I'm a 25 year old Kiwi + Aussie student and backpacker currently studying my masters degree- I spend my time reading ancient runes and numbers. Would have been crazy employable 4000 years ago, still figuring out about today though. I'm travelling Türkiye in the summer, always looking for new experiences and interesting people!

I was born in Auckland in Aotearoa New Zealand and lived around a few places in Australia, but mostly grew up in and around Brisbane. Having studied mathematics, politics, and economics at university, I decided these wouldn't help me get a job as much as ancient history: so I decided to move abroad and study ancient Mesopotamia, focusing on the languages and sciences of the distant past.

Exploring the world and stepping in the shoes of people living a very different life from my own has always held great appeal for me, and many others from my little corner of the globe. I've backpacked a fair amount and enjoyed every second of it- met the most amazing people, had crazy adventures, and gained so many memories I'll carry for the rest of my life. I'm incredibly passionate about languages, culture, nature, and people!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

*insert poor graduate student story*

Besides, in the spirit of cultural exchange and making mates, I'm here for the simple reason to learn others people's stories and make new ones :)

I've only very recently joined the couchsurfing community on the strong recommendation of a close friend. Up until now I navigated home stays through other channels, but I am so excited to meet cool people and experience cities in a new way!!

Interests

• books
• cooking
• hiking
• camping
• cultural immersion
• historic sites
• language learning
• meeting new people

Music, Movies, and Books

(Almost) anything Eurovision, Gang of Youths, Curly Strings, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Dope Lemon, Bomba Estereo.

Not too big on movies but I love being surprised! Comedies like The Naked Gun, Scifi like Cloud Atlas, classics like LOTR, GoT (such a shame it just ended abruptly after S5... right?) etc.

Aside from ancient Mesopotamian tablets and literature, I'm a big reader of philosophy, history, anthropology, indigenous studies, etc. Human history in general. My recent favourite is 'The Dawn of Everything' by David Wengrow and David Graeber!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Hitchhiked through Kyrgyzstan and rode on horseback through the Tien Shan mountains!

Teach, Learn, Share

Open to everything! Nothing better than to discover an interest in something you would otherwise have missed. I love the big things that we struggle to explain: outlooks on life, values, etc. But more than that I love the small things: your favourite wines, go-to cheap recipes, music, and your hottest take on coffee culture.

I'll show you how to write your name in cuneiform- from any period from 3000 BCE to 100 AD, and any civilisation between the Tigris and Euphrates. Lū šulmu!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I will always be present and I will always be myself.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Palestine, Poland, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Israel, Italy, New Zealand