*** Please note that I am not able to host anyone at the moment as I am spending most of the time taking care of my mother when I'm not traveling ***

Hello Everybody!

I'm Carmen.

I was born in 1964. That's what my passport says. But I think that a person's real age is what is on his or her mind. And, according to my mind, I am still in my early thirties!

Since I can remember, I had always dreamed of traveling. I could spend hours looking at maps of far away countries and dreaming that one day I would go there. I did not have many opportunities to travel when I was young, so now I'm catching up. I prefer traveling slowly and taking my time to enjoy places beyond the tourist track, and meet local people. I am at my happiest in hiking shoes. Or just roaming the streets of a city without aim. I don't mind sacrificing comfort for the sake of autenticity.

I was born in Argentina to Spanish parents, lived there for my first 21 years. Also lived in Spain and currently I'm living in France.

I have one adult son, to whom I inoculated the "travel virus" from his youngest age.

If you would like to follow my travels on Instagram, my account is @world_citizen_64.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I would like to meet people of different nationalities and show them the beauty of my city when I am not working or traveling.
Would also love to meet locals for coffee, drinks or dinner when I am traveling. And other travellers with whom I can share some good moments on the road.
I would also enjoy staying with local people whose culture is different from mine, would be an amazing opportunity for me to learn.

Interests

• photography
• yoga
• zumba
• reading
• traveling
• music
• hiking
• cinema

Music, Movies, and Books

I don't like commercial movies, and hate those with violence and lots of special effects. I prefer less known and alternative ones. My absolute favorite movie is "Caravan" by Eric Valli. I also loved "The best exotic Marigold hotel", "The lunch box", "The Kite Runner"...
I also enjoy movies and books about the lives of people who made a difference in the world, like Mandela, the Dalai Lama or Aung Sang Suu Kyi. Or novels set in farway countries, like "Memoirs of a gheisha", "The Storyteller".
The books I enjoy reading the most are about travel and life in exotic countries. It's hard to get me out of the travel literature section of any bookstore.
Regarding music, my favorite bands are Coldplay, Keane, U2, Queen and of course, the Beatles. I also enjoy listening to female singers like Adele, Birdy, Yuna or Marina Kaye. I also like Indian, Nepali and Arabic music. But the song which brings my deepest emotions is "To build a home" by the Cinematic Orchestra.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Gathered enough courage to say "enough is enough" and quit a good job after 31 years in the corporate world (now I work temporary jobs and I am much happier because I have much less stress).
Hiked up to 5100 meters above sea level in Nepal and 5300 in Chile withouth having altitude sickness.
Backpacked Argentina and Chile for 3 months at age 55, sleeping in youth hostels and shared dorms.
Volunteered at an orphanage in Kathmandu, Nepal, for 2 months, and created charity organization "Hamro Khusi Ghar" (Our Happy Home) to help the orphanage buy its onw land, web site (French, English and Spanish): https://hamrokhusighar.wix.com/my-site-1
Celebrated my 60th birthday paragliding at Harissa, Lebanon.

Teach, Learn, Share

Can teach Spanish, French, English.
I enjoy cooking.
Love to learn from people belonging to cultures completely different from mine: their traditions, food, religion, festivities.
Enjoy learning new languages.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Tidy and well organized.
Adaptable and flexible.
Can help with anything: housekeeping, cooking.
Enjoy having a good conversation over coffee or food.
Willing to learn about the culture of my hosts.

Countries I’ve Visited

Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, England, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City State, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

Argentina, France, Spain