Hey there! I'm Sharif! Nice to meet you :)

I am American, living in Leipzig, Germany right now. I have only been here for a few months in order to study but before that I was an au pair in Munich. In the meantime I am just happy to take advantage of all these beautiful places in Europe that I can easily travel to.

I love meeting new people! I am a pretty relaxed, casual guy and can be friends with just about anyone. When I find a new city, I enjoy spending hours just walking around and discovering new corners of neighborhoods. In addition, I am a big fan of Museums and Galleries. Anyone is always welcome to join me :)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I feel quite strongly about seeing places not from the eyes of a tourist, but from the eyes of someone who really live there. The qualities of daily life are much more fascinating than then the most famous monuments that are hardly visited by locals. I think couchsurfing offers than a really special chance to know an area intimately instead of superficially.

In addition to that, I am definitely a people-person, as are many Couchsurfers! Everyone has a story, and I just love to hear it!

Interests

• beer
• music
• dance
• museums and exhibitions
• wandering around
• hiking in the mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

I am more a film guy than series guy (my attention span is only so long!) but, aside from Marvel movies, everything is good by me! Movies that are, for lack of a better word, a little more "artsy" or creative are especially cool for me.

I am always trying to read more, with varying success. In general, I really like realistic fiction, especially all the classics with their quite developed thematic material, or books about philosophy or history. I have just started reading crime novels, which I like in general but are so often terribly written, so recommendations are welcome!!!

Music music music. I love music. All music. Really, just about everything. I used to play piano for several years and grew up with western classical music, and, being the age I am, lots of Pop and Indie alternative fills my library. Show me new artists, especially local ones! Plus I love to dance, so anything with a good beat is also great. I am inspired by live music and see a local show often at least once per week.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

So many!

Snorkeling in the Andaman Islands
Skydiving (despite my fear of heights)
A week in the Alps sleeping in a mountain cabin
Roadtrip over three months from one US coast to the other

Teach, Learn, Share

Since I was a teenager I have tutored people in a wide variety of subjects, especially Foreign Language. If you want me to talk for hours, the grammar of different languages is a topic I find endlessly fascinating. I am also very interested in history, both political and cultural, and love talking about it at length. And then, I have also been privileged enough to travel quite a bit (certainly not as much as some of you, but I am proud nonetheless). I would gladly share some of my stories, in exchange for some of yours :)

I have also been learning Forro, a Brazilian partner dance, for the last few months and am very excited to show all people how to do the basic steps! Overall anything with dance is just amazing for me, whether it is learning, teaching, or just enjoying.

I also played piano for many years and used to give lessons (though the last time was years ago). I am always happy to share what I know about classical music.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can cook not terribly (but only vegetarian). I fancy myself a pretty good story teller haha. I am happy to help around the house, especially because then I won’t have a bad conscience staying the night :) the first round of beer or coffee is gladly on me :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Andorra, Austria, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Germany, India, Spain, United States