After 5 years in Canada I have finally returned to France. I am currently working as an immunologist for a start-up in the North, in Lille.

I think I'm starting to get better after years of depression during my PhD studies in Canada. I like my job, I like Lille (It's a great Little city brimming with cultural life), I like the fact that I am finally closer to my friends and family. The only missing pieces is the presence of my partner Imbir (the redhead on the pictures) and my cat Belzebuth

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love the Couchsurfing community for its open-mindedness, selflessness, and the will to explore. Having a stable 9-to-5 job I'm no longer able to travel as much as I would like to... if I cannot leave my place for the world, let the world come to my place.

At some point of I realised that seeing places, feeding the eyes with beautiful landscapes and getting all those “must-see”s checked out of the list leaves my travels somehow empty. Couchsurfing is a way to make the journey a meaningful experience, it reminds me that good people are everywhere on this planet and makes me believe in humanity. I find meaning in the existence of an international community of travelers, in the idea of receiving from strangers and giving back to the next person you meet on your path

Interests

I am having a lot of fun with my day-time job. I am coordinating and developing scientific projects axed at the development and characterisation of novel vaccines. I find myself very lucky to be one of the few people who genuinely like their job (but it required me to go through the ordeal of PhD studies, I do not recommend)

I used to paint, draw, play percussion, congas as well as djembe drums. I am a staunch enthusiast of literature, language learning (French, English, Spanish) sport (used to do calisthenics, pole dancing, classical dance, bodybuilding, horse riding, and box), and of course cuisine! good food, art, rainbows, and beautiful landscapes make me sometimes burst into tears of happiness. I am absolutely obsessed with my motorcycle.

If I had to choose three politically correct things that make me happy in life it would be good food, nature, and motorcycle road trips

• arts
• poetry
• dining
• cooking
• bodybuilding
• movies
• socializing
• painting
• music
• drums
• backpacking
• sailing
• philosophy
• food
• travelling
• horse riding
• buddhism
• diving
• mindfulness
• gym
• mindfulness meditation
• litterature
• gastronomy
• french
• calisthenics
• percussion
• biotechnology
• box
• virology

Music, Movies, and Books

Speaking about books, some examples : L'étranger, Master and Margarita, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Solaris and Der Steppenwolf.

Some of my favourite writers are : Lem, Gombrowicz, Camus, Kafka, Hesse, Bradbury, Zola, Balzac, Dostoyevski, Nabokov

When it comes to music- the sample of my favourite classics would be: Tool, Radiohead, Massive Attack, David Bowie, Rammstein, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer, Primus, Chumbawamba, Van der Graaf Generator, Laibach, Aphrodite's Child, Tom Waits, Dead Can Dance and King Crimson

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Volunteering in Budapest in Equal Chances Foundation for disabled people

Volunteering for Palliative Care Clinic in India

Backpacking for three weeks through India: sleeping in jumping night trains and buses, doing laundry on bus stations and drying my wet clothes by holding them out of the window of the bus/ train c:

Staying in a Buddhist nunnery in the middle of the jungle for 3 weeks to practise mindfulness meditation and minimalistic way of life

5 traumatising years of PhD studies in Québec, Canada. Not to be repeated. Ever.

Teach, Learn, Share

Let's talk and see what we can/ want learn from each other

What I Can Share with Hosts

Lots of positive energy hidden under my straight face and cold glare (Eastern European charm). Stories and experiences, exchange of thoughts while cooking something yummy together. We would also be happy to show you around Lille if I have time/ energy

Countries I’ve Visited

Andorra, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Mexico, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, France, Hungary, India, Poland, Thailand