Hi! I'm Radu and I've been living in Stockholm for the past 16 years.

My mantra: be kind! Always!

Having fun in different forms, including sailing⛵, rock climbing 🧗, paragliding 🪂, hiking the mountains 🗻🏔️, bicycle touring🚲, or acro-yoga 🧘. If you share any of these interests feel free to hit me up.
When the weather is not suitable for outdoor activities I either go climbing in a gym or relax at home with a good (chess♚) book and instrumental music. By the way, can you beat me at chess 🤯...or at bowling 🎳 :) ?

I've had the opportunity to live in 10 different cities around the world, and now I reside in a small but cozy attic 🎆 apartment with one tiny bedroom and one living room.
🗺️The location is ideal if you are in Stockholm for a concert at Friends Arena. But also well connected to the other areas in the city by bus, metro, or commuter train (pendeltåg). I like walking and listening to podcasts, so if I am not in a rush I walk home from the city center (just for you to have an idea of the distance).
As my guest, you're welcome to use anything in the house, but let's rely on common sense, shall we?

Before sending a request, I'd appreciate it if you could take a moment to read my profile carefully and send me a personalized message. I'm always open to meeting new people and learning about different cultures. Looking forward to connecting with you!
📷: @radu.cernea
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cernea/

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm here because I love meeting people from all over the world and learning about their culture, history, and traditions. It's also a great opportunity for me to practice my language skills (French, Italian, Spanish, or my very poor Russian) and make new friends. Before joining CS I hosted a lot of people on a similar site dedicated to bicycle touring.

I do get a lot of requests, so I have to become more selective with people I am hosting. If you're interested in staying with me, here are a few things to keep in mind
❕Please take a moment to write a personalized message and share some details about yourself and why you'd like to stay with me. I'm always excited to meet new people and hear about unique experiences. I'd rather host someone with whom I have something in common or that takes a bit of time to write a personal message.
❗ If you're traveling with a friend, it would be great to learn a bit more about them as well. A CS profile or social media page would be fine. So if you will write "Hi, I am travelling with a friend (no name, no details given about the friend), can you host us?" then I probably cannot.
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❕ While I'm happy to provide a place to stay, I'm also looking for guests who are interested in meeting new people, sharing stories, and having a good time. If you're just looking for free accommodation and have no intention of interacting, my place might not be the best fit for you. I'm excited to connect with travelers who share my passion for cultural exchange and adventure!!! Also, I am not here for dating!

❗UPDATE 2023: Please understand that, as a host, there is some effort to prepare for your visit: I block time in the calendar, I do the laundry to offer you clean bed-sheets and towel, clean the house if needed, etc. So if you intend to not show up, or be extremely late after the agreed time because you decided last moment to do something in between...that's not really cool. Also, if I host you I will decline one or two other travellers, who will likely have to pay an incredible amount for a hotel, or stay in a shabby place; so, please don't be moody, OK ? :`). ❗❗

🥾 I suggest we leave the shoes and the negative vibes at the door!

Interests

• chess
• sailing
• paragliding
• bicycle touring
• machine learning
• video editing
• databases
• artificial intelligence
• chess game
• sailing boats

Music, Movies, and Books

🎵I listen to: jazz, traditional music from different countries, classical music, Sting, Leonard Cohen, Scorpions, etc.
📖I read: poems and sometimes books related to outdoor adventures.
🎬'Into the wild' is the kind of movie that invites to meditation. And I like that. Same with "PK". But older movies also make it into my list: 12 Angry Men (from 1957), The Seventh Seal (1957)
I prefer art movies over Hollywood ones, but I can watch a Hollywood movie with a friend ("Untouchable").
🎥Sometimes I spend time watching real adventures on YouTube, I find them more genuine. I follow some YT channels, but I'm always keen to learn which is your favourite

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

A self-sustained bicycle tour across South America, from Lima to Buenos Aires, over the Andes (amazing for me, at least :) ).

I've done a few other things, like sailing across the Baltic sea or climbing some high mountains; I'd better tell you the stories in person - only if you want to listen to them.

Teach, Learn, Share

If one year from now you will remember something from here, my role as a host is done! It can be a memory, a how-to, a movie we watched, a talk we had, an experience we shared or a place to visit - the possibilities are endless.

Teach:
⛵If you visit during summertime (mid-May to mid-October) I can teach you sailing; my sailboat is on the sea only a 20' bike/scooter ride from where I live.

🧗During winter we can go rock-climbing indoor; it's a great way to learn about mind-body coordination, technique, mental strength, positive thinking and generally to learn more about your body and mind. If you never tried or are a total beginner, don't worry: I can teach rock climbing, I've done it for many years it is a great way to relax and get a good workout. There is a climbing gym 15' walking from mine, so we can try rope climbing or bouldering even in bad weather.

🧘I've recently developed an interest in acro-yoga and I'm eager to share and learn more about it. while I'm still a beginner, if you're interested, we can practice together and I can share some basic moves.

♕ ♞♛ Have you seen "Queen's Gambit" without understanding the sport itself? Now it is the time to change that. I can teach you how to play chess, even if you don't even know how to move the pieces. It is such a complex sport that I never fell like I know enough, so I hope one day you'll be better than me and it'll be the student. Or maybe you know how to play and we can learn from eachother♚♜

We can ride my electric 🛵 to the city and explore Stockholm or Solna together.

Of course, if there's something else you'd rather learn or try, I'm happy to adjust plans and accommodate your interests. And if you have a skill or hobby you'd like to teach me, I'm always eager to learn something new too! We can share stories from hiking🥾 · 🏞 · 👣 , mountaineering on high mountains, paragliding, bicycle touring, or sailing over a glass of wine. But before you arrive, please choose the color of the wine, and I'll buy it. By the way, I'm absolutely okay with no alcohol as well - tap water can always do.

Learn:
I'm always excited to learn about new cultures and ways of life, so I'm eager to hear about your experiences, hobbies, studies or traditions. For example, I'd like to dance better or learn some more quick-to-make dish.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I mostly host people on Couchsurfing, but I still love to share experiences with my guests during their stay. We can cook a meal together and share stories from our travels or watch a movie. I can also take you to some local events or attractions in Stockholm or Solna. Or if you just want to hang out and chat, that's great too. I'm always open to learning about new cultures and making new friends.
As your guest, I'll be able to teach you chess, some IT, how to climb or how to fix your bicycle.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State, Åland Islands

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Italy, Malaysia, Romania, Sweden, United States