I’m from Latvia (a very small country in Northern Europe) and have lived abroad in Europe and the Middle East most of my life. At first it was because of my parents’ work, but now it’s because of my own inability to stay in one place for more than a few years.

Top level personality analysis:

I can’t decide if I’m an introvert or extrovert. I love meeting interesting people, finding time for new & old friends, and throwing massive house parties. But I also need to keep to myself, can be a bit shy, and need alone time to recharge my batteries.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I value my friends a lot and like to seek out new ones — and what better way than on an adventure or trip.

There’s no better way to discover a place than in the shoes of a local. I love hearing about stories and experiences that people have had. How their life has been, what inspires them about where they live, what they find challenging, and what hurdles they’re currently overcoming.

Honest, insider tips about a place are always a bonus too — especially ones that aren’t in travel guides or disseminated in hotels.

Interests

I love outdoor adventure sports like rock climbing, canyoning, and snowboarding. I’ve also had the beach volleyball bug for many years now.

I used to live in London for 7 years and spent every other weekend chasing these highs. Recently, I moved to Barcelona to be closer to my passions.

• bouldering
• backpacking
• scuba diving
• snowboarding
• wakeboarding
• rock climbing
• biology
• ecology
• international relations
• physics
• political science
• science
• relaxing
• marketing
• climbing
• beach volleyball
• cross-country skiing
• wild camping
• canyoning
• sport climbing
• backcountry snowboarding

Music, Movies, and Books

I’m pretty genre-agnostic, and enjoy most melodic music — new and old.

Some of my go-tos are: old school hip-hop, 1980-90s rock, lyrical deep house, rap, and reggaeton.

I mainly read about international relations, politics, and science. Not books, but encyclopedic/journal formats, and newspapers.

I used to love film but haven’t watched much since university. Although I helped out on a friends’ movie set in LA last summer, which was exciting!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

This is going to sound pretty generic, but:

I quit my job in London at the end of 2018 and went traveling for almost a year — mainly in South America.

I spent 3 months in Rio playing and training beach volleyball, 3 months exploring every corner of Colombia, and a month in the highlands and jungles of Bolivia. It was amazing to (eventually) feel a bit like a local in each place, hear people’s stories, and see new landscapes, animals, and plants.

There were ups and downs like always in life — even in paradise. It was an incredible experience and felt like true freedom. I was presented with countless opportunities to reflect on the person that I’ve become, and to better understand what I want in life. I don’t think I’ll ever fully know who I am, but it taught me a lot about expectations and what’s left to explore (a lot).

To finish off my trip, I lived on a sailboat in Los Angeles for 2 months — spending lots of time on beach volleyball and with old friends.

There was some friction to return to reality after all that, but I eventually sorted it out and, after spending 2 months back in Europe, I found a nice job in Barcelona.

Teach, Learn, Share

I want to keep improving my Spanish, and practice my (basic) French.

I want to learn about your culture, language, and your dreams. I’m also always excited about new healthy recipes, especially if healthy and easy to make.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I want to share my respect, tidiness, and help. I’m handy with DIY tasks and housework.

I can teach you climbing/bouldering, some beach volleyball, and general fitness/gym tips.

I can help with your English, Dutch, or Latvian.

I can also give you some online marketing tips (search engines, paid advertising, social media, and brand management).

I love to make Middle-Eastern/Mediterranean salads and tapas. I also make good smoothies and a healthy breakfast porridge with nuts, seeds, and fruit.

Countries I’ve Visited

Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

Estonia, Israel, Latvia, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom