CURRENT MISSION

Starting a life in Spain (Comunidad Madrid), making friends and find a nice life project also called job

ABOUT ME

I try to stay open and conscious, which is often a challenge and whereas I succeed is another question. Open to life, open to people, open to new experiences and so on.
After my studies I always thought I should have some kind of plan on how to handle the future and life and it frightened me a bit that I did not had one. One of the wisest decisions I made was follow my feeling and travel of to Greece. And just see what the future would bring. From there on, I slowly discovered the things you want, come to your path when you are open and flexible.

I always wanted to travel and write and this dream came true! For 2,5 years I cycled from Greece to Thailand on a second hand mountainbike, with the rule that we never paid for accommodation. We did wildcamping, were invited to people's home and used couchsurfing. On my way I could write articles for a newspaper.

It was one of the most craziest beautiful experiments, experience so far. I love exploring a country in a slow manner like cycling and diving in history, politics and culture by writing the articles.

PHILOSOPHY

It's hard to describe a philosophy on paper. Especially because I can disagree with myself often. (I guess self-love isnt so bad after all) It seems an unconsciously dynamic where elements and thoughts are deleted and new ones are created. But learning to get to know yourself, so you can be real to others is definitely an aim. A simple phrase as count your blessings I like a lot even though sometimes this can be challenging. Openness, flexibility, acceptance and I start to discover that love is what drives us and what makes us happy, so it is important to focus on the good stuff around you without ignoring the negative. I don't like this whole "you cannot be negative" mantra, because in my experience people intend to suppress or ignore certain things. What I found out over the years is that I can always write down exactly what I would like to think and be, but in practice its pretty damn hard, so it's good to practice.

Thereby I want to raise my own awareness of climate change and pollution and how I myself can change certain behavioral, consumption patterns. I would loooove to get rid of plastic, so Im still looking for the best way. Got very inspired by a book "How to Give Up Plastic" by Will McCallum I get very inspired by people who produce their own food, built with organic materials and take nature into account. I love nature and I want to be good for it.
Oh yeah, Im also a bit of a dreamer, attracted to colors and forms. There is nothing so much I can enjoy as a sunset, a blue sky, a mountain view, a valley view. Scenery that give me space and let me open up.
I love making shell necklaces and bracelets, so if we meet I can give you one ;p

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Hosting AND surfing at the same time. I enjoyed hosting people when I was studying in Amsterdam. It is so nice to hear travel stories when you are in a daily routine and discover there are so many adventurous people with crazy stories. It gives great spirit and it feels good to host people, because when you are traveling you know how good it feels when you get a nice host and just a place to stay and relax.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Summer 2011 me and my friend went couchsurfing in Portugal for the first time and it was goooooood. We had three great hosts and heaps of fun; therefore I decided I wanted to join this social experiment. Since then I hosted during my studies and whenever Im traveling I love to Couchsurf.

Interests

I love to sing and I play a little guitar. In my head it probably sounds more professional than it might look. Music was my first love and it will be my last :) I don't know if that's true, but I like the idea.

I want to ride my bicycle! I just love the (sometimes a bit uncomfortable) freedom cycling provides. I write articles and wrote a blog on my way, so you can say I like writing.
I love exploring a country, its customs, meet local people etc. Getting a new experience. I love obtaining new knowledge and meeting new people.

• animals
• writing
• literature
• singing
• concerts
• yoga
• meditation
• music
• guitar
• cycling
• hiking
• international relations
• mountains
• wanderlust
• nature lover
• sky gazing

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: everything with soul. But my music collection is mostly folky, indie, guitar, rock, punk, instrumental, electronic, minimal, dreamy. I just Love music.
Movies, all kind of cult movies and documentaries like 'Die Fetten Jahre sind Vorbei' (the edukators) 'La Grande Belezza' , 'The Princess of Kaguya', Mr. Nobody', Goodbye Lenin, 'Il Divo', 'Snatch' 'lock stock and two smoking barrels', 'Finster World', 'Little Miss Sunshine' 'Avatar, 'Searching for Sugar Man' Big Lebowksi, Burn after Reading, 'Good Things Await', 'Exit through the gift shop'. But I can also really enjoy Lord of the Rings, Gladiator, Godfather, GoT, etc and actually every movie with Leonardo Dicaprio ;p
Some great awesome Dutch literary writers as Connie Palmen, Carmiggelt, Cees Nooteboom, Bomans, Grunberg, Gerrit Komrij. I like Bildungromans. And love writers like Orwell, Kundera, Nikos Kazantzakis, Henry Miller, Nabokov. Philosophy and history when I find time and rest to read it.
I love stand up comedy. Worked also in a great comedy club in Amsterdam. Serving drinks though ;p

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Eating a regular cracker in the morning

Teach, Learn, Share

I did gymnastic for a long time, so I can share a bit of energetic gymnastic energy. I love to sing and learn new (easy ;) songs on the guitar. I like yoga, did a yoga teaching course in India and can share some teachings. Although not a yoga fanatic, I love the philosophy and being good to the body. and consequently the mind.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Good energy

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Greece, Kosovo, Netherlands