Hello :)

My name is Yala (since 2021 - which explains my references with my previous name). I was born and raised in Maastricht (NL) where I also currently live.

I was super active on Couchsurfing around 2011 and 2012 when it was still non-profit. I've only used to website a handful of times eversince.

Loves: dancing, singing, performance art, cultures etc. Love to share food and stories.

Occupation: I work as an Art Director in various fields (dance, theatre, film) and provide Art Education in a museum for various age groups.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Always been more interested in meeting people and experiencing the world from a local perspective.

SURFING

November 2021 - New York
Feb 2012 - Dublin
July 2012 - Rome, Venice, Munich, Berlin
Aug 2012 - London
Oct 2012 - London
May 2011 - Berlin
July 2011 - Copenhagen and Budapest
Aug 2011 - Berlin and Brussels

HOSTING

Sep 2011 - David Van Den Hende (Belgium)
Nov 2011 - Anja Dragan (Slovenia)

Interests

• singing
• music
• neuroscience
• philosophy
• psychology
• sociology
• art
• food
• cinema
• nature
• cultures
• dance
• theatre
• self-development
• consciousness
• awareness
• nlp
• singing in the shower
• epigenetics
• traveling and meeting new people
• singing and dancing
• emotional intelligence

Music, Movies, and Books

MUSIC
pop, soul, funk, jazz, hiphop, trance, dance, house, indie, folk, classical, high-vibe, bossa nova, reggae, ska.

AUTHORS
Brené Brown, Viktor Frankl, Edith Eger, Joe Dispenza, Bruce Lipton

ARTISTS
Brit Marling (The OA), Jenna Marvin (Queendom), Brandon Stanton (Humans of New York)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

- Couchsurfing in Berlin and Copenhagen (2011)
- Backpacking in Thailand (2015)
- Visiting Bali (2017 & 2018)
- Making a short dance film (2021)
- Changing my first name (2021)
- Visiting Colombia (2022)
- Making a short fashion film (2025)
- Directing a fashion show (2025)

Teach, Learn, Share

- Cooking
- Movement improvisation
- The Nature of Reality (based on neuroscience)
- How to be free

"In my walks, every man I meet is my superior in something, and in that I learn of him".
Quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, my life philosophy.
To me it means seeing everyone as equal, and being curious about what someone can teach you.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Colombia, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Netherlands