Dear friends,
welcome on my profile! My name is Ben, I am a 21 year old travel enthusiast and currently also a student. I study International Relations in Groningen in the north of the Netherlands and I am happy to welcome you in my home right in the city center!

I love meeting crazy people with alternative lifestyles and I want to experience nature, culture, cuisine, learn, improve, live life to the fullest while having a positive influence on the world!

I realized in a near death experience that I only have limited time to spend on this beautiful planet. Therefore I try to experience as much cool shit as possible and never say no to an opportunity! You always regret the things you haven´t done. And when I am 80 I don't want to look back at my life and feel like it went by in the blink of an eye. I want to be exhausted!

You can always find me working on new projects and passions. I love making things from scratch and becoming increasingly more self sufficient. I brew Kombucha, I build furniture, I throw parties, learn Dutch, Chinese and how to play the Guitar, (try to) grow plants and do graphic design! I also cook an awful lot. I can show you how to cook Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Cantonese, Sichuanese, Japanese and Meditarranian cuisine.

Thanks for reading this far, sending love to each and every one of you.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

When you experience a place together with a local, you really catch its vibe. In order to find locals or provide for others, I use Couchsurfing. It is a great tool! After all, I think we are all searching for human connection, adventure and are trying to do good deeds. And the most amazing things always happen when you meet random locals!

Interests

• graphic design
• festivals
• cooking
• vegetarian
• running
• dumpster diving
• minimalism
• music
• cycling
• hiking
• camping
• hitchhiking
• food
• sustainability
• community living
• techno music
• techno
• foodie
• urban planning
• roadtripping
• alternative lifestyles
• bikepacking
• kombucha
• squatting
• international politics
• squatlife

Music, Movies, and Books

I like Hip Hop, Rock and techno. When it comes to movies, I like them to be visually impressive. My favorite genres are Thriller and Comedy.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Out of everything I have done, long bicycletrips amaze me the most. Arriving in a city far away and knowing you made every single of the hundres of kilometers using your own power is just amazing.
Also running a marathon without training for it (and having to crawl everywhere while recovering the days after).

Teach, Learn, Share

I love cooking Asian food and sharing stories. Mandarin speakers hands up, I need your input! :D
We can share our perspectives and experiences to learn from each other.
If I have time, I can show you around a bit or we can cook together. I also often host drinks or other gatherings that you are welcome to take part in so you can get to know more people living here.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I have hundreds of amazing stories to tell and I always love to share them. If you'd like to, I can cook for or with you: Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Cantonese, Sichuanese, Japanese and Mediterranean cuisine. Moreover, I don't mind getting my hands dirty: I can clean, help with projects or repairs.

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Laos, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Malaysia, Montenegro, Myanmar, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Thailand