I'm Kena, a graduate student at the UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico), getting a master's degree in fine arts. I specialize in printmaking, be it lithography, etching or linocuts and artists' books, and I have a bit of an obsession with depicting animals and understanding their role in the arts and the minds of people. So much so, that my thesis is largely about that.

(Yes, I live in Mexico but I will be in Valencia until January next year, and then go back to finish my degree. So I can't really host in Valencia, sadly.)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm a student trying to make the most of a limited traveling budget, wanting to meet people and make friends with entirely different backgrounds, stories and views. What locals can show you and tell you about their city is invaluable, there's just no substitute.

As I'm new to couchsurfing and I don't have any references yet, here's a link to my facebook profile (if it helps in any way to show I am who I say I am) https://www.facebook.com/kitchengs
and this is my slightly outdated online portfolio, if you're curious about the kind of work I've done: https://www.behance.net/kitchengs

Interests

Well... art, science, history, the way people live and what they believe in, how stuff works. I'm very curious about a number of subjects. I end up spending a lot of time visiting museums when I travel.

One of my nerdy short-term goals is to visit all three of Paolo Uccello's Battle of San Romano paintings . I already saw the one at the Louvre, so two more to go in London and Florence.

• animals
• arts
• humanities
• books
• tattoos
• cooking
• baking
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• history
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

I was raised by a classical musician father and a mother who works on stained glass, and had lots of music and arts and books growing up. Somehow, I almost always end up gravitating towards classical music and also jazz. Too many favorites to list here. Favorite composer? like my dad says, "whomever I happen to be listening to at the moment". Could be Mahler or Mozart or Dvorak or Messiaen... but never Meyerbeer... you get the idea. I love latin jazz and Coltrane and Gershwin. I could go on and on.

As far as movies are concerned, I like Emir Kusturica's films. Black cat white cat is a favorite, and so are several of Woody Allen's movies. I also love Hayao Miyazaki's works...

The last book I read that blew my mind was the Odyssey. I love short stories. One of my all-time favorite writers is Jorge Luis Borges. I like Marguerite Yourcenar, Julio Cortázar, Henry James, Gogol... Mark Twain, Rudyard Kipling, Tolkien and others were a big part of my childhood.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I tattooed a friend once. He even payed for my "course". I think it turned out pretty well, but haven't done it since. I don't have any tattoos on my skin, by the way, not even a little dot.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach basic stuff about printmaking and I love sharing music. I have a few skills in bookbinding too, if you're into that kind of thing. Like I said, I'm very curious about lots of things.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can make homemade green o red hot sauce and other, more elaborate, things to eat as long as ingredients are available! I love cooking and baking. I love good conversations and sharing whatever it is I happen to know.

Countries I’ve Visited

Colombia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Colombia, Mexico, Spain