Hello there!

I get easily excited and am always ready for an adventure.

Currently living and studying in the wonderful city of Querétaro in Mexico for my exchange semester.

A way for you to stalk me a little bit :)
Instagram: @maernbakken
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maren.bakken.5

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I travel to learn, grow and make new friends. I care more about the social parts of traveling and exploring different cultures and therefore I also like to meet locals and people living in the areas I plan to visit. Couchsurfing is truly the perfect way to accomplish this, and to learn, grow and make new friends while traveling:)

Interests

Some of the things I’m passionate about is challenge my mind by doing something I have never done before, or by a philosophical conversation questioning everything I know.

I’m interested in the social structure of different societies and cultures both on a macro, meson and micro level. And traveling through couchsurfing really makes it possible to accomplish my nerdy dreams of become an anthropologist for the sake of my own curiosity.

Old architecture and the history that it hides fascinates me. Going to old historical sites or just an old abandoned building makes me very curious about the people that lived there, the history that was made within the walls, and the ones who built it.

I’m into art, especially something that makes me think (for example Svein Bolling, Edvard Munch, Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dalí, René Magritte).

Driving far with loud music either just absorbing everything that I pass by or singing along (maybe rather screaming along, but with the volume high enough it doesn’t matter).

I absolutely love listening to live music (any way of listening to music will do really, but live music takes up a special place in my heart). I think my two top genres are pop and rock but I like listening to anything really. Especially music in foreign languages. Like for example Italian music (I love the sound of Italian pop and indie music, like Coez, Calcutta, Thegiornalisti), French music (Srtomae, Camélia Jordana), Arabic music (Issam Alnajjar). I also like political music (Calle 13, Karpe).

I’m also very much into food and drinks, both eating/ drinking, but also cooking. I eat pretty much everything except meat (I’m pescatarian), and I really love the Italian, Mexican and Mediterranean cuisine. I’m looking forward to broadening my culinary horizon :)

I love hiking up to a high mountain top, or anywhere with a view, and stand there just absorbing the view, the sounds, the smells and the feeling of sun on my skin and fresh air, and just feeling free.

And ice cream. I always have loved and always will love ice cream.

• cats
• arts
• culture
• architecture
• human rights
• wine
• cheese
• beer
• traveling
• music
• hiking
• skiing
• languages
• volunteering
• food
• nature
• adventure
• tea
• people watching
• learning
• sustainable development
• playing cards
• red cross
• seeking discomfort

Music, Movies, and Books

Music
I already wrote about my taste in music in the interests part, but here are some more artists and groups that I like:
Queen, Fay Wildhagen, Calle 13, Coez, Romeo Santos, Mighty Oaks, Noah Cyrus, jens, dePresno, Kakkmaddafakka, Super Whatevr, Billie Eilish, FINNEAS, Odd Norsdtoga, Hedda Mae

Movies
Enola Holmes, The Untouchables, The Theory of Everything, To the bone, Inferno, The Dig, Tell Me Who I Am

Series
Anne With an E, Atypical, Outlander, The Good Doctor, La Casa De Papel, Elite, Vikings, The Rain, Scorpion, The Queens Gambit, Black Mirror

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I moved into an improvised campervan to travel across Norway alone with no plan. It ended up being a two months trip going to the southernmost, northernmost and easternmost point as well as looking over to Russia and sleeping in a hammock hanging from one tree in Norway and one tree in Finland. - A trip leading to beautiful friendships, interesting conversations and new inspiration.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Bad jokes, a god laugh, beer and crazy ideas.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Denmark, England, Fiji, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Argentina, Australia, Mexico, Norway