I'm 27 years old and currently a student at Bradford University, UK. I'm enrolled at a programme for Middle East Politics, Peace and Security Studies, but I'm originally from Hanover, Germany. Back in the olden days, I studied political science, Arabic-Islamic culture and Islamic theology in Göttingen and Münster. I'm open-minded and enjoy meeting people from all over the world, especially smart people. =)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Since I'm on Couchsurfing, I noticed how much better my travel experience has become. Staying at a hotel and hopping from sight to sight doesn't give you much insight into a country and its culture. However, meeting and staying with people gives you a whole new and far more deeper perspective. It somehow makes travelling much more tangible and rememberable! Additionally, most of my Couchsurfing contacts are not simple contacts anymore, they have become my friends - good friends!

Interests

I'm really a nerd when it comes to politics. That's my #1 passion! I can spend hours of talking about several topics and issues. Especially about international relations, conflict resolution, security politics and human rights. My second passion would be the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. That's the region where I've traveled extensively to for the last 7 years. Improving my Arabic is a constant goal in my live. It's a long road though haha! I love to explore different cultures, try new food and overcome stereotypes.
Apart from this, I love good books, good movies, photo- and videography, the sea, the mountains and the forest!

Music, Movies, and Books

I listen to too much music to name it here, so I keep it short: I love 70s funk, 80s pop, 90s hip hop and indie and 2000s punk =)
When it comes to movies, I'm a big fan of 90s sci-fi movies! Jurassic Park is my #1 favourite movie. That is also objectively not debatable :D! Followed by Alien, The Fly, Terminator, Event Horizon, etc. Other than that, I like weirdo movies from the 90s, like Kids, Naked Lunch or Jacobs Ladder.
Books... it's only political books, non-fiction :)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I got kicked out the United States when I was 17, haha! :D Long story, but I'd like to share it with you when we meet :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, Palestine, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Germany, Lebanon, Spain, United Kingdom, United States