CURRENT MISSION

to meet others and share

ABOUT ME

Jody: I like learning about new cultures, languages, countries... I'm interested in politics, societies and religions outside of the UK. I'm learning Italian and German. I'm doing some sociological research on Muslim migration to the UK and I'm interested in the mixing of cultures and migration history. I don't know so much about Islam but I'm learning! I don't have a religion. I recently completed a PhD in Women's Studies about working class women at university. I also worked on a project in a geography department which explored families and food in the UK and Hungary. I love international films and novels.

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Toby: I'm easy going, adventurous and interested in the arts and sciences. I'm presently a professor of psychology at Swansea University and I am also studying part-time for an MFA in documentary photography at Newport School of Art, Media and Design. Many years ago, I studied painting and conceptual art at Goldsmiths College in London.

PHILOSOPHY

Jody: I'm very open minded, chilled out and (hope) generous. I'm left wing, anti-racist, feminist... I think it is important to keep learning...

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Toby: I'm laid back, open-minded, leftwing, and keen to explore new ideas.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Toby: I moved to Wales in 2007 and settled here in Mumbles. I'd love to show people what a beautiful place it is, the beaches, clifftop walks and wonderful surfside cafes. I also want to learn about other people's experiences in different societies and cultures.

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Jody: I love meeting people, to show them around my city and to chat about interesting things.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Hosted: Stevie and Dovi (Israel) 2 nights
Hosted: Sybille and Agnes (France) 1 night
Hosted: Samar and Hussain (Bahrain) 3 nights
Hosted: Magdalena (Slovakia) 3 nights
Hosted: Jeremy (France) 1 night
Hosted: Laura (France) 2 nights
Hosted: Oliver and Lauren (Australia) 3 nights
Hosted: Stefan (Germany) 3 nights
Hosted: Nik (Germany) 2 nights
Hosted: Sheona (UK) 1 night
Hosted: Jessica (Canada) 2 nights

Surfed: Udi and Alon (Israel) 3 nights
Surfed: Gideon and Rina (Israel) 3 nights
Surfed: Marc Rodriguez (USA) 3 nights

Interests

Jody: Learning languages, history, current affairs, politics. When I finish my job I hope to continue learning Italian and perhaps learn some German in Austria. If I can arrange something, I hope to do a volunteer research project in Africa or India. Who knows!

I write a blog in Italian:
http://italianstudent.wordpress.com

I also love eating lovely food, drinking (coffee and alcohol!), going to the cinema, sightseeing, being on holiday! My love is travelling! I spent three months in the US (New York, Ohio and California) and I know Italy quite well. I have visited Poland, Slovenia, Austria, France, Ireland and Belgium, and China. I also love my studies: I love sociology, women's studies, social geography, social history, anthropology...

I am a bit obsessed at the moment with reading online blogs, especially travel blogs. Since I cannot go anywhere outside of Europe just yet, I have to rely on reading other people's experiences of these countries!!! Finally I love animals, especially cats!

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Toby: I love my research which involves trying to understand how the mind/brain works, using cognitive and neuroimaging techniques, in collaboration with colleagues at Bangor, Cardiff and Teesside Universities. I am also deeply immersed in contemporary art and photography. And most of all I like to have fun!

• animals
• cats
• arts
• singing
• performing arts
• design
• contemporary art
• photography
• documentaries
• dining
• cooking
• coffee
• drinking
• politics
• movies
• chess
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• blogging
• painting
• piano
• muslim
• anthropology
• communications
• teaching
• geography
• history
• languages
• psychology
• religion
• sociology
• volunteering
• sightseeing
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

Jody: Too many to list... Generally I enjoy books written by women about cultures outside of the UK.

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Toby: My favourite movie is Code46, although I'm not sure why. I'm currently reading several books including 'Palestine' by Joe Sacco, 'Vermeer and the Art of Seeing' by Bryan Jay Wolf, and 'The Dialogic Imagination' by Mikhail Bakhtin.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Jody: I spent a month in New York which was pretty amazing... At the moment I am learning Italian; it's the first time I have been able to communicate in a foreign language and it is a wonderful feeling! Other than that, my greatest achievement is finishing my PhD!

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Toby: Being a witness at an Italian wedding in Lucca; being awarded my Ph.D by Dennis Healey; passing Grade 1 piano (aged 10); singing in St. Margaret's church choir for the Archbishop of Canterbury (aged 14); participating in a piece of performance art by James Lee Byars at the National Gallery, London (aged 22). OK, that was more than one!

Teach, Learn, Share

Jody: I would like to teach: English conversation (perhaps grammar although I never actually learnt this at school!); I can proof read essays etc. I would like to learn: about other countries, cultures, politics, languages etc.

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Toby: I could teach you how to use a large format (10x8) film camera, play chess and beat me?!? And you could teach me how to cook better and improve my French (améliorer mon français)?!?

Countries I’ve Visited

United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United Kingdom

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