I love travelling, because I love meeting new people and seeing amazing things. Currently living in Stirling, Scotland with my Finnish husband (see his profile here: https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/tomashelander ), and we're really enjoying getting to know this beautiful country. I like to bake, read, listen to music, watch movies, play and watch football. Currently I'm trying really hard to improve my Finnish, and my lifelong dream is to take a pottery course. Quirky and cute things and people make me happy. I love to laugh and I think that life is measured by the people you know.

PHILOSOPHY

People make your world.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

My first major CouchSurfing experience was with my best friend through Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and we had fantastic experiences with each host. Since then my husband Tomas and I have hosted quite a few people and also surfed once in Australia and in various cities in Finland, and every new experience just makes us want to get more involved in the CS community. I think that CSing is a wonderful way of connecting with people.

I hope that Tomas and I are able to give someone who surfs with us a great experience. To me it is really important for our CouchSurfers to feel immediately comfortable and welcome in our home, and that they are with friends and not strangers. I like to be able to share dinner and / or drinks with our guests, or show them around Turku if I can.

Interests

Music, movies, books, seeing the world, meeting people, learning, history and politics, football, art, human rights, cooking.

I love to spend time with friends- eating, drinking, talking about everything. Lately I have been doing a lot of baking and I love to try new recipes. I have some strong opinions about Australian politics, and will talk about the topic with anyone brave enough to ask me about it. I'm an enthusiastic and long-time supporter of my favourite football (soccer) team, Tottenham Hotspur.

Music, Movies, and Books

Belle&Sebastian, Elliott Smith, Magic Numbers, The Pogues, The Kinks, The Clash, The Cure, Golden Silvers, The Shins, Black Keys, White Stripes, Camera Obscura, Fratellis, Alt-J, Florence & The Machine, RHCP, Aloe Blacc, Ball Park Music, Girls, Paul Kelly, Feist, Emiliana Torrini, The National, Architecture in Helsinki, Jamie T. And blues. Always the blues.

Pan's Labyrinth, Little Miss Sunshine, Amelie, Driving Lessons, Breakfast Club, V For Vendetta, Ocean's 11, Everything Is Illuminated, Love Actually, The Holiday, Breakfast At Tiffanys, The Big Sleep, Mostly Martha.

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Pride&Prejudice, Jane Eyre, In Cold Blood, Stephen Fry's The Liar, Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels, Sherlock Holmes.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I worked as an assistant English teacher at a Polish primary school for 5 months. Seeing the looks on the kids faces everyday as they learnt something new was absolutely priceless and something I'll never forget.

I also consider myself amazingly privileged to have been able to live in four different countries between the ages of 18 and 23. The wonderful people I have met and incredible opportunities I have been given never cease to amaze me, and I know how lucky I have been.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you some good ol' Aussie slang and how to make Anzac biscuits, if nothing else. :)

Would love to learn new recipes (any kind!) and share a meal with my guests / hosts if possible.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Caledonia, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Vanuatu

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Czech Republic, Finland, Poland, Scotland

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