Kia ora!

We are Elise and Joe.

I (Elise) am a couchsurfing user/fan/advocate since 2012, and it's a new-ish experience for Joe, since I brought him into my style of travel, in South America 2023.

As a writer and mental health worker, I love to spend my time between the helpful and the creative pursuits of life... but I have many all round interests! - travel being one of the biggest! I have hitch-hiked, bussed, trained, couchsurfed, and improvised my way around Europe and South America!

Joe is a massive fan of board games, beaches, and football, and is a business owner of a NZ cast iron skillet company.

Joe speaks/understands Spanish very well, and I am learning. Joe also speaks fluent German and some French.

YOU, your culture, your country, your life? ... we want to learn. Can't wait to meet you!

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PHILOSOPHY:
- The moon; the wind; the wildflowers.
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(As well as my solo adventures, you might notice my refernces mentioning Anthony or Sam- two companions I travelled with on separate occasions in the past)
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Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing represents what it SHOULD mean to travel. Exchanging culture and ideas with locals means you can truly experience a place for all that it is and not just what the tourist brochures say. It is far more valuable.

In sharing, we have an opportunity to "give back" while travelling or hosting, instead of just taking from the world.

Mostly, I hope we can learn something from one another. Plus, I've met some of the best people in my life through couch surfing... Who's next? ;-)

Interests

Conversation, philosophy, HUMANS, music, poetry, writing, dance, hiking, board games, books, FOOD and drink, EXPLORING (internally and externally).

I am open to learn about and share in any new experiences... Let's have an adventure :-)

(I will let you learn about Joe as you meet him!)

• writing
• books
• poetry
• theater
• photography
• dancing
• wine
• yoga
• traveling
• music
• live music
• guitar
• hiking
• skydiving
• business
• languages
• philosophy
• psychology
• beaches
• food
• football
• spirituality
• dance
• mental health
• crafting
• secondhand

Music, Movies, and Books

Favourite books:
- The Book Thief, Markus Zusak
- The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera
- Just Kids, Patti Smith
- The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran
- The Catcher in the Rye, J.D Salinger
- Sophie's World, Jostein Gaarder
- The Dream Songs, John Berryman
- Tell No One, Harlen Coben

Films:
This is waaaay too difficult to answer. Anything that's good! Favourite NZ film, if you're looking for some of my culture, is "Boy". Favourite childhood film is "Hook".

Music:
I'm pretty open and varied in my music taste. If there's an opportunity to experience some local music if I am staying with you, let's do it. Maybe you can play some, maybe your friend is in a band, maybe there's a cool show in town? Let's listen, or dance, or both :-)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

- Booking a one way ticket to Europe, with my home on my back. Everyone tells me I'm crazy for that, anyway.

- Fiji on $20

- Sleeping in wacky places in Europe: train tracks, under Charles Bridge, bushes, mysterious plots of land, service stations, train stations, shop-fronts.

- Skydiving

Teach, Learn, Share

Learning and sharing comes best through true connection. When we meet, we will come to know what we can learn from one another :-)

We love to exchange ideas.

Of course we can teach you about NZ, (and England, where Joe is from).

What I Can Share with Hosts

Conversation, NZ knowledge...

Let's share ideas and stories. x

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, Estonia, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

England, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland

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