One of the things I appreciate most is frankness, which does not mean I like rudeness. So give it to me straight and I will respect that.

I function better in small groups, as there is more interaction between the participants and conversations tend to be more profound than the usual chitchat. You will seldom see me in big crowd events, but sometimes it cannot be avoided.

All my life I've liked to learn, especially languages which I've always found fascinating and also very practical. A part from the ones I am fluent in, I've also notions of Danish, Italian and Spanish (a bit rusty though), and of German.

A few years ago we bought a ruin in France, which we are renovating. In order to do some of the interior aspects ourselves I followed a course of carpentry. I will never be a master carpenter, but at least it will allow me to design and build our kitchen and bathroom furniture, as I do not seem to find what I like in the shops. I do not like it and moreover, I find it horribly expensive. The ruin is a work in progress which is very time-consuming. Still I have good hopes that we will be able to "camp" in it in the course of 2017.

I am not a very mainstream or hype kind of person : if everyone has or does something, it is for me more an incentive of not doing or having it and sometimes it pushes me even in the opposite direction. Maybe that is one of the reasons that I still have not bought me a smartphone, but I have a mobile phone for texts and calls and that is more than enough for me.
I have to admit that I have an ipad : I use it a lot and find it very practical.

Not being into trends is I think one of the reasons that I and my partner are very aware of the actual environmental issues and why we try to live as sustainable as possible. Why throw something away when it can still be repaired ?
Our vegetables and meat are mostly organic, and when possible also our clothes. Often this asks for a lot of research.
I am not a big spender and impulse buying is a phenomenon I do not really know. You can also read this as "I do not like shopping" which is completely true. But give me a book or a CDstore and I am hooked for a few hours.

But on the whole I think I am good company, rather rational and reasonable, not really an optimist by nature, but I appreciate a good laugh or joke, and irony preferably comes into it.

Every question can be asked and I will answer it as truthfully as possible, but I also expect respect for my opinions, especially when they differ from yours.

Some other points : I love deserts and being in the middle of nowhere, I am afraid of dentists and most insects, I like a good meal in company of others.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

When I travelled in the past, I always avoided hotels as much as possible, because too big and impersonal, and preferred homestays, hostels, B&B's. This often led to interesting conversations with our hosts and gave a better insight of how they lived and how their country functioned.

As I have know more time on my hands, it seems a good idea to be on the side of the hosts also as well as being a guest. Explaining Belgium to a guest seems like a challenge, but can also be very rewarding and can contribute to a better understanding between people.

When I am a guest, I am sure it will allow me to get a better view of the life of my host and his/her country in general. Real life information is certainly complementary to guide books and often more valuable.

Interests

• photography
• walking
• reading
• traveling
• woodworking
• cycling
• nature
• deserts
• the middle east
• growing vegetables
• scandinavian design

Music, Movies, and Books

I love folk and traditional music, I also enjoy classical music and jazz up to a point, and am frankly less keen on pop music. It is a pity I've never mastered to play an instrument, but I suppose I simply do not have a talent for it.

My reading for the moment is mostly non-fiction : as I adore travelling, travel guides are never far away, and I also try to get a better grasp of what has happened and is happening in the Middle East. But in the past I read a lot of fiction and I am sure I'll do it again.
A part from that, I say yes to a good detective story, but no to SF or horror.

I am more into "world" movies, we seldom go to mainstream (read American) movies. And some of the old black and white movies of the fifties, mostly English ones are to my liking.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

When I visited Lebanon in 2000 with a friend who was working for a ngo, we spent a lot of time in the Palestinian refugee camps. That was a real eye-opener.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you some Dutch and French, or give you a crash course on how to knit a scarf.

I am willing to share our home.

I can provide practical information about Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp and Brussels and how to get there. Or anywhere else in Belgium.

I (or my partner) can (try to) explain our complex political system.

And I can share time, which is more and more a precious commidity these days.

What I Can Share with Hosts

our bathroom (if you want to soak in a bath instead of taking a shower), fridge and food, television set (if needed), WiFi, our garden and our rather large library.

time

maps of Bruges and Ghent and practical information about how to travel around in Belgium.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Cabo Verde, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Jordan, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, United Kingdom, Yemen

Countries I’ve Lived In

Belgium