I am a university researcher living in Berlin. Orignally Italian, I grew up in Sicily but then went to study in Belgium (Louvain) and, for my graduate studies, in the UK (Oxford) and the US (Princeton). Originally a Classicist, I earned a doctorate in Oriental Studies, that is the Caucasus and Byzantium. I have lived in many countries and have many friends who are now scattered around the world. I am into nature and sport (though in winter I sometimes need some motivation to get out the house...), cooking and drinking good wine. My favourite desitnations are Eastern Europe, the Middle East, the Balkans, the Caucasus. South and Central America are for me, at the moment, still terra incognita and, as for Australia, I still need to be convinced that spiders won't kill me... :-p

Important point: I am not a party person. Or better, I like dinner parties, but I do not do discos, stay late at night, over-drinking, and the like. I have passed that age, so I hardly ever go to bed past 11pm and I get up at 7am: I will not impose my schedule on you... but be aware that working is my (and my partner's) priority!

I live in a great apartment in Berlin together with Christoph, my partner (check Emilio+Christoph, here on CS), for now more than 18 years, and our dog, Tato (a Magyar Vizsla). Christoph complements me, as he is a professional classical musician (organist and conductor) and I am an amateur pianist and chorister. Before Berlin, I have also lived in many other places (Vienna, Oxford, Geneva, Jerusalem, Louvain, Istambul, Tübingen).

Obviously, I am gay. You can be whatever you are, but if you have a problem with it, please consider staying somewhere else.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I have been couchsurfing (mostly hosting, to be honest) with my partner in Berlin for more than twelve years. Together we have hosted more than 150 guests and always found meeting new people from known or remote corners of the world very rewarding. I like to hear new points of views and share my own experiences. I do not have propblems with persons who are entirely different from me, as long as mutual respect is ensured (political, religious, racial, gay rights, and so forth).

Interests

• books
• cooking
• wine
• traveling
• classical music
• hiking

Music, Movies, and Books

Books and literature, music (I am an active performer), especially classical music, food (love cooking!), wine (especially dessert ones), good beer, traveling.

Music: classical music, I am afraid. I studied piano in conservatory and sing in a chamber choir in Berlin... I am in to chamber and vocal music, opera, Lieder, home-making music.

Movies: too complex subject, better to discuss it live.

Books: even more complicated. In general, however, I like academic books: history, philology, oriental languages, Middle East, ...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

The hike to the top of Mount Sinai and the sunset from Gebel Musha in Egypt.

Common Room after High Table at Oxford.

Listening to my partner playing the organ in Chartres Cathedral in the night, when the building was locked.

Performing in the Berlin Philarmonie (that was Mahler...).

Discovering forgotten texts in hidden manuscripts.

Teach, Learn, Share

Music, local history, Oxford, cooking skills, laughs. But since I prefer to host that to be hosted, I generally expect to learn from my guests, rather than teaching :-)

What I Can Share with Hosts

If I am not working, walks in the city, visits to museums, attending concerts, or just a nice home-made dinner with candles and a lovely chat.

Countries I’ve Visited

Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Egypt, England, Estonia, Ethiopia, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malawi, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Palestine, Poland, Russian Federation, Scotland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Austria, Belgium, Germany, Israel, Italy, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States