Just a frenchie that left her job to discover South America with her best friend

We are Leïla and Raphaël, two friends from the south of France embarking on a one-year adventure across South and Central America to discover new cultures, languages, and breathtaking landscapes.

We’ll be landing in Salvador da Bahia on January 9th, 2025, and plan to spend two months exploring Brazil before heading to Argentina.

We first met in 2018 during our studies at a French engineering school and have dreamed of traveling together in Latin America ever since. That dream is finally coming true! We both decided to quit our jobs and take the leap into this big adventure.

We share a strong connection and have a lot in common. We’re sociable, love meeting new people, and enjoy hiking, trekking, and admiring sunrises and sunsets. Our conversations often turn into passionate and animated debates about nearly everything—always in good spirits, of course!
We also love music, festivals, and spending time having fun with friends.

About us:

Leïla: I’m 27 and I recently quit my job as a paper packaging engineer in London where I spent 3 years.
I am French and Algerian and I speak English and Spanish.
I have been to Peru 5 years ago for 5 weeks in the middle of the Amazon forest for an international solidarity mission and adored every minute I spent there. Since then I always wanted to go back and explore more of Latin America.
I’m so excited to explore the wonderful outdoors, meet people and discover the cultures and make unforgettable memories
I’m curious, easy going and mostly optimistic. I love reading, cooking, and talking about what brings joy within the people,
I’m quite resourful and excited to accomplish any mission!

Raphaël:
I’m 26 and used to work as a paper engineer in an engineering office in Paris. I speak French, English, and a bit of Spanish. Having grown up in Angola, I also speak Portuguese. I visited some parts of Brazil ten years ago and completely fell in love with the country.
I’m a curious person who’s always eager to learn. I enjoy reading books about adventurers and their travels, History, and the people who’ve shaped it. I also participated in a one-month solidarity mission in Morocco, where we built an irrigation canal for farmers in the Atlas Mountains—a deeply rewarding experience.

We can’t wait to meet you, share a part of our journey, and create memories we’ll cherish and smile about for years to come!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

For us, traveling is about connection—meeting people from all walks of life and immersing ourselves in nature. We believe travel is a shared experience, which is why we’re excited to explore Couchsurfing opportunities, to know the place with and by the people that lives there. We want to forge genuine connections with people during our journey.

Interests

• books
• music
• travel
• fun
• hike
• mentalhealth

Countries I’ve Visited

Algeria, Belgium, Canada, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Peru, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, United Kingdom