I enjoy campfires, the beach, the sea, forests, inventing worlds in my head (especially utopias/dystopias) and writing stories as well as articles and drawing cartoons for Youth Journalism International (a worldwide charity based in Maine) and my blog(s). (kotersay.wordpress.com, I also have another blog for university)

I'm currently halfway through my undergraduate degree in Geography, at the University of Edinburgh (Scotland). My main topic of interest is the relationship between humans and their environment, especially when it comes to built environment - in other words, how architecture & urban planning influence individuals and societies.

I personally think that the way we build and shape our environment deepens the dichotomy between humans and 'nature' (a very debatable term) and this must change if we want to change the attitude of people towards the environment globally.

In my free time I volunteer with the student volunteering society Dirty Weekenders - we get muddy every Sunday helping in conservation projects all around Edinburgh, and twice a year go on a 'bothy' to some of the wonderful places in Scotland!

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More of my story... I first came to the UK in 2014, to study for 2 years at a Sixth Form college, thanks to a full scholarship I received from UWC Poland. I went to a boarding school on the North Yorkshire coast, in England, living on the edge of the North York Moors National Park. Beautiful sea, beautiful cliffs.

In 2018 I spent 6 months as a full-time gardening volunteer at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales. Established in 1970s, it was first a commune that evolved into an environmental education centre and a graduate school, with its own woodland and organic gardens, and a field, all managed sustainably. I've learnt a lot about gardening and participated in a Nature Connection course ran by Kara Moses, which taught me a lot about living in harmony with nature.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love exploring different ways of understanding the world, and talking to people about this - I guess that's what pushed me to study geography in the first place...

You could also say I'm a seeker - I've explored a few spiritualities, but I'm not set on one way of seeing it. So I'm happy when talking to people about their beliefs.

Interests

Architectural history
Coffee
Sustainable urbanism
Geography (however you understand this)
Modernism
Organic architecture
Living with nature

• writing
• architecture
• environment
• gardening
• reading
• camping
• geography
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

Stranger Things
About Time
Sex Education
Trevor Noah's stand ups

... and many, many other

A lifelong fan of Harry Potter

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I met Roger, the vegetable and salad guru at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can share my knowledge on gardening, architecture, and the geographical theories of landscape... or something like that!
And being a Polish citizen, I have knowledge on Polish history and culture, if you want to find out about that!

Also I'm very happy to help out with any chores that need doing during my stay - I don't want to be a burden!

What I Can Share with Hosts

As I'm a student, I'm not that well-off, and I'll be travelling in America for two weeks so my weight-carrying capacity will be limited - but I want to be helpful! Any tasks and I'll do it! :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Czech Republic, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Scotland, Slovakia, Sweden, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

England, Poland, Scotland, Wales