I am an open minded person and very curious about many things. Even though I'm sometimes quiet, I can say I'm quite sociable and love meeting new people from different cultures.
In general, I believe that most of what one learns in life is learned from other people. This is why I strongly support this community as a way for people to come together, share their views and experiences. I think this is a very enriching possibility.
To sum up, I am always trying to learn and improve myself and visiting other countries and knowing people is a good way of doing it!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I try and use couchsurfing as much as I can when I travel to meet interesting people from around the world. Overall, I have always enjoyed travelling and have been around quite a bit in my life, especially in the last few years, in which I have moved to and lived in several places (Ireland, Germany and California).

At the moment, I have used CS to meet people around the world. I have been hosted a few times by very friendly couchsurfers and have participated to meetings in Switzerland, Germany and Scotland and the US (basically, anytime I was living abroad). I have also hosted several people travelling to the San Francisco Bay Area.

Some highlights of my Couchsurfing travels:

I have couschsurfed for 1 month in Dundee, Scotland, during a medical elective. A great experience: had a lot of fun and met really nice people.

I have couchsurfed for 2 days in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, while attending the Blackfield music festival. The music was excellent and my host as well! She even managed to teach me horseback riding in the woods!

I have couchsurfed for 2 days in Kassel for the Documenta contemporary art festival. The art was excellent and it was really impressive to see how the city was taken over by the event!

I hope to be able to couchsurf again soon!

Interests

I'm interested in many things! I like reading (especially novels), movies, music and art. I am a passionate gamer and overall videogames enthusiast.
I am very interested in martial arts, which I have been practising for some years now.
I also used to draw and paint, mostly portraits.

• arts
• culture
• festivals
• dining
• cooking
• walking
• trivia
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• painting
• drawing
• music
• equestrian
• boxing
• martial arts
• languages
• videogames

Music, Movies, and Books

I read all sorts of books, but I'm especially fond of the great masters of the past. I've been reading classic novels for a while now and always enjoy it.
I also like reading science fiction, especially William Gibson, Isaac Asimov and Philip Dick.
Finally I also like fantasy authors like Terry Pratchett, S. Donaldson, M. Peake, S. Erikson, George R. R. Martin and of course J. R. R. Tolkien.

I have very varied musical tastes and it's difficult to write everything here. I especially like electronic music, even the experimental kind. I am also a lover of industrial music and a great fan of Einstürzende Neubauten as well as other german bands. I am also passionate for american folk music and blues.
I also like post-punk, progressive rock and metal of most kinds.
Some of my favorite bands: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Paul Simon, Nick Drake, Calexico, Leonard Cohen, Sigur Ròs, Björk, VNV Nation, Radiohead, Kraftwerk, Trentemøller, The Knife, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, Crystal Castles, Bruce Springsteen, Welle:Erdball, Rhapsody of Fire...
I also enjoy listening to classical music and I am (of course) a fan of the most famous songwriter from my city: Fabrizio De Andrè.

I love movies and have seen many since I was a kid. I like many directors both classic and experimental, from all around the world.
I really enjoy watching old b/w classic movies as well as action thrillers, so I think I can say I'm open to everything.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

It is very hard to pick up the most "special" moments. Focusing on my trips abroad, I especially remember as "awestriking":
Visiting China (a life's dream!): It was amazing to stand on the Great Wall and at the top of the Shanghai World Financial Center (one of the tallest buildings in the world!). I also loved to eat the very spicy food of Chongqing!
Visting the US: Walking around Manhattan was a very exciting experience!
Visiting Scotland: The beautiful landscapes of the Highlands and the prehistoric monuments of the Orkney Islands left a very deep impression on me, as well as the beautiful shifting sky of Dundee!
Touring Italy: I drove though the whole of Italy in one month, visiting friends along the way. My home country truly has some of the best places the world has to offer. Crossing Italy from Cuneo to Palermo, I have seen many wonders, too many to be held in this small box.

And so many more that I can better tell in person!

Teach, Learn, Share

I don't know what I could teach to others, maybe some of the languages that I speak or how to cook pasta ;) as well as some medical trivia or a thin bit of the (vast!) culture of my country.
I surely have much to learn and am always ready to.

Countries I’ve Visited

China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Kenya, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy, United States