Hi there!

My name is Manuel and I'm a 26 year old Panamanian thats taking a gap year to travel across the world. I love experiencing new cultures and getting to meet people from different countries.

As a person, I love getting to meet people, spend time with animals, spend time in nature, and practicing Jiu Jitsu! My favorite way of experiencing new cultures is trying their foods and trying to immerse myself in the language as much as possible. I also love reading fantasy books and watching some anime haha!

Two skills I'm trying to learn in this coming year is to play the piano and learn French :)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm on Couchsurfing because I know that the best way to get to experience a city is by hanging out with local residents! My favorite time I've travelled are when I stayed with a friend that knows the city and will show me the spots that aren't tourist traps :)

I want to try the food, get to know the hole in the walls bars, get to make friends and understand how you live your life in each different city. The world is full of so many beautiful spots and I want to be able see these cities through your eyes.

I enjoy the hostel experience, but there's something that's just more authentic and genuine by staying with someone from the area :)

Interests

• animals
• music
• jiu jitsu
• food
• nature
• sunsets

Music, Movies, and Books

Favorite music: Aruarian Dance by Nujabes, Oh Tengo Suerte by Masayoshi Takanaka, and any song by Señor Loop, they're my favorite Panamanian band.

Favorite movies: Grand Budapest Hotel, The Prestige, and The Dude.

Favorite Books: Wheel of Time, Malazan Book of the Fallen, The Alchemist, The Giver.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I climbed Mount Roraima in Venezuela, which is the tallest Tepuy in the world. It's the mountain they got the inspiration for the movie Up !

Teach, Learn, Share

I would love to learn about your culture, your food, your music!

I can teach you English, Spanish, and some Portuguese :)

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share stories about the places I've travelled to and pictures of my dogs haha!

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Austria, Brazil, Colombia, Croatia, Ecuador, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Montenegro, Peru, Venezuela

Countries I’ve Lived In

Brazil, Mexico, Panama, United States, Venezuela