We've always had a strong desire to travel. When Vickie was ten, she aspired to be a foreign correspondent to experience life in other parts of the world. In the meantime, Nils was beginning to explore forests and mountains, driven by curiosity and a thirst for freedom.

Every time we had a vacation, we took the opportunity to grab our backpacks and explore a new city, a new island, or, for the sake of nostalgia, relive the sensations of a previous journey.

Then, we crossed paths, and our dreams expanded even further. The idea of embarking on an indefinite journey to Asia became the focus, for as long as possible.

In December 2022, we boarded a flight to Japan and commenced our journey in Asia.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To let fate take its course. We've hitchhiked in the past, and we've been spontaneously invited to spend an evening, share a meal, and often, even spend the night. We are incredibly grateful for all the spontaneous encounters we've had.

This is how we love to travel, and it's how we create the most cherished memories.

Interests

We have a deep interest in a wide range of things. We love to observe and be mindful of what the world has to offer and express gratitude for it.

We enjoy discovering new places, meeting new people, understanding the complexity of human lives, and broadening our horizons.

Life, to us, is a constant oscillation between absorbing information from the world and what we create from it.

We have a creative side as well; Vickie studied at an art school to become a fashion designer, and Nils enjoys drawing, playing the guitar or piano, and trying his hand at writing or directing.

But these times, we're doing very little with our creativity as we're fully occupied with a continuous stream of new experiences.

• animals
• culture
• hiking
• camping
• food
• landscape
• bicycle

Music, Movies, and Books

In terms of music, our tastes differ a bit. Vickie has a touch of nostalgia for an era she never experienced, loving rock and folk (Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Mike Oldfield, Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Sixto Rodriguez).

On the other hand, Nils has a sensitivity to more experimental projects, punk, or on the contrary, pop, gospel, classical, and rap – he appreciates all styles.

When it comes to movies, Vickie adores the world of Tim Burton and also enjoys series that allow us to connect with the characters.

Nils, the less action-packed, the better. He prefers films that are contemplative or filled with suppressed emotions (directors like Terrence Malick, Paul Thomas Anderson, Gus Van Sant, Michel Gondry, Xavier Dolan).

Nils' favorite authors include Alessandro Baricco, Erri de Luca, Michel Houellebecq, Sylvain Tesson, and Haruki Murakami.

As for comic book authors, we appreciate the works of Jirō Tanigushi, Fabcaro, Manu Larcenet, Gippi, Bastien Vivès and Cosey.

Teach, Learn, Share

When we explore a new country, we love to learn about the different customs, cultural aspects, and pick up a few words in the local language. For us, it's an integral part of traveling.

We also love to share what we know about our home country, Switzerland.

What I Can Share with Hosts

To show our gratitude, we are genuinely willing to help with anything - cooking, cleaning, gardening (Nils is a horticulturist), or mending clothes (Vickie is a seamstress)

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, China, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Philippines, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Switzerland, United States