CURRENT MISSION

Discover Eastern Europe

ABOUT ME

I'm a former Translation and Primary Teaching student and I've been living abroad in Belfast (Northern Ireland) and Lille (France). I've been working as a teacher near my hometown, Madrid, for a year and I love it. As for teaching, I like learning about new methodologies and last year I discovered that what I enjoy the most is teaching science in primary. Then, this year, I'm really enjoying teaching French to secondary students. Working with young people is always fulfilling.

I love films, photography, music, history, astronomy, cycling, travelling and meeting new people, and I've managed to make some good friends from different countries. I feel happy sharing stories, experiences, opinions and ways of life. I love it when I feel inspired by people or they make me change my way of thinking.

One of my dreams is to see the Northern lights!

PHILOSOPHY

Cuando emprendas tu viaje a Itaca
pide que el camino sea largo,
lleno de aventuras, lleno de experiencias.
No temas a los lestrigones ni a los cíclopes
ni al colérico Poseidón,
seres tales jamás hallarás en tu camino,
si tu pensar es elevado, si selecta
es la emoción que toca tu espíritu y tu cuerpo.
Ni a los lestrigones ni a los cíclopes
ni al salvaje Poseidón encontrarás,
si no los llevas dentro de tu alma,
si no los yergue tu alma ante ti.

Pide que el camino sea largo.
Que muchas sean las mañanas de verano
en que llegues -¡con qué placer y alegría!-
a puertos nunca vistos antes.
Detente en los emporios de Fenicia
y hazte con hermosas mercancías,
nácar y coral, ámbar y ébano
y toda suerte de perfumes sensuales,
cuantos más abundantes perfumes sensuales puedas.
Ve a muchas ciudades egipcias
a aprender, a aprender de sus sabios.

Ten siempre a Itaca en tu mente.
Llegar allí es tu destino.
Mas no apresures nunca el viaje.
Mejor que dure muchos años
y atracar, viejo ya, en la isla,
enriquecido de cuanto ganaste en el camino
sin aguantar a que Itaca te enriquezca.

Itaca te brindó tan hermoso viaje.
Sin ella no habrías emprendido el camino.
Pero no tiene ya nada que darte.

Aunque la halles pobre, Itaca no te ha engañado.
Así, sabio como te has vuelto, con tanta experiencia,
entenderás ya qué significan las Itacas.

(C. P. Cavafis)

This day before dawn I ascended a hill and look'd at the crowded heaven,
And I said to my spirit When we become the enfolders of those orbs, and the
pleasure and knowledge of every thing in them, shall we be fill'd and
satisfied then?
And my spirit said No, we but level that lift to pass and continue beyond.

(The Best of Time and Space, Walt Whitman)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm new to CS and would love to try the experience because I've heard so many good things about it and how it's actually changed people's lives with regards to the travelling experience. At the moment I'm available to meet for coffee or a drink, but I'll see if I can offer my couch as soon as I can!

Interests

• photography
• perfumes
• recipes
• coffee
• drinking
• movies
• traveling
• music
• cycling
• swimming
• astronomy
• teaching
• history
• science
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

Casablanca, The Lives of Others, Atonement, Life is Beautiful, Good Bye Lenin!, My Life Without Me, Borges, Salinger, Oscar Wilde, Harry Potter, Ian McEwan, Michael Ende, Cortázar, Lorca, Graphic Novels (Blankets, BD), Radiohead, Arcade Fire, The Velvet Underground, Belle and Sebastian, David Bowie, The Beatles, The Smiths, jazz...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I'd say one of the most impressive things I've seen is the beach under the snow, in Newcastle (Northern Ireland). It was totally different to everything I'd seen before, and it felt so peaceful. Also, and it's very simple but I loved it, swimming at night, under the constellations and the Perseid meteor shower, far from everywhere, with just a few friends.
Celebrating the arrival of the new year 2014 in St Petersburg, with fireworks everywhere, has also been terrific!

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you things about my country, including some recipes, or my language, and I'd love to share travelling experiences! I'd like to learn so many things, especially music (I intend to buy a keyboard as soon as I can save some money to learn how to play -- I only know the basics).

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, Russian Federation, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Spain, United Kingdom