Desiree: I have always loved traveling and meeting people, and also helping out anyone I can along the way.
Kindness and gratitude are the best currencies in life!

Jarryl: I am a curious person who’s eager for new experiences. Travelling is my way of seeing, touching, and feeling other ways of living besides the only one I’ve known all my life. Better at listening than talking, but always up for conversation over some drinks!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

We turned 31 this year and realized we are both undergoing some kind of metamorphosis and need some new perspectives on life to help us discover who we are, what we want and where we are headed.

So we've decided to go on a journey of (self)discovery across France, Spain and Portugal, as well as Switzerland and the northern parts of Italy.

We want to meet and connect with as many locals as possible to learn more about the different perspectives, culture and lifestyles around the world and to make life-long memories with the wonderful people who share their homes with us!

Interests

Desiree: I love going for walks and hikes with my dog, and enjoy learning new languages and listening to stories from the people I meet.

Jarryl: Hiking, cycling, martial arts, going for music festivals, learning more about other cultures, bar hopping

• pets
• dogs
• writing
• literature
• poetry
• singing
• theater
• italian food
• spanish food
• reading
• traveling
• music
• classical music
• hiking
• camping
• surfing
• rock climbing
• philosophy
• beaches
• nature
• beach
• theatre
• mma
• ocean
• muay thai
• france
• italy
• spain
• french
• seaside
• french food
• spanish
• bjj
• spanish culture
• spanish language
• portuguese
• brazilian jiu jitsu
• mixed martial arts
• translation
• portugal
• alternative lifestyles
• nature walks
• french culture
• nature lover
• existentialism
• spanish music
• italian language
• nature conservation
• alternative living
• dogs and cats

Music, Movies, and Books

Desiree: [Books] Ursula Le Guin, Brian Sanderson, Kathy Reichs, Jim Butcher, Akutagawa Ryunosuke, poetry by Emily Dickinson, William Blake [Music] Jessie Ware, Jess Glynne, Ed Sheeran, Bach, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, Puccini, Verdi, Apocalyptica, Dimmu Borgir [Films] I love anime, mostly Ghibli and Makoto Shinkai, but also Shinichiro Watanabe and Kenji Kamiyama

Jarryl: The XX, Death Cab for Cutie, any film by Christopher Nolan, Wes Anderson, Akira Kurosawa, Wong Kar Wai or Quentin Tarantino, books by Salman Rushdie, Paul Auster, Italo Calvino, among others, poetry by Yeats and Pablo Neruda

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Desiree: I cry all the time because almost everything is amazing to me hahaha. 10 million sakura petals dancing in the wind and staining the sky pink, the gentle sunlight streaming through the fresh pine trees to illuminate the carpet of moss under my feet, the first cry of the birds at sunrise, the sound of waves crashing against the shore in the rhythm my own breathing... Everything is amazing and beautiful and makes me feel grateful to be alive!

Jarryl: Successfully quitting smoking was the best thing I’ve done for myself!

Teach, Learn, Share

Desiree: I worked as a language teacher for many years, so I can teach you English, Japanese, German or Mandarin if you like!

Jarryl: I can offer tips on writing in English in general, though my expertise is in copywriting for marketing purposes.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Desiree: I can cook, clean, share stories about my life and photos of my dog! I can also teach you about different languages and cultures if you like. I am especially good at explaining the differences in body language between various cultures.

Jarryl: Any sort of household errands that don’t require complex technical or motor skills (I am quite hopeless in that aspect)

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Cambodia, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, United States