Hey, I'm Avital (or Avi). I travel, I play (or try to play...) the Celtic harp in weird and wonderful places, and occasionally I function as a PhD student exploring the music of ancient China (they say that some day I might actually get a PhD for that, but only time will tell...). I've been couchsurfing and hosting with a partner previously, but then opened my own profile (so there go my references, but if you want, there's a link below to the page where I'm mentioned, and I promise to be as nice a person as I can. Promise!).
Cheers! :)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Among others - to surf couches! After a long time of living in student accommodations where it was impossible to host, I can finally also host surfers in my place!
** Update June 2018: Apologies surfers - due to an overwhelming amount of PhD work I am currently not accepting guests until further notice (hopefully by September or October I will be accepting guests...) - Please still feel free to write if you have any Cambridge-related questions! **

In my experience so far, it's a community in which one can find accommodating, intelligent and interesting people, and it definitely enriches the travel experience, as travelling is really more about the people than about merely the places.

(p.s - if you prefer to see references before you accept requests, I am mentioned in some here:
https://www.com/people/roneneldan/references?experience=positive )

Interests

I enjoy tasting local foods and beers; borrowing books from the library that no one has ever borrowed since my research topic interests no one but me (hmmph ; then having to pay the fines when I forget to return them on time (ok. I don't know if that's an interest or a hobby. But I seem to be doing that a lot so who knows...) ; prioritising the next 4-5 languages I want to learn (but somehow never making the time to actually learn them) and the next million places I wish to visit; harpin' (but won't do it next to you or in your house/garden/parking lot unless you're totally fine with that!); exploring new ways of procrastinating; dancing (Lindy-hop swing); finding little beautiful flaws in things; and more...

• books
• poetry
• dancing
• dining
• beer
• traveling
• live music
• languages
• learning
• studying
• poetry slam
• lindy hop
• harp
• playing harp

Music, Movies, and Books

Music - mostly indie-folk (to name a few worth listening to: Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Angus and Julia Stone, Iron and Wine, Keren Ann, Damian Rice, Gitla) and trip-hop (Portishead, Hooverphonic, Massive Attack and more) -lots of stuff that most other human beings don't really like, but also rock, and if I'm in the right mood for that - metal. I dance Lindy-hop swing, so swing and jazz always welcome... Generally, new music's always fun.

Movies and books - Oh, yeah, I miss these... I'll let you know what my favorite ones are after I graduate, and can go back to reading something other than books about the Han dynasty (which ARE very interesting, I must say) and about Ethnomusicology. My new thing is academic books about street musicians :)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Hopped on a car in Tel-Aviv with my harp, got off in Amman, Jordan to play at the Israeli ambassador's house and back to TLV the same day. Happened twice.

Teach, Learn, Share

If you meet an old lady gardening next to her house in Wales and she asks you "have you seen the lake?" and advises you on a place to go, just go... :)

What I Can Share with Hosts

Food and stories (I can make some food - dietary requirements of all sorts welcome - and would love to hear some stories! Or tell them, whatever comes first).

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Jordan, Laos, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, Israel, United Kingdom, United States