Conquer the world like a pirate! Arrrg matey!

ABOUT ME
My name is Tarik Jan, born in the Netherlands/Holland I've been raised with opportunities many others couldn't dream of. While taking these opportunities for granted and throwing them away when I was younger, I quickly came to realize how the country I was born and the color of my skin determined the opportunities, or rather privileges, I had.
The inequity I encountered and the lack of understanding among people around me, motivated me to use these privileges to make a change. Therefore, I aim to provide those who are off the worst with the same chances, believing that they are able to recognize the value of each opportunity and will grasp them with both hands.

PHILOSOPHY

There where individualism and the fulfillment of personal desires (through materialist means) have taken over life, people have passed the purpose of living. Life is merely a reflection of our own frame of reference; acknowledging that your reality is not the only one and understanding its origin, allows your world to expand and understand the purpose of living.

Unity in Diversity
==ONE L<3VE==

Por qué estoy en Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Through my eyes (sharing) thoughts, experiences and expertise has certain importance in the creation and understanding of the world, others and life all around us. Understanding the principles on which reality is built for different groups of people helps us to alter our existing beliefs, understand others and become more respectful to differences.
I want to participate by creating new thoughts, experiences and goals by combining our knowledge. In the end it might be that focusing on the similarities instead of difference among each other, is what will make our encounter meaningful.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

After the first experience, my uncertainty about what to expect was replaced by a curiosity of what to find. Until now the few couches i have surfed welcomed me with warmth and made it possible to see things i otherwise would't have seen. The first experience is probably the most memorable by the uncertainty and surprise. I asked about his occupation (which i read on his profile), the answer was against all expectations the total opposite. Saying it was a joke from work was enough for me to not ask about it to prevent an awkward misunderstanding. In the little amount of time we had, he had shown us all of New York. And with that he made clear what the joke was without having spoken about it since I asked.
Although I'm not supporting these kinds of jokes, I came to understand how and why he, as an Afro-Latino, was making such jokes.

*the joke was about police officers calling themselves zookeepers, as they are taming the beasts of the city (black people).

Intereses

I like to party, have fun, meet new people and cultures, cooking and 'extreme' sports as diving, surfing, rock climbing, snowboarding and so on. My biggest interests will always be travelling, enjoying life, and making the most of it as possible.
There is a first time for everything so what i haven't done yet, is what i'd like to do!

• culture
• cooking
• partying
• music
• rock music
• guitar
• hiking
• surfing
• scuba diving
• snowboarding
• sports
• rock climbing
• swimming
• history
• travel
• nature
• reggae
• techno
• climbing
• 420
• hiphop

Música, películas y libros

My music interests vary from Hip-Hop and Reggae to Metal, from Fela Kuti and Habib Koite to Jimi Hendrix or Massive Attack. Every style has it's own good songs and playing guitar and piano when young (still am, anyway you know what i mean), made me listen differently and appreciate the diversity of music.

Algo increíble que he hecho

- Living in a black informal settlement/township in Imizamo Yethu, South Africa for my anthropology research.
-(Ice) Climbing Huayna Potosi in Bolivia.
-Squatting and Roadtrippin' with friends and crew to organize illegal parties in Europe and Morocco
-Diving in Morro de Sao Paulo, Brazil & Aliwal Shoal, South Africa.
-Hiking 100km UNDGUIDED along the Salkantay trek in 4 days to Aguas Calientes (Macchu Picchu, Cuzco) in Peru.
-and a lot more (to come)....

Enseña, aprende, comparte

I want to learn how other people view life and how their experiences have constructed their views, share my experiences and insights with those who show their interest, learn as many languages as possible as I want to be able to communicate with all, and share what I have and others would like and want.

Qué puedo ofrecer a los anfitriones

Language
Culture
Knowledge
Playing Guitar
DJ'ing/Producing electronic music
etc.saaa

Países que he visitado

Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Morocco, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland

Países en los que he vivido

Netherlands, South Africa