Hi there, I’m globetrotter Els and I would love to meet you all! :-)
I own a warm and cosy house close to the city Ghent ( 6 km ) in Evergem (Belgium). 15 min drive. 15 min bus. Everybody is welcome as long as there is respect for my surroundings and me.

I enjoy life and love to have people around me… the more the merrier :-)! It really doesn’t matter to me what your age, race, education or background is, everybody has his own life story and I enjoy learning more about them.
I am socially engaged and worked for an NGO who defends children’s rights. Since 25 years, I operate as a volunteer for the homeless, refugees and underprivileged people. I respect them and feel connected. Life is not always easy for everyone.
So I have a volonteerorganisation. You can found it at Facebook Contactpunt Waardige Uitvaart.
My lifespirit is to travel with a heart full of love to evereyone in this beautiful world and meet as many different people; their stories fascinate me and help me see the good in everyone. It may be also interesting to know that I am a vegetarian ;-) and I don't like to cook :-)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I think it is fun to travel with a ‘go with the flow’ mentality, to rely on the people and rhythm of the country to see where I end up. The experiences I had so far are truly unforgettable. Mostly I leave with a flight ticket in hand without much of preparation. I might end up with people I met on the way or in a small school, or orphanage. This is my motivation to also open up my house as a home for travellers from all around the world.

Interests

My positive attitude gives me energy and helps me enjoy the little things in life. I enjoy a drink with friends, hunt on flea markets for little treasures and trinkets to decorate my house, and quality time with my family nearby. Furthermore, I’m an activist for a better and more tolerant human world. When everybody does a positive effort (independent on how big), we can change more than we would imagine. Finally, traveling all over the world might be one of my favourite wastes of time. :-)

• human rights
• childrens rights
• flowers
• traveling
• backpacking
• social work
• spirituality
• the world
• learning new things
• meet people
• happiness
• have fun
• sharing stories
• smile
• humanity
• open minded
• talks
• volonteering
• energy
• free hugs
• respect
• feelings
• and a lot more
• cosy
• go with the flow
• take the moment

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I started an organisation of volunteers to guide homeless people, refugees and underprivileged people in the process of loss and mourning. This started small but over time it developed into something big and valuable for these people. Many people in my entourage had their doubts about this project, but recognize its simple beauty right now. I combine this with my full time job, have no profit from it and lead everything myself (see Facebook: contactpunt Waardige uitvaart).
I’m also proud to have written a book for teachers about children’s rights.
I've walked the Camino Santiago de Compostella Spain ( almost 500 km ) on my own in 16 days.
Last month I started a yoga children's project in Sri Lanka ( My little diamands )

Teach, Learn, Share

Ignore fear and explore the world with an open mind, open view. Think positive and smile, only good things will come to you with an optimistic attitude.

What I Can Share with Hosts

My daytime job and work as a volonteer consumes almost all of my time. In the little time thats left I can guide you around in the beautiful medieval city centre of Ghent with all its history, restaurants, pubs, little shops, etc.
It's also good to know ;-) that I don't like to cook, so sorry visitors, you have to cook for yourself ;-)

Countries I’ve Visited

Afghanistan, Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bhutan, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Canada, China, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Czech Republic, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Gambia, Germany, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Mauritania, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Peru, Poland, Romania, Rwanda, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Syrian Arab Republic, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Belgium