CURRENT MISSION

looking for random knowledge

ABOUT ME

Culture-hungry Dutch girl looking for interesting situations. Currently organizing a series of lectures and an exhibition on pigments and colored materials. Not really a morning person, although yoghurt & muesli can get me going. I’m trying to be more involved in (local) politics and I love to talk with other people about how to ‘engage’ with what happens around us.

In Amsterdam, you will probably find me in my co-op ('woongroep' in Dutch) or the cinema-cafe next door. When I’m in an explorative mood I like to discover new places, crowds and people. I like to actively create new SITUATIONS. Professionally, I’m a freelance exhibition maker, teacher at the art academy and organizer of all kinds of things that have to do with visual art and culture. Politics and (non) fiction are also important in my life.

PHILOSOPHY

I like to acquire random knowledge and love when people like to share some of their thoughts and interests.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Though I’m very new in the couch surfing community, communal living and sharing space has been important for me over the last years. I’ve had many people staying over for a while and I recently moved to a co-op with two well-used guest rooms. I would like to participate in CS by showing couch surfers the co-op I live in, a beautiful outcome of the 1980’s Amsterdam squat movement, with people from all different ages (from 1 month old to 55 years old).

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

When I met the couch surfing organization (then based in San Francisco) at Burning Man, I was amazed by/jealous of their ‘lightness of being’. I visited their headquarters in the Mission District where the garden just radiated with a welcome happy-go-lucky atmosphere. I want to radiate some of that too!

Interests

I can get lost in surfing on the web from one amazing avant-garde art archive to the next. I love discovering obscure movies, texts or illustrations. Trying to reduce my time in front of the computer, I’m also amazed by the way people (inter) act in groups. I like observing AND participating. Balkan disco is my favorite laboratory. Together with my housemate (who is an actor and communication trainer) we’re trying to think of a way to make people INTERACT more. I like beautiful weird objects and clothes. I love thrift store bargain hunting! Amsterdam is also a wonderful place because of special garbage days, when people are allowed to dispose of ‘larger’ objects of rubbish on the street.

• arts
• culture
• avant-garde art
• acting
• illustrations
• gardening
• thrifting
• clothing
• politics
• movies
• music
• hunting
• surfing
• track and field
• teaching
• freelancing

Music, Movies, and Books

I love art house movies and I think the best invention in Amsterdam is a monthly card that allows you to go to all 13 cinema theatres as much as you want! I’m currently exploring the history of color in film and I love movies like ‘In the Mood for Love’ or ‘Lost in Translation’. I like music with suspense, such as soundtracks for cowboy-movies or ‘mineur’ music from the Balkan. I would love to read more novels (I’m in a whiskey-drinking women’s book club) but always buried in tons of non-fiction reading for my work. The whiskey part of the book club is nice too. Last read: 'Freedom' by Jonathan Franzen.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

the highest 'mountain' in the Netherlands is 312 meters high, so please point me to a better one near you!

Teach, Learn, Share

I can share my knowledge of Amsterdam,'off-the-beaten-track', specifically places that have to do with art & culture. I could also help you to get in touch with music / squatting / political communities in the Netherlands.

• 

•