I’m Josephine, who's happiest when creating, talking and exploring. Better yet, doing all three at the same time.

I work as a writer and journalist, and I'm a post-grad student of social and cultural anthropology. I enjoy writing across travel, culture and lifestyle widely (josephineplatt.com). My anthropology interests surround the anthropology of tourism and consciousness. I'm conducting research near to Cuenca, in Ecuador, in April and May, before hoping to stay with some great people in South and Central America. I hope to make some amazing connections with people, explore and to spend some time writing my thesis.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I've loved couch-surfing since my early twenties. I've couch-surfed in Europe (most recently around Sweden) and I'm excited to use it in South and Central America. All of my experiences have been so positive, energising and have left such a significant mark on me.

Interests

As a study of social and cultural anthropology, I take an interest in spiritual and ritual healing from perspectives around the world. I’ve written papers on shamanism in various contexts and will add to the literature around shamanic tourism specifically, following my research project. I’m interested in the meaning-making process and lack in contemporary society that makes engaging with shamanism appealing.

I really love storytelling... Writing, reading and talking until the early hours. I've also found that I love learning languages in the last couple of years. I studied French and German at school, while I've got an interest in both Swedish and Spanish. I've been learning Spanish since 2022.

From a wellness perspective, I take an interest in Ayurvedic living, yoga and running. But I don’t take myself too seriously and I believe that balance is key to anything in life.

I love creating. Alongside writing, I've recently taken up pottery. I've made bowls, mugs and random little shapes... It's a hobby I plan to continue with!

Wild swimming, hiking, checking out contemporary art, quality time with friends and family, and snooping around vintage and book stores are also some of my favourite things to do.

• arts
• culture
• writing
• fashion
• yoga
• running
• reading
• hiking
• anthropology
• journalism
• languages
• ceramics
• ayurveda
• vintage fashion
• natural living

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Signed up to couchsurfing.com all those years ago. I feel so grateful for all of the friendships and memories I've made, and I'm endlessly grateful for other people's generosity.

What I Can Share with Hosts

– Stories! I’ve been told I have an endless amount of words
– Ideas :)
– Cooking (read about my dahl on my couchsurfing references!)
– Helping out generally
– Travel recommendations

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Italy, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Portugal, Scotland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, United Kingdom