Hi all!

Mon nom est Stéphane! I am French-Canadian (aka Québécois) who was born and raised there.

I left Canada in 2012 to study in England for both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in International Relations. Due to the values I held and my interests in what happens in countries, I extended my hobbies to traveling around the world. In each countries, it's always about what their local cuisines and see how I could interact with new people. But I am very keen on countries that offer hiking zones. So far, Switzerland has been my favourite place to visit, as I have been there 3 times already.

Not really sure what to say without sounding too long... so off to the next section!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I definitely never like to go to hotels, because the atmosphere is just too cold. The interactions I could have do not offer me enough cultural experience and it is out of my budget too.

I have been in many Airbnb accommodations because I get to meet the hosts. I've always met very friendly people who have also given me a lot of cultural insight! Not just the fun activities going on, but also the political matters that I want to learn about. The price is also always on budget with exceptionally nice homes.

Couchsurfing, to be honest, has to do a lot with budget constraints. However, the difference between Couchsurfing and Airbnb is that the hosts specifically want to meet new people and through their good of their heart, also want to offer free accommodation! This is very much the most important reason to choose Couchsurfing, especially when I solo travel.

Interests

In terms of activities, you can never go wrong with hiking. Badminton is another favourite. Lately, rock climbing is another I am trying to become good at.

• traveling
• hiking
• rock climbing
• badminton
• international relations
• solo travel

Music, Movies, and Books

In terms of books, dystopic novels are always on my list. I especially like neuroscience topics that can help in practice. I also like self-development books like "Thinking Fast & Slow", as I know that I have 1000+ weaknesses that require some improving. But the books that I really get a lot of knowledge from are the ones that relate to my course in Global Affairs and Security Strategy. For example, "The Art of War"by Sun Tzu, "On War" by Carl von Clausewitz, "The Pelopponesian War" by Thucydides". It's a nice combination of history, war, strategy, politics and social science.

Movies? Drive, Nightcrawler, Memento, Batman (Christopher Nolan).

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Hitchhike & solo travel. It isn't much, but I really had to overcome a fear of what could happen and break out of my comfort zone. So, any further achievements are things out of my comfort zone.

What I Can Share with Hosts

If you'd like to know more about why countries do what they do between each other, I'd love to discuss about that! I always need new perspectives.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Morocco, Scotland, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, United Kingdom