(be aware! everything is impermanent... changing, changing, changing...)

Hi there,

I’m Mariana, a Brazilian woman who’s been living in Brussels, Belgium, for almost 20 years. I studied philosophy at the Free University of Brussels and currently teach philosophy to primary school kids. It's a lot of fun seeing young minds explore big ideas! 🌻
Besides being a teacher, I also work as a tour guide in Brussels, so I can give you various tips on fun things to do in the city.

I live with my partner, Shanthuru, who’s a Tamil from Sri Lanka. Shanthuru has a 10-year-old son, Chandran, who sometimes travels with us, since he loves adventures too! 😊

Shanthuru and I live together, with four other people in a house in Schaerbeek, a neighborhood in Brussels, near a beautiful park. The inhabitants of the house have different nationalities (France, Belgium, Ireland and New Zealand) so we speak English at home. They are all very nice and friendly.

I live in a shared house, so I have to check with my housemates if I can host you. Normally we can host people only for 2 nights maximum so the visit doesn’t disrupt the harmony of our community. I prefer to host people with who I feel some affinity or connection.

🚫 We are vegan/vegetarian and request that you do not bring meat into our home :-)
Alcohol and cigarettes are also not allowed here.
Thank you!

🌈 LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC WELCOME!
You have a safe space to be yourself in our home.
We want to make travel accessible to everyone, with a focus on those from marginalized communities who face additional challenges and safety concerns while traveling. This includes women, queer and trans people, BIPOC, the working class and unemployed, and those traveling with children. These people will receive priority.

I’ve been on Couchsurfing since 2008, I have used it a lot and met some wonderful people—many of whom are still close friends today. I’ve traveled by hitchhiking and done a lot of wild camping. I love discovering unique and independent, alternative places and meeting people who are different from the norm.

I’m really interested in alternative lifestyles like veganism, freeganism, nomadism, ecovillages, and co-housing. I’ve been practicing Vipassana meditation since 2009, and it’s become a really important part of my life. If you’re curious about it, you can check out : www.dhamma.org

I lean towards the left politically (anarco-communism) and am very passionate about ecology, decolonization, anti-racism, anti capitalism, antispecism and intersectional feminisms. I’ve been vegan since 2015 and really enjoy living this way. ✊

During my vacation or weekends I’m open to hangouts, especially in the parks and green areas. I also have a big love for arts, literature, and poetry. Exploring a new book or a cool art exhibit always makes me happy.📚

Traveling is a big passion of mine, and I’m planning to live in Southeast Asia in the future.

My instagram accounts are: @marianaecos and @affects.percepts

Looking forward to connecting!

Cheers! And #FreePalestine 🇵🇸🍉

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Many years ago, a friend introduced me to Couchsurfing, and I had my first experience in Portugal in 2008. I fell in love with the project and its values of building solidarity among travelers. I enjoy hosting and sometimes hanging out with my hosts or guests.

I'm eager to expand my circle of friends around the world and connect with like-minded people who share my passions for art, literature, philosophy, politics, spirituality, and beyond. Engaging in meaningful conversations about these topics brings me immense joy and fulfillment, and I'm excited to find companions who are equally enthusiastic about exploring these subjects together.

I'm also on the lookout for friends or companions who are up for embarking on unforgettable adventures with me. Whether it's taking leisurely walks through the forest to immerse ourselves in nature's beauty, planning spontaneous day trips to nearby destinations to discover hidden gems, or collaborating on creative projects that ignite our imaginations, I'm all in!

I love indulging in cultural experiences, such as watching thought-provoking movies, uncovering the wonders of the city through urban exploration (urbex) to take artistic pictures, and immersing myself in museums and exhibitions. And let's not forget the thrill of attending live theater performances…

If you're someone who shares these interests and values, I'd love to connect and see where our adventures take us!

Interests

Vipassana meditation, poetry, drawing, philosophy, traveling, cinema, humor, beauty, permaculture, dreams, secrets, journaling, ch(a)osmos, discoveries, technology, adventure, urbex, wicca, psychology, experimentation, reading, writing, painting, yoga, hiking, sharing, rhizomes, alchemy, robots & cyborgs, wandering & drift(age), dance, tarot, surrealism, friendship, connections, unconditional love, dadaism, mystery, psychomagic, paradoxes, surprises, situationism, psychedelics, photography, movement, nature, magic, clairvoyance, freedom, expression, creation

