A LITTLE OVERVIEW OF MY LIFE
I grew up in a large household (I am the 2nd of 5 kids!) mostly in the suburbs of Amsterdam and Utrecht, in the Netherlands (I lived in several other places as well since I couldn't always live with my parents whilst growing up). Utrecht is the city which I view as my home and to which I keep returning time and again. After finishing secondary school, I took a gap year (2017-18) in which I did some volunteering (via WorkAway) in Italy, France, the UK, and India. It was in India that I was first introduced to Couch Surfing by an amazing guy from the Philippines, who had travelled from the east to the west of the country using this platform. After this gap year, I had the amazing opportunity to study at the University of Oxford, in the United Kingdom (amassing a HUGE debt with the Dutch government, but definitely worth it!). Here (2018-22), I completed my bachelor's in Classics, i.e. Latin and Ancient Greek language and Literature. Back in the Netherlands, I did two master's degrees at once, at Leiden University, one in Classics and one in Moral and Political Philosophy. I graduated in summer 2024.

ASPIRATIONS FOR THE FUTURE
My dream is to make ends meet by writing novels. I have almost finished writing something I have been working on for years and hope to be able to get it published soon!

Moreover, I aspire to pursue a PhD (and perhaps a further academic career), studying the influence of works from Classical Antiquity on Nietzsche's Philosophy.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

After 6 years of studying hard, I have finally found the time and money to go on a large trip again. I will be in Mexico from September onwards, planning to travel southward through Latin America, as much without flying as possible. The last time I made a larger trip by myself, I was 19 years old. I went on a backpacking trip in the northwest of India, where I met some amazing people via Couch Surfing, not only hosts but also people whom I met for a "meetup" and who were kind enough to show me around town. Hanging out with locals is the thing I enjoyed most about this trip. Sure, monuments and mountains look nice, but I can see those in pictures, whereas nothing can substitute sharing time, chats and food with people who can give me a local's insight into their culture and society. I hope to again have the opportunity to share time, chats and food again with people in their home setting whilst travelling in Latam!

Interests

I started learning Spanish in April and since then, this is the hobby to which I devote most time.

I love to cook and exchange recipes with hosts and surfers and learn about the cuisines of different cultures.

I like to read and write a lot

I am (less while travelling ;) ) a health-conscious person and like to do sports. When I was younger, I did a lot of running (I did 3 half marathons when I was 16 and 17 years old). Nowadays, I like to hit the gym to "practice vanity" (as I like to say). Additionally, I sometimes go indoor bouldering. I am open to any kind of sports activities!

During my studies, I devoted most time to analysing Latin poetry. I am especially interested in the metapoetic aspect of Latin poetry (i.e. poetry self-consciously reflecting on what poetry is and should be) as well as its political and philosophical aspects. I can talk about the poet Vergilius for hours (but, don't worry, I won't bore you with this ;) )

• culture
• literature
• cooking
• traveling
• bouldering
• sports
• history
• language
• gym
• spanish
• culture exchange
• philosphy
• history,

Music, Movies, and Books

The most life-changing book I have ever read is Alexander Nehamas' "Nietzsche: Life as Literature". This book is a comprehensive interpretation of the existentialist aspect of Nietzsche's philosophy and can be seen as a guide to embracing each and every aspect of yourself and your life.

In addition to philosophy and Latin poetry, I like to read novels. Recently, I have read a lot of the work of the French novelist Michel Houellebeq. Whilst travelling in Latam, I like to explore Latin American literature, so if you have any recommendations, please let me know!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

- Backpacking in India by myself at 19
- Studying in a foreign country
- Getting my arse kicked in a ring fight (boxing) in front of an audience of 1000 people

Teach, Learn, Share

Empecé a aprender español en abril y ya puedo comunicarme bastante bien. Espero mejorar en este bonito idioma mientras viajo. Entonces, si el español es tu lengua materna, no respondas en inglés por favor!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Good conversation, good food

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, India, Italy, Morocco, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Netherlands, United Kingdom