Hi! I'm Zora, originally from Poland, currently living and studying in Amsterdam. Since moving here in August 2022, I think I finally know my way around the city. I am very proud to know which tram goes to Museumplein, and which one to Waterlooplein!

I study an interdisciplinary programme, where I focus on the issues of climate, sustainability and sustainable development. I am very passionate about my studies, and I dedicate a lot of time to them, so if you ask me what I did last afternoon, the answer might sometimes be boring. Alongside my studies, I also have two side jobs - as a receptionist in a hotel, and a remote job as a recruiter.

Whenever I don't study or work, I love:

- cooking – on a regular weekday I usually make low-effort pasta recipes, but over the weekend I like to make pizza, sushi, or Indian paneer,

- wine – I love discovering new grape varieties and food pairings, so wine is a constant companion to dinners with my friends,

- taking photos – mainly of people, so I am always more than happy to take profile pictures for my friends,

- reading books – something I cherish deeply, and I am trying to allocate as much time to it as possible. I love books with a strong message, but also literature that is simply beautiful,

- learning languages - I used to study languages a lot as a teenager, with extreme enthusiasm for Spanish and Italian. Recently, I haven't had as much time to do it, but I am trying to get the basics of Dutch. Not the easiest task though…,

- Bubble Tea: I look for it everywhere I go,

- A few weeks ago I started learning how to play the keyboard/piano - trying to prove it's still ppossible as an adult!,

- And of course, I love travelling as well, which is surely the passion I have in common with all the fellow users of this platform!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I discovered this platform back when I was 14, and my ultimate dream was to become an active host and surfer one day. Now that I am of age - I live alone and am able to offer up a place in my studio, and on the other hand, I can travel solo easily - I think the time has come to act on my long-held aspiration :)

Moreover, I love meeting new people and exchanging knowledge and cultures, and I would like to do it more often, as the current structure of my social life has taken the form of a bubble, and I miss getting to know new people. So for all travellers - I would love to meet up, show you around Amsterdam, and find out a bit about your culture and experiences :)

YOUR STAY AT MY HOME

If I host you, the accommodation package includes a homecooked meal and depending on time, a (hopefully!) nice, personalised tour around the city. I know my way around the Amsterdam parks, museums, Bubble Tea places, and so on 😊

So far, I haven't hosted anybody yet, so I definitely have much to learn along the way. However, here are some disclaimers I would like to make even before my first surfer:
- I live in a 29m2 studio, and I can offer you an air mattress (or for women, you can also sleep with me on my bed). There is not much space, so bear that in mind when reaching out to me - if you don't mind the conditions though, I'm sure your stay will be enjoyable as I will do my best preparing the place for your arrival 😊 Also, my studio is located in university dorms. It is allowed to host whoever we want here, so there aren’t any technical issues, but on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays parties may be audible until 1/2 AM – this can only disturb you if you are a very light sleeper, but may be relevant to know,
- Because I haven’t had my first host experience as well as because of the size of my studio, for now I can only host one person at a time – in the future it might change if my first hosting experiences show that there is room for more!
- If you are a party animal and want to be out till very late, we are probably not a match. I live a pretty quiet life here in Amsterdam, and I am most likely not compatible with guests who would want to come back at 3AM, especially if drunk,
- No drugs - that is a hard rule, and it does include marihuana. People react to weed very differently, and I wouldn't feel comfortable sleeping in a room with an intoxicated person. So if you want to come to Amsterdam to explore weed legalization – again, not a match,
- If you have any special needs, please let me know beforehand so that I can accommodate you accordingly. Whether you have any medical conditions that need special circumstances, or even food allergies (which might come in handy if I cook a welcome dinner), it is always nice to know these things.

I can accept guests throughout most of April, May and June :)

MY STAY AT YOUR HOME

Here is a bit about me as a traveller, and about the way I travel:

- Just like I would like my guests to respect my home, I will respect your home as well. I am a tidy person, I don’t leave a mess behind, and I will go by your house rules,
- As aforementioned, I am not a party animal, so my way of travelling is pretty calm. If I stay with you in your home, I won’t stay out until late,
- When I travel, I like to discover the surroundings during the day, either going to museums, having walks, or doing other activities offered by the area. If you are a host who likes to do such activities with the surfers, I would love to do them together! I am also open to anything you come up with, since as a local, you know best what is worth checking out in your area,
- I like cooking, and especially cooking for or with other people. I may not be a professional cook, but I would love to make dinner for you while staying at your home,
- While travelling, I work remotely (usually 2-3 hours every other day), so I would usually like to spend this time either in the home, or alternatively in a café with Wi-Fi connection,
- My primary reason for wanting to couchsurf is to connect with people; meet amazing people along the way who might in the future visit me in Amsterdam (or wherever I live a few years from now), and with whom I might stay in touch for a long time. I would love to hang out with you and see your city through your eyes, but I also understand that every host has their own life, work, and other activities. So if you turn out to be busy or tired, I am completely fine organising my own time and giving you the space you need in your own life.

Interests

• books
• cooking
• languages
• travels
• bubble tea
• cooking together

Music, Movies, and Books

I enjoy literally all kinds of music, beginning with music from Eurovision, pop, rap, and ending with good oldies like Nancy Sinatra. I especially enjoy classical music, though, and I love going to the opera whenever an affordable option appears.

I don’t watch many movies, but I have always been quite a Harry Potter fan – both in terms of books and movies. Some of my other favorite movies (and TV shows) include:
- La Vita e Bella,
- Dark,
- Tar,
- Whiplash,
- The Outlander,
- Malena,
- Desperate Housewives,
- Marvel movies.

In terms of books, recently I also read less than I would like to, but I am trying to incorporate it more into my life. Some of my favorite books (and the reasons why):
- Fresh Water for Flowers – a moving novel about a woman working at a cemetery in a French village. It’s a story about the experience of loss, and the reconciliation with death. This book helped me through a very difficult time in my life, when I had lost a close person myself,
- Book Thief – a book taking place during the Second World War. It tells the story of Liesel, a young girl who is adopted by an elderly couple in the Nai Germany. She discovers the love of reading and the power of words, which is visible throughout the book, and begins stealing books, and showing resistance to the Nazi regime,
- The Night Circus – a book that doesn’t offer that much I terms of the plot, but absolutely captivated me with its beautiful language and the stunning, magical world it presents to its reader,
- The Secret History - a book that might be the definition of the "dark academia" aesthetic, talking about a group of classical languages students and taking place in the 1980s,
- The Plague - the first book I have ever read by Albert Camus. Despite absurdism being often associated with the pointlessness of life, I think it shows exactly why life is worth cherishing, and that the existence of death is exactly why we should help one another and be grateful for every day.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

It's hard to come up with amazing things I have done, but I think one of them is being a caring older sister of a disabled brother. I love him to the end of the world, and I am proud I could contribute to his upbringing, and to take care of him in the future.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, China, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Morocco, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

Netherlands, Poland