• arts
• culture
• writing
• books
• literature
• poetry
• fashion
• avant-garde art
• photography
• illustrations
• beauty
• festivals
• dancing
• education
• environment
• human rights
• vegan
• organic food
• yoga
• meditation
• raves
• politics
• technology
• movies
• chess
• reading
• traveling
• painting
• drawing
• magic
• music
• jazz
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• backpacking
• camping
• anthropology
• ecology
• teaching
• history
• philosophy
• psychology
• hitchhiking
• adventure travel
• beaches
• mountains
• urban exploration
• cinema
• nature
• beach
• wilderness
• forests
• massage
• universe
• desert
• creativity
• waterfalls
• zen
• knowledge
• activism
• intersectionality
• feminism
• exploring
• shamanism
• mushrooms
• squats
• dreaming
• roller skating
• meeting new people
• organic gardening
• veganism
• surrealism
• wild camping
• vipassana
• lucid dreaming
• islands
• psychedelics
• urbex
• decolonization
• tarot
• haiku
• rainbow gathering
• communism
• journaling
• bali
• go game
• anarchism
• anarchy
• wicca
• ecstatic dance
• nature walks
• hammocking
• esoteric
• creative writing
• talking with people
• psychoanalysis
• psychotherapy
• squatting
• painting and drawing
• anti-capitalism
• anti-racism
• trance
• nomadism
• dadaism
• boom festival
• psychogeography
• intersectional feminism
• indigenous cultures
• political activism
• writing poetry
• changing the world
• protesting
• antifascism
• agroforestry

Music, Movies, and Books

I usually read everything that falls into my hands, if it gives me a new view, makes me feel good or makes my conscience clearer.

Buddha teachings, Deleuze, Nietzsche, Guy Debord, Foucault, Beaudelaire, Heraclitos, Rûmi, Rimbaud, Vladimir Nabokov, Paul Valéry, Bukowski, Spinoza, Heidegger, Jung, Bergson, Kafka, Rilke, Vladimir Nabokov, André Breton, Henry David Thoreau, Marguerite Duras, Thomas Mann, Herman Hesse, Oscar Wilde, Fernando Pessoa, Florbela Espanca, Henry Miller, Cesario Verde, Diogenes the cynic, Derrida, Edgar Allan Poe, Apollinaire, Eça de Queiros, Camilo Pessanha, Lord Byron, Petrarca, Ovidio, Virgilio, Jean Baudrillard, Virginia Woolf, Balzac, Victor Hugo, Verlaine, Zola, Mallarmé, Guy de Maupassant, Flaubert, Almeida Garrett, Camus, Anaïs Nin, Marcel Proust, Henri Michaux, Kafka, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Kenneth White, Bukowski, Dostoieviski, Tolstoi, Gérard de Nerval, Tchekov, Marc-Édouard Nabe, Gogol, Khalil Gibran, Erasmus de Rotterdam, Levinas, James Joyce, Pablo Neruda, F. Garcia Lorca, Nicole Spandre Provost, Gabriel Garcia Marquéz, Alfred Jarry, Walt Whitman, Lewis Caroll, Krishnamurti, Antonin Artaud, Julio Cortazar;

The brazilians: Cecilia Meireles, Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Clarice Lispector, Cruz e Souza, Graciliano Ramos, Guilherme de Almeida, Vinícius de Moraes, Mário Quintana, Alphonsus de Guimaraens, Érico Veríssimo, Manuel Bandeira, Álvares de Azevedo, Mário de Andrade, Machado de Assis, Hilda Hilst, Ana Cristina César, Manoel de Barros, Raul Pompéia, Lima Barreto, Augusto dos Anjos, Gonçalves Dias, Caio Fernando Abreu, Guimarães Rosa;

mythologies, tales & legends

Cinema: Bergman, Buñuel, Fellini, Pasolini, Godard, Kim Ki-duk, Wong Kar-wai...

Music: Pink Floyd, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Django, Philip Catherine, Mac Laughlin, Michel Mainil, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Tuxedomoon, Gotan Project, Sonic Youth, BlondRedHead, St Germain,...

& a lot of (still) unknown writers, poets, philosophers, musicians, artists -- like some of my friends...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

The vipassana meditation course. It’s a 10 days silent retreat.

http://www.dhamma.org

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you some basic Portuguese and French, vegan cooking, meditation, philosophy, history of Brussels, travel tips… etc.

I would love to learn things you can teach about arts and crafts, and your land’s history and culture.

Sharing: political views, life experiences, travel stories, etc.

Buddha - The Awakening
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xV8xgWlZy0

Hitchhiking
http://www.hitchhikers.org/index.cgi?

Vipassana Meditation
http://www.dhamma.org

What I Can Share with Hosts

As a guest, I bring lots of experiences and a genuine love for cultural exchange. I enjoy having long, engaging conversations about philosophy, art, literature, politics, alternative lifestyles, spirituality, etc. As a tour guide in Brussels, I can share some great insider tips about the city. I love cooking vegan meals and would be happy to prepare and share them with my hosts. I'm also really into yoga and Vipassana meditation and would enjoy practicing together if you’re interested. I’m often up for hanging out in the city, exploring new places, and making great memories. Overall, I aim to be a respectful, engaging, and considerate guest, adding positively to the CS hosting experience and creating meaningful connections and - who knows ? - maybe a lifetime friendship.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Belgium, Brazil

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