I've done a variety of jobs - teaching English as a volunteer in Africa, and in Italy; accountancy in the UK and the South Pacific. Now I'm a freelance (part time) aid worker and I go to help organisations like Oxfam in emergency responses, or Oxford University in their field medical research. The rest of the time I try to enjoy life as it's not all about work! I have a small second home in Italy where I spend a few months of the year. Note I lived in Oxford until late 2018 so my guest references up to that date talk about Oxford, not here in Winchester!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love travelling and meeting new people so I'm hoping to make use of Couchsurfing as both a surfer and a host (although I haven't used it travelling yet)! Over the years I've been to 90 countries (the list below is only the places where I've spent the most time!). I've met wonderful people everywhere - I want to meet more and also to let others meet me at home in the UK, and show them around.

Interests

Languages, history, travel, walking, books, wine, classical music and films

• books
• wine
• walking
• movies
• traveling
• music
• classical music
• backpacking
• history
• languages
• language exchange
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

Classical music, also crossover; 60s to 80s, pop and instrumental
Films: The Lord of the Rings; Star Wars, oldies
Books: Classics (Jane Austen, Bronte, Hardy, Dickens), Tolkien, travel writing, historical novels
TV: Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, period dramas, not much else!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

My work in emergencies is often hard, but it enables me to visit places which are impossible for others - such as the war zone in Iraq, the earthquakes in Haiti and Nepal, and many countries in Africa. I've met amazing people - both my colleagues and the resilient locals; they're really inspiring. In between jobs, I took a year off and went backpacking around South America - from Ecuador (Galapagos) down the Pacific coast to Peru, Bolivia and Chile. Then I took a boat to Antarctica, and back up the Atlantic side - Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. An amazing experience, 9 months on the road, meeting wonderful people and seeing wonderful places.

Teach, Learn, Share

I love languages - both my own (English) as I taught it for 8 years! Plus I love the Latin languages (French, Italian, Spanish) and I'm always happy to practise them. I'm also keen to hear and share travel stories - recommendations, experiences, to add to my (long) list of places to see, and give tips to others.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Language exchange; travel experiences; going out for nice meals or drinks and talking, especially with people who are enthusiastic and share my values!

Countries I’ve Visited

Antarctica, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Lebanon, Mali, Malta, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Vanuatu

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Haiti, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, South Sudan, Sudan, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States