Hi! I’m Gabriela from Mexico. When I was 11, my whole family and I moved to Chile and lived all my adolescence there, then, we went back to Mexico and got my Dentistry degree, one year after that, I went to Thailand for volunteering work as a Dentist in an orphan in the city of Chiang Rai, I stayed there several months and after did my first solo trip as a backpacker around Southeast Asia. Some things didn’t work out as I planned so I had to return to Mexico but all I wanted was traveling more so I applied for a scholarship to study a masters degree in Brazil and I got it! So It has been 4 years after that, I finished my masters, got another scholarship for a Public health PhD, I’m married and living with the man of my dreams that I met here in Brazil... did I mention that we met by couchsurfing? Thank you couchsurfing!
Now I’m currently living in Lisbon, trying to finish my PhD and selling beautiful art pieces of macrame made by myself ❤️

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I hear about couchsurfing when I was planning my trip to Thailand in 2014, I stayed with one of the kindest woman I’ve ever met in Bangkok and in her house I met Emily from USA, we became friends and decide to go south to the islands of koh Tao and to the full moon party in koh pagnan, everything was amazing and wouldn’t happen if I didn’t stayed at that couchsurfing house. In Brazil, I met wonderful people as well doing couchsurfing including my husband, so for me, couchsurfing is a great way to meet good people who may share lots of things in common, if you are a host it’s like been traveling without going outside your city, hosting people of all over the world and having a good time.

Interests

As I’m studying public health, I’m always curious about the public health system of the country, about the access difficulties and the history of the country. I also love to experience the local traditions, nature, street art, live music and of course food :)

• photography
• beauty
• crochet
• backpacking
• macrame
• crocheting
• fiber arts

Music, Movies, and Books

I’m very eclectic, right now I think I’m enjoying read about black feminism (Djamila Ribeiro is a great one from Brazil), history about the colonization process of Latin America. But when I’m sad I read “eat, pray love”.

Listening “Muerdo”can put me in a very good mood as well as Manu Chao. I listen a lot of different kinds of music from pop to reggae, rock and tradicional Mexican songs.

About films I don’t like horror ones.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I think my whole life I have been trying to live a life of fullest, sometimes I’m very impatient but it’s just because I believe we deserve to be happy doing what you love and been around people you love who inspire you and accept you just the way you are. There are many places to see and many people who are waiting you to meet, so locked in the unhappy place that you are is not going to help you to reach them.

Teach, Learn, Share

This is the lyrics of a song of Muerdo I really like and makes me feel better when i feel a bit lost

(The original song is in Spanish so i translated it)

So much running to chase what has to come
It’s hard to believe when fear doesn’t let you see
Let the crying out
Let the song heal
That has flooded your soul
Stand up and walk
Because in every corner
You will find yourself
Because everything ends up being placed
Although sometimes it seems that the puzzle is missing pieces
Or that the assembly instructions were wrong
But so, how the woods are assembled
How two magnets are found
When it’s time, everything comes...

What I Can Share with Hosts

Maybe share stories about the journey, hanging out or just enjoy your company and get to know your culture

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Chile, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Thailand, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Portugal, Thailand