning Portuguese, Spanish
  • 42, Male
  • Member since 2006
  • Humanitarian architecture and social change
  • Sociology
  • No hometown listed
  • Profile 100% complete

About Me

ABOUT COUCH REQUESTS: With a busy schedule we don't accept last minute requests and we only accept those who are personal from people who understand CS is more about meeting than being hosted.

ABOUT ME:

It’s me, Bruno! I’m based in Montreal, an animated 1.5 million people city where there is a lot to see and live, especially in terms of culture. The city is my headquarter, where I work hard to make the world a better place and from where I play harder to enjoy it, especially with outdoors activities outside of town, for which I can give you the best advice.

I live with Josiane, who's my great travelling and life partner. We stay in a nice flat with a guest room. When we travel, we can generally afford our accommodations, so CouchSurfing is for us a way to meet locals and travelers.
Josiane's profile : https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/josiane-bell

I would described myself as a seeker of truth, joy and freedom. I’m a fun and high energy individual. I love to discuss, listen and make people laugh and feel good. Among a lot of things, I especially enjoy outdoor trips of all types. I am open-minded and curious about other cultures and people ways of thinking and living. I'm a socially engaged citizen, sensitive to social justice and sustainable development. My academic background is in sociology, but throughout the years I've worked in a bunch of different things, from tourism and human rights to journalism and construction. Nowadays I work in an NGO doing humanitarian architecture.

MY OPINION ABOUT TRAVELING:

I'm part of those who believe a "bon voyage", as well as a good life, is not about "where" you go or "what" you see and do, but m about "how" you live it and "who" you meet during your journey. CouchSurfing touches something at the core of my values and I try to practice hospitality as an Art. I love helping people to have the greatest stay possible at my place and the most non-touristified travelling experience in my country, province and city. I'm so happy that CouchSurfing exists. This is an abundant source of opportunities. It nurtures the good side of life and I keep meeting exceptional people.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm here to host, be hosted, give advice or to use CouchSurfing to meet interesting people...

ALWAYS: when I host or am hosted, I participe by making this a non-constraining, fun and stress-free experience based on autonomy, mutual trust, respect, friendship and clear communication, and I'm looking to meet through CouchSurfing hosts and guests who share that philosophy.

AT MY PLACE: it will be a pleasure to host you, enjoy a drink and chat somewhere, or simply giving you advice via email if you need.

AT YOURS: when hosted, I participate in helping with the dishes or anything to be done. And why not giving you a hand with manual jobs or repairing broken stuff at your place if you need? I'm a handyman, I can help!

PAST EXPERIENCE: I couchsurfed in most of each backpacking trip I did since 2001, most of the time at friends of friends' places or with locals I met in my journeys. Until 2009, I stayed and hosted via Hospitality Club (a similar site at that time). But I permanently switched to couchsurfing.com in 2009 and since I use it a lot.

Interests

  • culture
  • writing
  • architecture
  • design
  • dancing
  • human rights
  • politics
  • reading
  • socializing
  • music
  • outdoor activities
  • cycling
  • hiking
  • backpacking
  • canoeing
  • kayaking
  • camping
  • hunting
  • surfing
  • freelancing
  • history
  • social science
  • sociology
  • hitchhiking
  • volunteering
  • beaches
  • sustainability
  • surf

Music, Movies, and Books

So many many...

A few :
- L'Auberge espagnole, Contact, The Mission, The Game, Captain Fantastic...
- Arcade Fire, Pat Watson, The National, U2, Lhassa, French-Canadian singers you might not know...
- St-Exupéry, Alexandre Dumas, Alessandro Barrico, Herman Hesse...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I'll tell you what I lived, you'll judge what amazes you. But these things were for sure amazing to me :

- A totally sudden and incredible magic mushroom journey in a magic lac with crocodiles, elephants and chamans in the middle of the Sri Lankan forest
- Sleeping in the Sahara desert, with sunset, starry sky and sunrise
- A month long research and stay among the Jains of India
- All those amazingly true, generous and unforgettable people who hosted me, gave me a lift while hitchhiking or pulled me out of trouble in all my journeys, always treating me like their own brother or son.

Teach, Learn, Share

FROM YOU:
- Your way to happiness?
- Your most incredible life or travelling stories you heard or experienced?

FROM ME:
- How to make the most tasteful traditional Indian chai tea
- Wild mushrooms hunting... yummy!
- How to transform a beer can into an artistic ashtray

Countries I’ve Visited

Andorra, Belgium, Canada, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, India, Laos, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada

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