Hi :)
My name is Manon and I'm a copywriter and Philosophy graduate who studied at Ghent University (Belgium).

I'd describe myself as warm hearted, cheerful, sensitive, positive, straightforward, polite, enthusiastic, very bad with time, open minded, neat, adventurous and energetic. I don't do/buy/choose anything I am not sure about, and the things I do choose/buy/do, I am usually really sure and passionate about. This makes me impulsive at times, but I can't think of anything I regret, so I think this state of mind makes me a happy person :)

I am happiest when I am around dogs / hiking in mountains, forests and near lakes / having a long, interesting and mentally fullfilling conversation / having a good laugh / in the ocean / on a boat / watching a good movie.

I avoid being around people who complain or talk badly about others so in general people who focus on the negative and/or don't realize that nothing and no one is perfect.

I love writing, drawing, reading, traveling, having long conversations, learning new insights, going for some beers, laughing, cuddling my dogs, vegan food, my family, hiking, nature, wild camping, bikram yoga, getting physically exhausted, plants, good manners, chocolate deserts, Kierkegaard, Stoicism, classy clothes, minimalistic interior, and beautiful shoes.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love meeting new people from all over the world. Nothing makes me happier than an interesting, fulfilling conversation.

Interests

• animals
• dogs
• writing
• books
• literature
• fashion
• beauty
• ethics
• dining
• cooking
• chocolate
• yoga
• meditation
• movies
• reading
• blogging
• drawing
• outdoor activities
• kayaking
• surfing
• sports
• golf
• languages
• philosophy
• study abroad
• volunteering
• lakes
• mountains
• veganism
• aerial silks

Music, Movies, and Books

I'm a big fan of the Coen brothers, Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino. My favourite actors are Leonardo Di Caprio and Brad Pitt (and this isn't for their looks). I love tragical comedies (Coen!), movies that combine sadness with solace (I think that is actually my general view on life. The art is to see how tragical it is and still make the best of it and find something to smile or laugh about). I enjoy movies with great, long and sometimes absurd or awkward dialogues as well; the perfect simplicity of Scandinavian movies, crime comedies, psychological thrillers, and movies with beautiful nature and landscapes.

Some movies I would recommend are: No Country for Old Men, Fight Club, Toto le Heros, A Somewhat Gentle Man, Kongen av Bastøy, Inception, Inglorious Basterds, Mud, Das Leben der Anderen, Max Manus, Burn After Reading, A Serious Man, Stardust Memories, Fargo, The Big Lebowsky, Django, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Great Gatsby, Blue Jasmine, Annie Hall, The Revenant, Le Huitième Jour, Into The Wild, Monster, ...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

1. walking and wildcamping the Via degli Dei while I was on Erasmus in Bologna
2. hiking Trolltunga in Norway (and back...)
3. visiting Iceland, the most beautiful country I have ever seen
4. watching whales in Husavik (Iceland)
5. jumping off a cliff in Cinque Terre

Teach, Learn, Share

Things I would love to learn:
- making clothes
- Norwegian
- making pottery (ceramics)
- permaculture
- eco & self-sufficient living

Things I would love to get better at:
- (bikram) yoga
- surfing
- kayaking
- French
- Danish
- vegan cooking

What I Can Share with Hosts

Long and deep conversations, a hiking buddy, a good laugh, a yoga partner, a partner to do almost any sport with, some vegan cooking if you like :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Belgium, Italy