CURRENT MISSION

Confused nomad child plays with different masks; controversial thoughts lead to new ways.

ABOUT ME

That's a bit too vague. Ask me something more specific and you'll see.

PHILOSOPHY

I try not to assume things, and to just enjoy life in general, living in the present. I believe we can all play a part in making this world a better place to live in. Use your passions, use strengths and privileges you may have to benefit the world in some way, even very small ways.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I like sharing cross-cultural experiences with other people, and hope to learn new things as well as share what I know!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Very limited experience so far, this story has yet to be written. :)

Interests

martial arts, fencing, PC games, exploring new places, wandering aimlessly through a city--preferrably one I don't know--, sitting at a cafe peoplewatching, hanging out with friends, helping random people who look like they are in need of an interpreter at the moment, singing in different languages, watching shows(live shows, not TV), going to the theater, going to other countries, grabbing a drink with people...

• arts
• culture
• books
• singing
• theater
• dining
• cheese
• drinking
• tv
• traveling
• fencing
• martial arts
• languages
• philosophy

Music, Movies, and Books

movies: Lord of the Rings, Memoirs of a Geisha, le diner de cons (The Dinner Game), bollywood films, Harry Potter, Tintin (more the animated series than the movie)...
music: Breton music (Celtic music from Brittany, France) , other kinds of celtic music, Nightwish, Deep Forest, Artrosis, Francis Cabrel, Notre-Dame de Paris, and many more.
Books: It really depends. Some fantasy, any interesting/thought-provoking book, something that can show me a different way to view life... inspiring stories...travel stories...depends on my mood.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I could say something about my travels, I have seen amazing places and met amazing people abroad, but I am choosing an experience that is happening now, in the very place where I currently live.

I took a break from studying this year, and had the chance to meet a group of Turkish students who are here for a year to learn English before they go on to pursue a Masters or PhD in the U.S. It is one of the most--if not THE most-- amazing, deep cross-cultural experiences I have had. They have opened up their hearts and homes to me. I say "homes" because I believe that even a temporary student apartment far away from one's home country can be considered as such, if there is family-like love to be found there. Through them, I have experienced Turkish culture, food, and language. All of them have inspiring stories about how they made the decision to study in the U.S. I take the time to help them with their English, tell them about U.S. (and sometimes French) culture, take them to places to visit around the area, and they give so much in return and probably don't even realize it. Just like them, I now drink Turkish tea like water. I have flashcards on my ipod with well over 200 Turkish words, expressions and phrases that I learned from them. I can make baklava (sorry, I am still using walnuts instead of the traditional pistachios, for now). I can quote the Anatolian philosopher Mevlana. I can sing along to Nil Karaibrahimgil and Teoman. I am improving my proofreading skills, something that will be very valuable for grad studies. I have eaten smuggled homemade cheese, olives from one of my friends family's olive trees, and other delicious imports. I have seen incredible solidarity among Turks in general here, and although I am often the only non-Turkish at social gatherings, I have seen the same solidarity extended to me. My friends can count on me, and I on them. There is still the language barrier, but I now know enough Turkish vocabulary and pick up enough hints to be able to tell what conversations are about, half of the time; and my friends'English is also getting better. Through this experience, and others in my life, I observed two things. The first is that people living far from their home country tend to group themselves with others from the same country. Two, that these groups are not exclusive. If you approach such groups with an open mind, eager to learn about their culture, respectful of the fact that they -will- mostly speak their own language amongst themselves and not English, simply because it is easier, a whole new world will open up to you--right on your doorstep. This is definitely something amazing that I have done and seen.

I'll stop here, I probably have enough material to write a book about my experiences just on that topic but will gladly share more details, with a host, or a guest--or just anyone who wants to talk :)

Teach, Learn, Share

I love languages. As a CouchSurfing host or guest, I would be willing to teach people some French, or Spanish, or help them with English.

I would love to keep finding new ways to travel on a budget and to discover places not mentioned in travel guides or brochures.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, France, French Polynesia, Spain, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, United States