Born and raised in a city close to the Hague in the Netherlands. At the end of my high school career I went to visit a few cities in Europe and that's when my passion for travelling started. As a student you have plenty of time to travel, but a lack of resources. As a (young) professional, you often have the money, but lack the time. During my studies, however, I realized that travelling doesn't have to cost much and that there's always a way to travel on a budget.

During my studies, I went to Barcelona on an Erasmus exchange and a few months later I volunteered in Davao, The Philippines. I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to meet so many people from all over the world and I would love to continue visiting my foreign friends in their home countries.

After finishing my studies, I started working for the Red Cross and have been living abroad in Kenya and Ecuador, among others.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Travelling is a passion I think almost everyone on this platform shares with each other. I have had the opportunity to meet lots of interesting and fun people, because I moved to other countries. Meeting people that live in the place you are visiting is the best way to get a feel of the culture and to really have the full experience.

I once read a quote by Bill Nye, saying "Everyone you meet knows something you don't" and I very much agree with him. I think everyone you meet can teach you something and every person can be the key to a new adventure and lead you to a new place on your trip or in life.

Interests

My main drive, is the drive to learn new things. I always aim to improve my knowledge about politics, people, different cultures, psychology, economics, happiness, personal growth and many more things. I love meeting new people from different countries, religions and backgrounds and sharing knowledge and stories.

I love (doing) sports, music, movies, books, travelling (obviously), languages, entrepreneurship and meeting people.

• culture
• books
• politics
• movies
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• camping
• sports
• economics
• entrepreneurship
• languages
• psychology
• study abroad
• volunteering
• personal growth
• spiritu

Music, Movies, and Books

MUSIC
I listen to all kinds of music and enjoy discovering new genres and artists. I listen to jazz, soul, pop, rock, flamenco, guitar, house, classical music, so a wide range of genres. I am a big fan of artists like Bill Evans (jazz pianist), Pink Floyd, Vicente Amigo (flamenco guitarist), but I also enjoy listening to artists like Jamie Cullum, Jose James, Ben Howard and many more. If you are really into music, make sure to check out the youtube channel: Tiny Desk (concerts).

MOVIES
I have always enjoyed watching movies. When it comes to Hollywood productions, I mostly watch comedy and action movies, but besides that, I love international and film house productions. I am a frequent visitor of the International Film Festival in Rotterdam and two of my favorite movies are 'Dans La Maison' and 'La Grande Belleza'.

BOOKS
When I was a young kid I used to read a lot. However, when I started studying, books were often exchanged for tv series like Game of Thrones and Sherlock. The last 2 years I have been starting to read more, varying from Dutch and English literature to Self Help books about travelling, entrepreneurship and psychology and behavioral economics.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

It's difficult to name one amazing thing and I think most people are inclined to name something like bungeejumping, skydiving or another extreme activity. Of course these are amazing things, full of adrenaline, but I think the most amazing experiences can be found in the small things. Spending an evening talking another language with people you've just met, spending time at a camp side between animals and seeing the stars at night or meeting people from different cultures while studying abroad or volunteering are very valuable .

If I would have to name one amazing thing, I would say volunteering in Davao in The Philippines. When you are going somewhere to volunteer, your aim is to help other people to live a better life. When you go back home, however, you realize they were the ones teaching you about life. You come back with a whole new set of perspectives and a group of amazing (international) friends.

Teach, Learn, Share

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t—you’re right.”
—Henry Ford

In Western society, but maybe in other places as well, a lot of people feel stuck. They aren't happy with their lives and work and feel incapable of changing this situation. Fear is often holding us back, but with small steps and small risks, we can actually make a change and live the lives we want to live.

Ask yourself: if today was my last day, would I be happy with it? Or, if I would have millions of dollars, what would I do? Think about your life, think about what you want to achieve and how you'd like to look back on it one day and start making the changes to create that type of life. Stop living someone else's dreams.

Some interesting reads that I found eye opening are:
- The 4 Hour Work Week & Tribe of Mentors - Tim Ferris
- http://hive.org/20s/ (goal setting)
- Autobiography of a yogi
- Alan Watts youtube videos
- Awaken the Giant Within - Tony Robbins

What I Can Share with Hosts

In the areas above, I've tried to share enough information about me to have an idea of who I am and what inspires me. The only thing left for me to say to my potential hosts is that if I have sent you a request, I am interested to learn about you, your culture and I will most importantly respect your hospitality and property and I would be very grateful if you would have me over.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Netherlands, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Ecuador, Germany, Kenya, Netherlands, Peru, Philippines, Spain