Hi to all! Hola a todos!

My name is Jess, I'm 21, English, and a student at the University of Nottingham studying Hispanic Studies (the study of Spanish and Portuguese language, film, history and culture). I've just finished my year abroad - I spent September to January studying in Valencia, Spain, whilst living with housemates from Belgium and Austria; and spend January to June studying at the University of Havana in Cuba, whilst living with a Cuban family.

Since finishing my semester in Cuba I've been travelling a little bit - I went through a whistle-stop tour of Mexico and Guatemala, and I'm currently in Costa Rica seeing my family.

Essentially I'd love to stay somewhere whilst in Quito and Cuenca I can get involved in the local culture, speak decent amounts of Spanish, be creative and hang out with some interesting people :)

Por qué estoy en Couchsurfing

In 2014 my boyfriend I did a workaway together in Alicante, staying with Arthur and Sean at their Canada Cupcake Cafe (if you are ever in downtown Alicante have a look for them, though I believe they've since changed premises.) It was a two week stay, where we did things that ranged from DIY to grocery shopping and preparing meals.

I've also spent a little time couchsurfing in Spain and Ibiza. Leaving Cuba to travel has been my first time "travelling", and I've realised that it's extremely different from living in a country for a period of months - my only experience of being abroad. For one thing, my final year in September is a massive part of my degree and I'm very aware of once youre stuck on the gringo trail surrounded by Brits/Australians/Europeans with English as a common language, the Spanish you use to get by is minimal. And I've realised I much prefer being able to stay in the same place for a little while, really get to know people and do something meaningful whilst building real relationships and friendships, as opposed to the standard 'freshers chat' you get every night in a hostel. Also after living in Cuba for six months, it's satisfying to feel like you know you're way round the people and customs of a country, and I feel so ignorant breezing through countries without locals to talk to. I'd like to really understand the countries I'm passing through. Living in Havana taught me so much, and as cliched as it is, opened my eyes to a whole new world outside the European culture.

Intereses

Back in the UK whilst doin a language degree, the other quite big part of my Unviersity part has been theatre. My university has the only entirely student-run theatre in the country, as in the directors, the set builders, the funding, the acting, it's all student organised and funded. We don't have a drama course or theatre teachers or anything like that. It's called the Nottingham New Theatre and tends to do quite well in the National Student Drama Festival each year. Over my years there I've acted in various plays, both student written, greek classics, and done in conjunction with a professional theatre in Nottingham. I love working together with other people on a production, I feel like there's few things in the world that brings you closer to your friends than working for weeks or months often late into the night to make a show you're really proud of. I love seeing live theatre and I love good film too.

I also play guitar. In the past I used to play in all sorts of guitar groups, went to band camp (yeah I know!), the lot. Classical/acoustic. It's something I was really quite good at, up until I went away to univeristy. Since then I don't get the chance to play so much, but I still love taking a guitar out and playing with friends. Learning spanish guitar at school I think had a link with my interest in the hispanic language and culture, I'd play songs from south of spain, the Andes, Mexican tunes.

• theater
• music
• live music
• languages
• language exchange
• theatre
• healthy food
• healthy lifestyle
• local culture

Música, películas y libros

My music taste is probably fairly indie-rock. I never really grew out of that at 16 going to Reading and Leeds festival. Will never turn down a bit of Biffy Clyro and Paulo Nutini. English indie singers, Frank Turner, Laura Marling, Hudson Taylor. But I love anything with a good guitar, The Strokes, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Radiohead, I had the INCREDIBLE good fortune to see The Rolling Stones in Havana. My dad raised me on a healthy diet of Queen and David Bowie, and my grandad's given me a soft spot for jazz classics. At the moment on buses I'm listening to Beyonce's new album, James Blake's new album, Frank Ocean and Lauryn Hill.

Probably most watched again I'll never get tired of it movie is Back to the Future. And the first thing I do when I need a break and I've come home for Christmas is a bath and Baz Luhrman's Romeo + Juliet. (I. love. Shakespeare. Special mention to the RSC's Hamlet with David Tennant). Book genres, it's sci-fi and fantasy, though I will read some crime fiction (like watching Luther on BBC), most recently I've read The Martian and The Chrysalids (dystopian fiction by the same author as The Day of the Triffids). But my all time favourite books are probably His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman.

Algo increíble que he hecho

I'd say the most 'amazing'/adventurous thing I've done is moving to Cuba for six months. It was bizzare, at times difficult, but without doubt the most fun I've had in my life.

Enseña, aprende, comparte

In terms of skills I can offer others - if you have no/begginers Spanish I can help you out there! And teach you some guitar :) I also make pretty good healthy meals. I'm not vegetarian or vegan but I like incorporating a lot of fresh veg and trying to diminish the amount of animal products I cook with.

Países que he visitado

Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, Wales

Países en los que he vivido

Cuba, England, Scotland, Spain