Hi,

I'm Karel, 23years old, from Ghent, Belgium. I study philosophy at the university of Ghent. Together with my girlfriend Georgiana, who's from Romania, I live in an appartment outside the city centre, in a green, quiet neighbourhood. We love to have couchsurfers coming over at our place, but since there are a lot of people visiting Ghent, we would prefer getting requests only one week in advance to make sure your stay suits our planning a bit.

I was brought up near Ghent and went to high school in the city centre, which has brought me a special love for the city. Ghent has a rich history and the beauty of some quiet places still astonishes me after all those years. I'd be happy to give you a tour of the city in vacation periods and the weekends I spend in Ghent, or just whenever I'm free to do so.

Especially philosophy is what I'm deeply interested in. I am often amazed by the complexity of nature and human life, not least by the mere fact of existing myself. Philosophy allows me to confront this amazement with what people have thought before me. It seems to me that philosophy reveals how the way we conceptualize the world and the way we see ourselves is determined by different kinds of historically mediated constraints. I think I like philosophy so much because it tries to get a grip on the complex interplay of these constraints, always revealing new perspectives. Despite our view thus being relative, I want to try to understand our world better at the same time, and to learn more, from all points of view. Therefore, I'm also interested in economics, politics and science in all its forms.

Next to philosophy, I also love literature and poetry. I feel most at ease with transposing thoughts and feelings with words. One of my biggest dreams is to become a good writer.

At last, I'm a big fan of our Belgian beers and always will have some to offer you!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

It seems to me that we're lucky to be able to meet all different kinds of people through this medium and give rise to the open society in which we believe our worldwide society can evoluate.

Interests

• literature
• beer
• vegetarian
• cycling
• philosophy
• mountains
• romania

Music, Movies, and Books

I fully experienced the drum'n bass genre but nowadays I try to broaden my mind, listening to different kinds of music genres. I love hip hop/trip hop instrumentals. In the past I was really into rock and I still appreciate it very much.

I very much liked what I've read from authors as Dostojevski, Kundera, Camus, Nabokov, Marquez, Kerouac, Baricco and Salinger ... they all demonstrate their mastership in their works and offer me, sometimes disturbing, insight and delight in modern, human life.

I think my favourite movies have been Citizen Kane and Mulholland drive, but I'm not sure.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

To mount Monte Zoncolan, the famous Giro d'Italia mountain.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm more eager to learn and hear you out about your lives, as well as to share my experiences with you than I have something to teach.

What I Can Share with Hosts

A guiding tour through the city as well as the freedom to go your own way if that's what you're up to.

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, England, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Montenegro, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey

Countries I’ve Lived In

Belgium