I hosted and surfed a lot pre-pandemic and since then I have been more focused on my studies, my job and my homebodies... It's been an enriching time in lots of ways but I'm feeling that cs-thirst for adventure again! (plus I finished training as a social worker...phew).

These days I live with my sweet boyfriend, Alex, in a little flat-above-a-shop in Deptford, South East London. Social work takes up a lot of my energy but I will always make time for travel and partying too. My current travel goal is to visit every EU member state, then every country in Europe. I'm going to Luxembourg, Austria, Slovakia in September, Cyprus in November, then just Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria and Romania to go. I'm trying to travel more by train.

I'm interested in learning how the world works, and what we can do to make it better. Let's talk about it!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I've surfed in Sweden, Denmark, Canada and the US and traveled quite a lot around South America and Europe, as well as Japan, China and parts of Africa. I had an amazing time hosting people in London for four years and received so much generosity from hosts for my first few months when I moved to Canada in 2019 too, and made some amazing friends.

So I'm on couchsurfing because it's obviously a fun thing, but it's also a really political thing for me. I don't believe that just because I can pay rent on a space that makes it 'mine' - I believe in sharing, not ownership, and in a communal and generous environment. I also believe in a kind of radical trust - our governments and media spend so much time telling us not to trust each other, that everyone steals and kills and looks out for themselves, and it's just fascist nonsense. I'm trying to counter it, one couchsurfer at a time!

Interests

I like drinking cider in the pub, hanging out with my eight awesome nieces and nephews, going to the cinema, cafe and bar hopping around a new city, camping, roadtripping and recently getting into cycling.

I also read a lot of books and always welcome recommendations and discussions. (Add me on Goodreads! www.goodreads.com/user/show/92006367-victoria) I'm into social histories, autobiographies and fiction that considers humanity, colonialism, coming of age.

I love getting up early for the sunrise and hiking up hills and mountains for amazing views. I'm always up for a stupidly early morning or a stupidly late night to see something cool or do something fun! I'm very active and will say yes to most new experiences... That said, I have mellowed a lot in the last few years and am equally happy chilling with good food and a j ;) on the sofa these days too.

I'm vegan so one of my big interests is finding amazing vegan food wherever I am in the world.

Music, Movies, and Books

Films: Across the Universe, Boyhood, Woman At War, Pain and Glory, Roma, Run Lola Run, Lord of the Rings, It's A Wonderful Life, Chicago, any Pixar. I absolutely love going to the cinema and over-analysing films, and finding the cutest independent cinemas wherever I am.

Writers: Audre Lorde, Emma Goldman, Alison Bechdel, Joan Didion, Noam Chomsky, Arundhati Roy, Diana Wynne-Jones, Jasper Fforde, George Orwell

Music: The Decemberists, Skunk Anansie, Patti Smith, PJ Harvey, Tracy Chapman, Alanis Morrisette, Taylor Swift

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

A week in Istanbul on a residential with a group of feminists from across Europe planning the demasculinisation of politics, ending with joining a huge march of Turkish women and LGBT+ people on International Women's Day.

Moving to Canada alone, without a job lined up or a place to live, and figuring it all out for an incredible experience.

Caring for my mum through cancer treatment during the pandemic.

What I Can Share with Hosts

An open, interested mind, curious conversations, radical politics and a crazy night out too. I'm the first to admit I'm not a chef so won't be offering the usual "I'll cook you local cuisine" thing but we can go out for a nice vegan meal. I'm always up for karaoke, going for a run together or just chilling and doing our own thing.

There's no pressure to spend loads of time with me just because you're staying with me - you've come to visit for other reasons and I understand that! Likewise when hosting me, I'm happy to go with the flow.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Belgium, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Zambia

Countries I’ve Lived In

Belgium, Canada, France, Ireland, United Kingdom