NOT in Chile at the moment!!

CURRENT MISSION

Travelling and learning from new experiences

ABOUT ME

I am a relaxed and cheerful person. I'm also tidy and motivated.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is the best way to travel! It gives you the opportunity to share your life with people of different countries that become, for a while, like a family to you. Its a beacon of light in this crazy world in which we live in. I've met so many amazing people who didn't doubt in helping me and trusting me as I didn't doubt in helping and trusting them even though we had just known each other for a few days.
CS is a way of life and the opportunity to open your heart and mind to new people and experiences.

Interests

Traveling! The possibility of inmersing myself in new cultures and learn about the world first hand gives me a joy few other things can compare with... Only problem is when I am in a new country I want to make the most of it and get to know its culture as much as I can, which takes me to spend a huge amount of time in them... which leads me to short budget and not being able to go later to another country.
Other things I am passionate about are reading, swimming, camping and trekking in nature, dogs (they make me grind my teeth though.. damn cuteness) photography, playing futbol and the guitar (I am proud to be latino xD), carpentry and cooking. I'd say these are the activities that make me genuinly happy (art and other forms of creation can fit in here too). Oh and CHESS I f*ckin LOVE chess haha.
Yet life sometimes can feel boring and monotonous, It has to do with the way we are wired I guess. The remedy? Meditation. Then I can see things with fresh eyes and be grateful once more for everything.
Oh, you can check my photography website if you feel like it: www.gabrielaldea.com

• dogs
• culture
• photography
• cooking
• yoga
• meditation
• chess
• reading
• traveling
• guitar
• hiking
• camping
• swimming
• eating
• nature
• knowledge
• carpentry
• swimming,

Music, Movies, and Books

I like all kind of music. I couldn't choose a particular style or band. Lets just say that if you hear music, I want to listen to it. Pink Floyd, Nicola Cruz, Nicolas Jaar, Churupaca, Ali Farka Touré, etc.etc.etc. I love them all.

I love watching a good movie. I have a predilection for sci-fi and post-apocaliptic genres, but don't think I'm a geek, I just think this two genres portrait very well the nature of humanity and where our mistakes can lead us.
Anyway, I don't really care about genres, I just think a good movie is like a good book, irreplaceable.
Documentaries and movies I'd recommend? 180 degrees South (if you want to have a taste of what it's like in my favorite place on Earth: PATAGONIA), any movie by Wes Anderson (my favourite is Rushmore) and Werner Herzog (favourite is Aguirre, the wrath of God). That's all I can think of right now... That said, I also enjoy watching stupid fun movies that can make you laugh.

Books! I love reading. I have many favourite books, but would have to say my favorites are Brother's Karamazov by Dostoievski and 2666 by Bolaño. When it comes to genres, I prefer travel novels such as Journey to the heart of darkness, For whom the bell talls, the Mosquito coast etc.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Trekking to one of Peru's biggest but remotest Inca ruins (Choquequirao), swimming with humpback whales in Tonga, living five days in a boat in the Bolivian Amazons, living in a Couchsurfing community in Melbourne, Trekking in the Himalayas for months, traveling all of Patagonia on my mobile home (my FAVOURITE place on earth) etc. I feel so grateful for all of these opportunities.. Every country I visit I try to make the most of it and live as much adventures there as I can.. and taste as many recipes as possible too xD

Teach, Learn, Share

What can I teach or share? I feel like I know about many things, but not much about anything special. What's the saying? A sea of knowledge about a centimeter deep.
So:
- basic guitar lessons
- some few but very good cooking recipes
- gardening
- Teach you how to write essays xD
- Latin American history and culture
- basic yoga and meditation techniques

I woul also be very inclined to have conversations about life, spirituality, permaculture, history, science or any other topic of interest.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I would LOVE to cook for you. If you have recipes to teach we can exchange. Collecting recipes is one of the biggest pleasures of my life.
I can play some random nice music on the guitar (if you have one.. i am not currently traveling with one)
I can help you fix your house xD (paint, carpentry, gardening, whatever)

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Tonga, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Chile, New Zealand, United States