I'm a 30-year-old from Italy, born and raised near Venice, but originally from Sicily. I currently live in Brussels, where I work as a designer, focusing on projects related to sustainability and social innovation 😊

In my free time, I enjoy taking photos with my analog cameras, going to indie gigs or the cinema, and watching sports—especially rugby 📷 🎼 🎬 🏉

I've lived in France during my Erasmus, in Ghent, and in several cities across Italy. Now that I'm based in a more central location, I’m eager to discover more of Europe—its languages, food, and cultures. I believe CouchSurfing is the perfect way to do that!

🗣️ We could chat in English, Italian, or French—or you could even teach me something in your own language!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I discovered CouchSurfing during my first year of university when my flatmate hosted a French couple from Nantes. They stayed on the couch in our shared living room, and through that experience, I got a glimpse of the CouchSurfing world. I thought it was such a cool way to explore new cities, spend time with locals, and hear their advice, so I decided to join the community myself.

Interests

I got into analog photography during my Erasmus year in France, where I studied at a fine arts school. The school had a lab for developing and printing film photos, and I thought it would be a great way to capture memories of my experience. So, I asked my dad to send me a camera, and several years later, I’m still hooked. With more cameras and new 35mm films, I continue to be surprised by the shots that come out.

There are many stories connected to my other interests, and I’m sure we’ll have opportunities to discuss them!

• arts
• design
• rugby
• languages
• food
• cinema
• gigs
• sustainability
• indie music
• illustration
• graphic novels
• pasta
• analogue photography
• natural wine

Music, Movies, and Books

BEACH HOUSE (the band from Baltimore, US—not the house music played on the beach haha).
That says a lot already :)

As for my music taste, I love indie electro dream folk rock pop:
Cate Le Bon, Courtney Barnett, Angel Olsen, Metronomy, Alvvays, Father John Misty, Arcade Fire, Cage the Elephant, Foxygen, The National, The Black Keys, Phoenix, Stereolab, Slowdive, Air, Julia Jacklin, Tame Impala, La Femme, Mac DeMarco, Daughter, Seu Jorge, Mount Kimbie, Hot Chip, Crystal Castles, Aldous Harding, Kings of Convenience, Future Islands, Big Thief, Adrianne Lenker, and more.
Also, lots of Italian artists like: I Cani, Marco Castello, Colapesce, Giovanni Truppi, Any Other, Andrea Laszlo De Simone, Andrea Poggio, WOW...
If you’re interested, I’d be happy to share my Spotify playlists!

Too many films to list, but here’s my Letterboxd: leonardozissou

As for books, some favorites include Sciascia, Camus, Pirandello, Flaiano, Moravia, Gipi, Zerocalcare, and Camilleri, along with other great reads I can’t remember right now.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Seeing Beach House live in front of a castle, on a summer night, in a beautiful Sicilian village with friends, pizza, and €3 gin tonics—at Ypsigrock festival, probably the best music festival in the world.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you some basic Italian, how to cook a good pasta, or even some Sicilian dishes (like pasta alla norma and panelle). I’d be happy to share what I know about photography and design. In return, I’d love to learn some words in your language, discover cool spots in your town, and anything related to creativity and culture.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, San Marino, Spain, Switzerland, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Belgium, France, Italy