*Currently: Heading for a month to Spain to rest for a bit before buying a bicycle and biking to Greece!

I work in humanitarian aid for non-profits, and recently quit so I could focus a bit on non-work activities. For me these include, reading, writing, making art, exercise, nature, and hearing beautiful new languages and stories.
I'm an author, most recently published a young adult fiction series called Meteor.

I know I'm not verified but I've been using CS for years now. I think it's an amazing way to meet people. My favorite part about it is the reciprocal nature of CS culture. I drove across the country from Boston to California, and everyone was so gracious in allowing me into their homes. I met so many interesting and wonderful people, and I now open my house to travelers hoping to see Amsterdam. It's an amazing economy that is not monetized, and I hope it stays that way.

Im pretty busy so depending on the week I may or may not be able to hang out with you, but you're more than welcome to ask to crash whenever. Weekends are more likely. Hope to see you in Amsterdam or elsewhere! I tend to not make plans that far in advance so if your plana fell through give me a shout and I'll see if I can host you.

If you want to play soccer just tell me and I'll set up a game for us to play (refs, and Man of the Match gets a free beer)!

CURRENT MISSION

ABOUT ME

Recently lived in Cape Town, Amsterdam, California, and Lesvos, Greece. I'm obsessed with soccer. I worked in factory automation for about a year before quitting to pursue my dream of becoming an author. Now I write books. I love meeting new people and hearing about their trials, tribulations, and learning new things. I am also pursuing a master's degree in International Development.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Because while so much of the world runs on money, not all of it has to. Curiously, the parts of life that do not are typically the best.

Interests

Football/Soccer, writing stories, reading, thinking, learning, finding new ways of being happy. I have a website where I publish short stories which you can check out here: www.jdmartens.com (not online anymore). But you can type "The Meteor J.D. Martens" and see a young adult fiction series I published in 2018.

I am interested in stories and I love to write.

• culture
• writing
• books
• cooking
• drinking
• reading
• traveling
• soccer
• swimming
• mathematics
• physics

Music, Movies, and Books

Most Recent...Book: a little life by hanya yanagihara
...Movie: The Grand Budapest Hotel
...Music: Led Zeppelin, Chance the Rapper, Lumineers, Mashrou Leila

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I was a lifeguard on the shores of Lesvos for two months, helping refugees escaping the civil war in Syria and other conflict zones.

Teach, Learn, Share

I have tutored high school students in math and physics for the past five years

I love to read as well and am a decent cook as well.

I've coached soccer for kids aged 6-12.

I can write you a story.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can buy you a drink or a dinner for your hospitality, and I can definitely share a story. If you'd like I can write one about you, or a story you tell me I'd be happy to put on paper. Maybe you have a story but you never quite knew how to capture it in ink? I can help with that!

Think of it as a caricature but in the word instead.

Countries I’ve Visited

Aruba, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Curaçao, Ecuador, England, Finland, France, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Lebanon, Mexico, Namibia, Poland, Portugal, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

Colombia, Greece, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Netherlands, South Africa, United States