I'm currently travelling with my boyfriend Toby Eaton (also a member). We're on a 10 month trip around 8 countries which has been amazing. Back in 'real' life I'm a trainer, predominantly in the topic of domestic violence but also in related topics such as so-called honour based violence and also LGBT issues. I travel around the UK training for charities and public services such as police, health, social workers. I have a website under my company name www.collettewinters.co.uk which says a bit more about my work. That keeps me pretty busy but at the weekends I live in a little flat near the sea on the East Devon coast.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

We've been travelling for 6 months and many people have suggested we give it a go. We like meeting local people and hearing their tips for getting the most out of our time in each place. It's also lovely to share travel stories and connect with people from all over the world. We're both Airbnb members & have enjoyed that. I'm hoping to be able to host when we return to the UK and to help people discover our lovely bit of East Devon.

Interests

Travel for sure. Also this trip has sparked an interest in photography which I'm planning on keeping up when I return home. I love living in a rural area and I enjoy walking & cycling. I'm interested in social issues and tweet about LGBT rights, women's equality & child welfare. Toby and I both have lots of family in the same town so we like catching up with them on our weekends.

• culture
• photography
• lgbt rights
• cooking
• walking
• traveling
• cycling
• swimming
• emergency services
• history
• social work

Music, Movies, and Books

My favourite book is Oranges Are not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson but there are so many great books I've enjoyed. The most recent would be The Help. I like lots of different music from folk to pop and RnB. I'm seeing Lana Del Ray in California in May. Damien Rice and Florence and the Machine are my favourite artists. I like seeing films but it takes Toby & I ages to compromise on one as we have different tastes! The Lord of The Rings trilogy are my favourite films and are probably the geekiest thing I'm into!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Swimming with a pod of 200 wild dolphins. It was incredible. We had to make complete fools of ourselves to get their attention but so worth it! Would happily tell our host all about it!

Teach, Learn, Share

I teach all the time at work so now I'm really enjoying learning and sharing with our family and friends what we've learned. What we learned about Aborigine culture and history in Australia was incredible moving and sobering and made a real impact on me.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Good conversation and I'm very happy to cook and wash up!

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, China, Cyprus, Fiji, France, Greece, Guernsey, Hungary, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Russian Federation, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Tunisia, United States, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

China