I'm a Brazilian storyteller, translator and freelancer journalist currently living in São Paulo, Brazil. I like to say I’m a “contentist”, which means I work producing content for different purposes. I used to be a news correspondent in the Middle East while I lived in the region, 2004-2011. I also lived in Chile (Futaleufú, in the Patagonia, than Santiago) 2015-2017. 📝

I love hosting guests as much as I love traveling and getting lost in new destinations! 🛋 I recently moved to a bigger apartment so I may be accepting guests, but it depends on dates and availability as I’ve been traveling a lot.

I’m planning to travel as much as I can in the following years and to meet new and awesome places. I strongly believe the best way of getting to know a new location is through local people. If you came across my profile and have any suggestions of places you know or where you’ve been, I’d love to hear them and probably also to meet you! Check my Instagram @gtoueg. ✈️

⚠️ During the time I lived in the Chilean Patagonia I had a couple profile as I was married at that time. More references and info there: https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/daf-gabi-toueg. :)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Meeting new friends and helping people to travel on a low cost basis. I strongly believe in the power of community and have met great friends from all over through Couchsurfing (bonus track: I’ve met my former wife here too!)

Interests

I collect world currencies (banknotes only). I love maps (the way they look and the much they tell us about the world). My best place on Earth will probably be a desert (I’ve been to 4 so far!) Also love to look and try to understand the universe. I do crosswords a lot!

• dogs
• culture
• writing
• books
• photography
• dancing
• cooking
• beer
• coffee
• yoga
• meditation
• walking
• aviation
• politics
• news
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• currency collecting
• jazz
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• backpacking
• camping
• zip-line
• rock climbing
• swimming
• teaching
• freelancing
• geography
• history
• international relations
• journalism
• languages
• psychology
• social work
• tourism
• hitchhiking
• volunteering
• ecotourism
• adventure travel
• sightseeing
• beaches
• urban exploration
• travel
• hosting
• ukulele
• nature
• english
• trekking
• learning languages
• universe
• storytelling
• sea
• desert
• zen
• craft beer
• knowledge
• diving
• ocean
• mindfulness
• social activism
• climbing
• south america
• hospitality
• middle east
• deserts
• netflix
• antiques
• maps
• beers
• current affairs
• spanish
• flea markets
• ngo
• portuguese
• numismatics
• translation
• nature walks
• urbanism
• hebrew
• zero waste
• planes
• listening to stories
• fun facts
• natgeo

Music, Movies, and Books

🎞 I’m usually more into documentaries and based-on-real-facts movies and books, but I love reading and watching almost anything. One series I’d love to suggest to you is NatGeo’s One Strange Rock. If you didn’t watch it yet, do it! It is a great way not to take our planet for granted and to love its greatness more and more.

📚 On my library I have a lot of titles about wars, journalism, conflict and war coverage, the Middle East... More recently I’ve been reading a lot about Brazilian national politics — you may know Brazil is deep in the shit with its leaders and we are going to have elections in 2022.

🎶 As for music, there’s almost nothing I can really say I don’t like —I’m eager to experiment new sounds from not mainstream origins. My life has an ongoing playlist as I’m usually listening to some music on the background, though I prefer not to do it while ambling: I love to hearing the surrounding sounds instead! 🎞

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I’ve spent 7 years living in Israel (Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, mostly) working mainly as an international correspondent for Brazilian and international media news outlets. In Israel and in the region as a whole I covered 2 wars. But the most amazing thing I’ve done was packing a bag pack, buying a ticket (bus or plane) and getting lost somewhere listening to people’s stories and dreams! 🎫

Also: becoming a volunteer! Since I got involved with the NGO I volunteer for, in 2017, I can’t imagine my life without doing that anymore! Best part of it: we take care of people in Brazil’s deep countryside and have the great opportunity to meet marvelous people, travel around, and meet new and breathtaking places (Brazil is huge and as much as I travel I’ve the feeling foreigners know it better then me!) Check the NGO’s profile: instagram.com/sasbrasil4x4. :) ☮️

Teach, Learn, Share

🚌 I’d be happy to teach Portuguese to new friends and show my hometown around. Or... share my passion for the things I’m passionate about. Also, while in São Paulo, I’d invite you to stroll around Benedito Calixto square on a Saturday morning- it’s one of my favorite places in the city, with a flea market and finger food and good beer to taste.

Quick survey: I’m gonna prepare a what-to-do guide of Sao Paulo with useful tips and a few recommendations to help visitors. If you’re interested, let me know on a message what you’d love to find on it. I’ll be happy to include any suggestions I can find an answer for! ❤️

What I Can Share with Hosts

I’d love to share my books for you to read in case you’re interested — only not to take them away!

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, England, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Guatemala, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, Palestine, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Togo, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Brazil, Chile, Israel