CURRENT MISSION I worked with refugees in Athens after volunteering in Micronesia as a literature teacher. Now trying to get into international development and humanitarian aid Finding my place under the sun ABOUT ME My friends call me Ariela International - I have had the chance to study in Paris for my master's for 5 months, work and travel in the US for 4 summers, live in London for 5 years, volunteer in the Pacific in Micronesia for a year and work for the EU in Belgium. Not to mention all the roaming I have done in Europe, US, Egypt, Jordan, Asia, Brazil, New Zealand etc). Life is grand! If you have any ideas for trips, let me know - my next targets are possibly Latin America (involving some hiking) or Africa (safari). PHILOSOPHY Experience...learn...grow...- and connect the dots. If you want to read what travelling has taught me or just rant, read my blog. I'd love to hear your thoughts: https://arielfreespirit.wordpress.com/
Interested in Art
Interested in Books & Literature
Fluent in English
Learning Spanish
Why I'm on Couchsurfing
HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING Meeting locals during my travels or where I live, organising fun activities around the world wherever my travel takes me next. COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE I organised an 11 day hike in the Swiss Alps with 8 other couchsurfers of 8 different nationalities who met for the first time by the cable car in Chamonix - a real success. I went hiking in the Lake District with a fun crowd. Had lots of laughs and a great time.
Music, Movies, and Books
Music is all about mood - so I listen to pretty much anything (except heavy metal or too much electronic music), from Damien Rice, Jason Mraz to The Drifters, Lady Gaga, The Source, Wayne Wade, Aaliyah, MIA, U2, Kings of Leon, Billy Idol, Pointer Sisters, Etta James, UB40 and so on. I like songs, not artists. Mr Nobody, The Fountain (blew my mind), Devil's Advocate, Forest Gump, Chick flicks (yes,sorry) like The Eternal sunshine of a spotless mind or Newness. Mercure by Amelie Nothomb or The Perfume by Suskind - quite freaky books. Though now I tend to be into autobiographies to see what helped shape people. I love musicals (to the point that I've seen more than 10 - Phantom beats them by far) and stand up comedy.
One Amazing Thing I've Done
hiking the Haute Route in France/Switzerland backpacking in Asia with few travel arrangements made (which is pretty incredible for a control freak like me) which took me to the brink of despair a couple of times and keeping a log of the things I've learnt from the people I met en route lived in the middle of the Pacific ocean for a year - only told my mom 5 months in I was no longer in London
Teach, Learn, Share
My learnings as a result of my travels can be found on my blog: https://arielfreespirit.wordpress.com/
What I Can Share With Hosts
My experiences and my passions
My Interests
Cultures, what makes people happy, what motivates them, dancing (zouk lambada, salsa, bachata), travelling, photography, theatre, musicals, shows, stand-up comedy, languages, writing, art
