CURRENT MISSION

Polkraine 2012, then Vientiane or Ouagadougou

ABOUT ME

May 2012 :
I'm less than a couple of weeks from leaving Barcelona and embarking on a new adventure, so I should probably revamp my profile a bit. I've been obsessed with the idea of being a nomad for a long time. Bouncing around the world, being places where things are happening, being places where nothing happens, living dozens of different lives. It hasn't been always easy to implement (notably on the financial side of things), but I'm giving it a shot again after almost a year in Spain. After Eastern Europe in June (Hungary-Poland-Ukraine-Moldova-Romania) with my girl I'll make some money in the summer (probably doing a clinical test in France, then working in the wineyards) before heading off to another continent, either south east Asia or Africa, for a while.

-------------------------------------------------------

I used to want to be a hippy in a van, but have no license (no time, no money, no passion for engines).

As a hitchhiker, and with a little help from low-cost airlines, I feel that Europe is my backyard.

I have a couple of boring superpowers :

- I'm never late (japanese/swiss genes), and this always surprises people because I look as if I don't care about anything
- I can sleep anywhere (and I usually do)
-------------------------------------------------------

SIGH

I've never been very politically oriented, trust me. But I'm saddened and angry at the way things have been going on CS (C$?) lately. Do we always have to be a product? I thought CS was my haven. I have yet to read up on all the details, but the information I have so far is... ugly.
CS is just a label, under which I've had many unforgettable experiences. I might just have to look the "CS spirit" elsewhere.... possibly BeWelcome.org as far as online community websites go. See you around!

PHILOSOPHY

I'm not sure I've come up with anything clear.
I don't like "stuff". I prefer flipflops to socks, and when I do wear socks, they are usually unmatched.
I used to have as my CS mission : "no debt, no rent, no 9 to 5". I took it down at the point I realized with horror that I was paying 2 rents, was several thousand euros in debt, and was slaving away at a call center, but it still gives you an idea of the kind of lifestyle I'm after.
I don't sress about things I can't control. I usually don't stress about the other things either.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I use it almost systematically when I travel, promote it in random conversations, and host as many traveling freaks as I can.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Been using CS/HC since 2005

Interests

Chess of course, reading, poker, traveling, meeting weird new people, languages, alternative lifestyles, making easy money, impulsively spending money on ridiculous things (for example, on a 15 euros budget just before a HH trip, I once spent 11 euros on a great japanese restaurant) writing, movies, music (piano...), making crazy plans, web creation...

• writing
• cooking
• movies
• chess
• reading
• traveling
• poker
• music
• piano
• skydiving
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies/documentaries/shows : Man on Wire, Shame, Kontroll, The Lives of Others, 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, Rocky Horror Picture Show, De battre mon coeur s'est arrêté, The Edukators, Fargo, The Name of the Rose, The Sting, Los amantes des círculo polar...
T.V Shows : The life and times of Tim, Blackadder, Yes (Prime) minister, The Peep Show
Comedians : Tim Minchin, Seinfeld, Jimmy Carr, Mitch Hedberg, Gad Elmaleh...

Books : "Nightwork" by Irwin Shaw, Houellebecq, Milan Kundera, Paul Auster, Bukowski, Kerouac, Voltaire, Isabel Allende...

Music : Classical piano stuff... Chopin/Beethoven in particular... kind of eclectic otherwise, althought I'm no expert in anything

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

After 2 years without a decent trip, going to the Ukraine to do some solo skydiving in a parachute that looked 30 years old was an enthralling experience.
I have witnessed some powerful natural scenery in Africa and South America.
I danced in a moussed up fontaine St michel, and ran around Notre Dame naked, without getting arrested.
I spent 3 hours at the Serbian/Croation border stuck in a truck with a 110kg driver with a mustache who wanted to make love to me.
The hundreds of little gestures from friendly strangers when I was on the road...

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach : chess, poker, french/english

Learn : I've been telling myself for years I should learn how to cook, maybe I'll go past the ramen noodle level one day

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Canada, Central African Republic, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Israel, Japan, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, France, Laos, Spain, United Kingdom

• 

•