CURRENT MISSION

Piacere di conoscerti! We are hoping to meet some lovely people on a short trip to the North of Italy this summer, looking forward to the people, food and beautiful surroundings there.

ABOUT ME

We are James & Maryjane - Boyfriend and Girlfriend from London England!

James is a medical student who's just completed his second year - one day he will be a doctor (God help the English public!!!). James used this account 2 years ago to visit many many AMAZING couchsurfers in Europe, Turkey, Egypt and Central America & Mexico, on a massive hitch-hiking, train-ing, cargo ship-ping journey (with no flights at all!). He still feel incredibly indebted to all those who hosted him, and is still waiting to have the right living conditions to properly host in London (Sorry it's only happened once so far, couchsurfing community).

Maryjane works with her mum in a childcare organisation much of the time, but does creative things like musical instrument design and interior decoration whenever she has time. Her new website will show you the sort of stuff: http://maryjaneneu.wix.com/meister.

In this year's elections in the UK she stood as a Green party (i.e. the highest profile environmnentalist/ left-wing radical political party in England) candidate in her local area, and is committed to this work in the future. She's looking forward to having a taste of couchsurfing as soon as we can.

PHILOSOPHY

James - Firstly, I don't like to make too big a thing of my personal philosophy - if you try to be nice to people, and try not to be senselessly rude, I think that is enough. Although my positions on things are pretty strong (see below) I'm not keen on pushing them on people (but maybe that's just because I surround myself with like minded people so I don't have to).

But as you know nothing about me, I am very left wing - pro socialist-style government (the state as a provider and strong taxes as to redistribute wealth). I am green - cycle everywhere (although that's also for exercise and cheapness!), try hard not to waste things, and volunteer for an environmental charity. I genuinely try to help people, with my current job working with people who've had strokes and with my plans to be a doctor for example.

I believe people's actions are wrong (or evil) and not the person themselves. This gets tested when I hear of the horrible things people do to each other, but the only way to make good of horrible situations is to offer people help out of them. And I believe in making the things you want to happen happen - like travelling around Latin America for instance :)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

James has hosted one girl from Taiwan in his home in London, but admittedly this was years ago. He needs to sort out a house with housemates who are happy to have couchsurfers - which has been a problem so far.

This is Maryjane's first outing on Couchsurfing, but hopefully if James can host people in future, she'll be able to help him make them feel at home in London.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

In 2012 to 2013 James stayed at so so so many people's houses across Europe, Turkey, Egypt, Central America and Mexico. Everyone was amazing, and he owes them in a way he can never repay, and he knows it. Thank you everyone!!!

Interests

For James studying medicine has taken over his life a little, but the free time he has partly goes to helping out an environmental charity Central America - which allowed him to visit many interesting projects while there a year ago. He also helps a university Mindfulness society - exploring mindfulness meditation and how it can help students - and cycles everywhere and enjoys rock climbing too.

Maryjane especially is a festival veteran - there hasn't been a summer when she hasn't been found at several music festivals either working or just chilling out to the music. Most of her time is spent channeling her creativity into various causes, including politics, volunteer work with homeless shelters, and selling her work on market stalls.

We both love cooking and will be glad to put something together for anyone kind enough to host us ;)

• design
• interior design
• music festivals
• festivals
• causes
• environment
• dining
• cooking
• exercise
• meditation
• partying
• politics
• traveling
• volunteer work
• music
• drums
• cycling
• hiking
• rock climbing
• medicine
• hitchhiking
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

James:
Movies: Fight Club, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Mask, Avatar, The Matrix.

Music: Rock, Indie, Punk, Ska, Gypsy, Electronica. Like: Muse, Rage Against the Machine, Levellers, Incubus, Florence + The Machine, Kings of Leon, The Strokes, Cat Empire, Mad Caddies, Gogol Bordello, Daft Punk.

Books: Fiction like"His Dark Materials" trilogy, Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy. Non-Fiction like 'A short history of nearly everything' by Bill Bryson.

Maryjane puts James to shame with her knowledge of film and music. Favourites are too numerous to list but include "Searching for Sugarmn" (an amazing film about the even more amazing US Singer Rodriguez - really inspiring and worth seeing), and music from Max Romeo to The Animals to Tame Impala to Dub Pistols...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

James' most beautiful recent view was Luxor, Egpyt, where you can climb into the desert and see the most staggering views across the entire width of the Nile Floodplain, to the other desert on the other side. Being on a ship for 3 weeks to get across to Central America and back was amazing just to experience the vast emptiness of the ocean, close up.

The next amazing thing we're both hoping to do will be couchsurfing together - fingers crossed!

Teach, Learn, Share

James plays the drums and dances (not at the same time!) badly but enthusiastically. He speaks Spanish (also badly) and knows a little about Central American politics, the environment and a bit about Medicine (now he's half way through his course). He's always happy to share ideas...

Maryjane is constantly exploring new creative methods and mediums - especially in interior design especially using gilding methods. She's most interested in new ways to make beautiful musical instruments and would love to hear other people's ideas :) She's also very knowledgeable about the plants she's grown up close to - both in England and Germany,and the useful properties some of them have.

We're both into cooking - like, really! Anyone want to teach us their favourites or try ours is very welcome :D

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Serbia, Spain, Turkey, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United Kingdom

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