CURRENT MISSION

Find a good balance between nomadic lifestyle and sedentarity.

ABOUT ME
5 years ago, I left my job, appartment and daily routine for the adventures of travelling and living from day to day. I spent 1 year in a small town in the Middle-Atlas, Morocco, discovered a new way of life, and came back to France with a new project in mind.

After another year on the road, I built a yurt and settled for a while in Ariège, Pyrenees. After 2 years with few comfort, no heating in winter, no proper shower, the yurt was a wonderful place to live in. Simple, yet comfortable.

Now I'm back on the roads, living in my van for more than a year, while hoping to find the perfect place for settling in the yurt again, between each trip.

I got rid of most of the superfluous things that this society makes us pile up and that burden our minds but don't bring more happiness. Instead I enjoy each moment, and spend my time doing what I like : creating clothes and other things.

Here is my blog, with stories and pictures of my travels, creations, and the yurt : http://escales-et-merveilles.blogspot.com

PHILOSOPHY

"When you want something, the Universe conspires to help you" - Paulo Coelho - The Alchemist.
This book changed my life. It made me decide to quit my job and leave France to realise my dream in Morocco.

"The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see." - G.K. Chesterton

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I've been hosting/surfing through Hospitality Club and Couchsurfing for 6 years.

I talk about CS to friends who don't know about it, and to people I meet when I'm travelling.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've had many hosting experiences,I've also surfed a few times. There's periods when I'm very active in the community, and sometimes I need some time off to be able to feel the spirit again later.

I have this book in which I keep a few words or drawings from every hosts and guests. It's the memory of all the nice moments I shared, so when I meet you, please write something in it!

My best travel memories are the friends I made, more than the places I visited. I can think about a specific story to relate, but I always enjoyed showing my city to my guests, cooking them a special french meal, even partying with some of them. With my hosts, I loved when they guided me through their city like no guide book could do.

Interests

I'm a creative mind, and my hands always need to be busy, so I can be very passionate in things like drawing, taking pictures, making my home a better place by organizing the furniture, decorating, etc. There's so many things to try !

Things I enjoy regularly : Art, photography, movies, tv series, music, playing board games, cooking for my friends, and of course meeting foreign people and travelling ! Oh, and also, I love my bike. It's my main means of transport in the city, and I enjoy going for a ride in the countryside too.

• arts
• culture
• books
• photography
• dining
• cooking
• recipes
• partying
• clubbing
• clothing
• movies
• board games
• tv
• traveling
• socializing
• blogging
• drawing
• music
• cycling
• hiking
• surfing
• tourism
• hitchhiking

Music, Movies, and Books

Books : Paulo Coelho's books have been fitting so very well with my life these last years, along with James Redfield's "Celestine Prophecy".

Music : I used to like some rock music, now I enjoy mostly world music and everything that's new and brings me in a travel or talks about nomadic life (Runrig, La Rue Kétanou, Charlie Winston, Deep Forest, Bollywood songs, ... )
My last discovery is Balkan music! And especially the greek band Koza Mostra, 6 guys in kilts with lots of energy on stage! Take a look at them on YouTube! I went all the way to Greece by hitchhiking just to watch them play live, and they are totally worth it!

Movies : Some movies I remember really enjoying : "L'arbre" with Charlotte Gainsbourg, "Eat, pray, Love", "The darjeeling limited", Bollywood movies...
But most of the time I watch TV series. Last ones : "Big bang Theory", "Outlander". Some TV programs I enjoy a lot, even though I don't have a TV anymore : "Rendez-vous en Terre Inconnue", "Nus et Culottés". The guys from the last one are like role models for me.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Travelling on my own for the first time, in Morocco, which is not the first place I'd have thought of to go as a solo girl. But it went great, I got such a warm welcoming !
I'll definitely travel on my own again.

Driving on the irish winding roads for 30 hours in a week, when I haven't been driving much in 6 years and never on the left-hand side. And then... driving on Moroccan roads, that's a challenge!

Building my home with my own hands. Feels great to realise we are able to do such important and basic things and we don't always need specialists for everything.

Crazy hitchhiking road trip to Thessaloniki, Greece, on my own, guided by the love for Koza Mostra, an amazing Balkan music band! Woke up in the morning in Podgorica, Montenegro, and raced through Albania and north Greece all day, just to be in Thessaloniki at midnight, right in front of the stage, just 15 minutes before the show started... Unforgettable adventure!

Teach, Learn, Share

Cooking is the easiest thing to share with my hosts and guests.
I like to cook a good meal for a guest who just arrived after a long trip, I also enjoy a typical meal like breton galette in a restaurant. To me it's part of the culture I want to share. And of course I'm glad to taste new food when my guests cook for me, and when I'm travelling I intend to try new meals.
Let's swap recipes !

I love to meet people who are passionate about life and can share their enthusiasm. If you like travelling, hiking in the mountain, taking photos, cooking, building ecological homes, living in nature, etc, I'm sure we've got a lot to share!

I can share my experience in making a yurt, or in living abroad, especially Morocco, also teach how to use a sewing machine.

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Ireland, Morocco

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