CLARA :

Current and neverending mission :
Embrace (almost) everything and find out what brings the best out of me.

About me :
Well I don't bite if that's the question. My ears are very tiny. And I'm always in for a drink.

JONATHAN :

Almost 28 and enjoying the sweet fruits of the average quarter life crisis. Born and raised in New Zealand, I've been living in Oz, UK & Germany for the past seven years. I some times wonder what exactly it is I'm looking for in my time overseas, but I'm mostly I'm too appreciative of the month to month shenanigans to care.

Arguably not the greatest at comic relief through internet forms, I make up for my lackluster descriptions by rambling on about some relatively well thought out (or not) nonsense in person.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

CLARA :

I'm on couchsurfing because it allows me to discover places in the most interesting way, by getting to know the people that actually live (or survive) there, through an encounter that will never be pushy or unwanted.
I thank today's modernity for that wonderful and rather revolutionary socializing tool :)

JONATHAN :

I want to vicariously experience a slice of life from the perspective of a local - to learn, share and be pushed when possible to try something new.

Interests

Jonathan is far more of a perfectionist than me and acute when it comes to learning about specific things... As a graphic designer, he's developed a meticulous approach of esthetics and the composition of an environment. Anything related to some form of technicity will passion him - I can therefore add technology- all debates around transhumanism. He composes electronic music but he's extremely varied in the sounds he enjoys. Architecture, light and photography are high on the list too. And crafts, in general, especially woodworking (a great deal of admiration for aged skillfulness).

• arts
• poetry
• woodworking
• world music
• rock climbing
• philosophy
• cultural immersion
• cinema
• performing
• illustration
• you
• diplomacy
• healthy cooking
• social change
• progressive politics
• perception
• stage design
• conscious living
• how things develop
• design in general

Music, Movies, and Books

CLARA :

There is what I'm impressed by and what I enjoy- they don't always go hand in hand.
I enjoy and I'm very impressed with the cinema of Wajda, Bergman, almost all of Cronenberg, Marcel Carné, Renoir, Bresson.
I enjoyed and I was impressed when I read Master and Margerita from Boulgakov , the Pullman trilogy, Paul Austers city of glass, Kant, Thomas Mann Die buddenbrooks, french authors Cendrars, Césaire, Cocteau, Gide, Malraux.
I'll need video games from time to time
As for music, well, "last listened to" from yesterday : boards of canada, aphex twin, the beatles, eryka badu, mobb deep, dj shadow, gainsbourg, brad mehldau trio, brian eno, neil young.

JONATHAN :

Music: I can talk about music for hours - everything goes. Currently I'm enjoying bluegrass roots, Yoko Zuna, Camille Saint Saëns, Dirtwire and Alix Perez.
I also make music thats an infusion of natural sounds, acoustic music and electronica, so I'm obsessed over how music is made and mixed.

Books: Master and Margarita, 100 years of solitude and Siddhartha.

Movies: Too hard.. I hated the neon demon so theres a film I really don't like.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

CLARA :

how to even decide what is amazing and what isn't... ? that's quite an objectifying question. But I'm always comfortable sharing my experiences and stories with anyone who would be curious about them.

JONATHAN :

I've found some things and someone that makes the typical mundanity of every day ongoings a well balanced bliss.

I've carried my fragile meat bag across a variety of continents and through snap decisions that were arguably not the smartest and made it out the other side to fill out internet forms like this one.

Teach, Learn, Share

CLARA :

I'm not goal-oriented enough to exactly pinpoint what I teach, learn and share. There is a constant confusion in the inputs and the outputs of my personality. I teach what seems relevant to me. I share when I feel it is the right time for it. And I learn, well I learn at every second of every moment, like everyone else.

JONATHAN :

I have all the time and plan-abandonment to learn anything from anyone who's looking for a chance to share.
Wood working/sculpting and stage creation/direction is what'll currently perk my ears.

Myself, I will happily spend my time sharing knowledge of music production, illustration, design, meditation (used to host classes). I also enjoy sharing experiences and introducing good soon-to-be travellers to other good hosts dotted around the globe.

What I Can Share with Hosts

CLARA :
Recipes (some are french, I can also cook them for you ;), music, cinema, litterature discoveries , insiders tips for quite a few countries, conversations and debates about ANYTHING !

JONATHAN :

My time in abundance, infused with warm responses and politeness (without the fat of political correctness).
In meeting locals, any excuse for a drink or coffee where we can have real open heart conversations, and if we're lucky, occasionally butt heads on opinions.

Despite quite opposite characters, we have come to do almost everything together. But as a social couple and because meeting people as a pair makes the dynamics even more interesting and eventful, we don't keep to ourselves much.

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Czech Republic, England, Germany, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Laos, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, France, Germany, Guinea, India, Macedonia, Mexico, New Zealand, Senegal, Thailand, United Kingdom