Hey, I'm Claire! I decided to quit my job and change my life! I'm about to embark on my 2nd trip to Southeast Asia where I'm hoping to get TEFL qualified and head to Cambodia to teach English. Buuut first stop, Thailand for some beautiful sunsets and a spot of yoga.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Where to start?! I'm lively and outgoing and love an adventure :-D I am a very independent person and have travelled across Asia and Europe, mostly on my own. I'm in my element wandering around an exciting new city, pottering around local markets and absorbing the sights, sounds and smells of the place. I figured the best way to get to know the heart of a place is through its people and luckily for me, I love meeting new people, especially from different cultures. I'd be more than happy to meet for a chat and/or to share travelling experiences.

Interests

I like to expand them!

• arts
• culture
• yoga
• running
• meditation
• violin
• world music
• scuba diving
• martial arts
• language exchange
• adventure travel
• travelling
• craft beer
• techno
• sci-fi
• self improvement
• world food
• nature walks
• eastern philosophy

Music, Movies, and Books

I like the idea of reading much more than my eyes enjoy the reality of it. However, I particularly enjoyed 'Norwegian Wood', 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' and 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime.' I've currently got 'The Battersea Park Road to Enlightenment" in my bag, which is a great read! I never got into the old classics but I've enjoyed the BBC drama adaptations and can happily say that Thomas Hardy is, in my opinion, the only writer who has ever truly mastered the depth of emotion, hardship, and suffering of the human condition, and it's for this reason that 'The Major of Casterbridge' is a personal favourite of mine.
My taste in music and films is expansive and eclectic, so if that's something you'd like to know more about then please strike up a conversation!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Indonesia is just breathtaking. In the Komodo Islands I slept under the stars on a tiny wooden boat, ate freshly caught fish, walked beside Komodo dragons, swam with turtles and manta ray and snorkelled amongst the most beautiful fish and corals.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm currently looking into doing a TEFL course, so am more than happy to help non English speakers practice the language. Perhaps you could teach me some phrases in another language in return? Or since I'm a bit of a food lover, maybe you can teach me a secret recipe for your favourite local dish! Now that's what I call a good exchange :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Monaco, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

United Kingdom