Sorry, Y'all..I've been on the road...now back in Austin, but I'm making much needed repairs to my house, so I can't host you (yet)!
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Greetings! My name is Marz. I was born in, and now live in Austin again. I have also lived in some other great spots, too (so I can turn you onto cool things to do there, too): NYC, Seattle, Montana, Germany. Love meeting new people and learning new languages. I am a filmmaker, but I was almost an Art Tour Guide, so I love finding (and sharing) great out-of-the-way finds. Love art (was an Art History student), indie film, live music (jazz, indie, 'world', alt/prog, classical, tango) and dancing (two step, tango, salsa, swing, etc), architecture, photography, nature (hiking, camping, kayaking, scuba, biking, sailing, etc.). Most of all love exploring/adventuring with people from all over the world and making great memories together. Cities or countryside. I am friendly and respectful towards everyone I meet (and their homes). I do not smoke (and there is no smoking allowed at my home- sorry, I'm allergic). I enjoy cooking, and would love to share some of the cuisines I have loved and learned through my travels to various places (India, Spain, Texas/Mexico, etc.). Excited to meet you either out on the trail or in my home. Welcome to Austin! (or see you somewhere else in this amazing world of ours!) Enjoy!

HOSTING
While I love to host (been doing so unofficially for years, but just got started on CS), I'm still recuperating from my travels with much needed house repairs and can't host anyone at the present.

Что привело меня на Couchsurfing

I hosted - and became friends with- a couchsurfer and was introduced to this fantastic community. We did some local CS events together and all the people were really great. I since found out a friend I've known for about 15 years has had many great experiences with people on CS, as well. It seems like such a great opportunity to meet cool people and experience the world more as a local than a tourist. I really welcome the exchange of cultures & ideas. And I love sharing things /experiences with others. I certainly enjoy sharing Austin with people- especially since "my" Austin is quite different than the touristy guide books (yet a visit to our Capitol and museums can still be fun).

If you are in Austin in early January, look up FreeWeek- almost TWO weeks of free music around town. Of course, Austin has many great music festivals (SXSW, ACLfest, Pachanga, Fun Fun Fun, etc.), as well as some great film fests (SXSW, Austin Film Fest, CineLasAmericas, IndieMeme (Indian cinema), and more. There are lots of great live theatre performances, as well as music any night of the week. Great hiking around Austin (and lots of greenbelt/park space in town, along with our famous Barton Springs swimming hole). We have a motto here: "Keep Austin Weird", and we are doing everything we can to keep this from becoming a sterile corporate city. Join us for a moonlit bat cruise (on a kayak or a paddleboat). Eat midnight tacos (muy caliente!) Skinny dip in the cold spring waters after a great night of dancing- often under the stars. I love living here (and enjoying it with travelers/surfers).

I started surfing myself during travels to Western Europe in early 2016, and it was amazing! I met some really cool people. Hope to share some fun experiences with you- wherever you are!

Интересы

Making the world a better place (yep, we can do that!), one shared moment at a time.

Indie and 'Foreign' Film, art, live music, dancing, hiking, scuba, camping, biking, sailing, kayaking. Would love to try kite-sailing (among many other things).

I enjoy hand drumming (djembe, doumbek) and making music with others.

I love interesting people and unique events. ( I swim left of mainstream- bit of a bohemian).

Lending a helping hand where ever I am (Also, I travel to Honduras annually to further humanitarian projects there).

I like cooking and eating good, organic, local food.

I enjoy herbal and natural remedies for good health (see below for my travel tip).

• arts
• books
• architecture
• photography
• music festivals
• festivals
• dancing
• tango
• waltz
• education
• dining
• cooking
• drinking
• movies
• traveling
• eating out
• music
• live music
• jazz
• cycling
• hiking
• kayaking
• camping
• surfing
• scuba diving
• sailing
• swimming
• art history
• teaching
• history
• languages
• tourism

Музыка, кино и книги

Austin has SO many amazing musicians (I'll only name a few of them, since you probably don't know them): Atash, Golden Dawn Arkestra, Ephraim Owens, Rajamani Ensemble, Continental Drift). I love classic jazz (20s to 50s), 'world' music (Cuban, Brazilian, Indian, Celtic, Roma/Gypsy, African), contemporary Alt/prog/Indie (Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Alt J, Talking Heads), Classical (Dvorak, Prokofiev, especially), Some Alt Pop (Django Django, Spoon)..TOO many to name here. I like a wide variety.

Movies: Indie & Foreign & Docs: Wings of Desire (Engel über Berlin), My Life as a Dog, Cinema Paradiso, Motorcyle Diaries, Hal Hartley films, Classic films (Hitchcock, Capra, films of the 20s-40s), Amelie, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, American Beauty, Usual Suspects, The Adventures of Prince Achmed, The Piano, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Cowspiracy. Again, I could go on for days, and I'm only listing the more well known films you have a chance to know...

Books: Vonnegut, Tom Robbins, Somerset Maugham, Henry Miller, Thich Nhat Hanh, Rumi, Isabel Allende, Michael Pollan, Chomsky, James Burke (check out "Connections"- fascinating), again, too long a list to complete. SO many on the yet to read list: Brian Cox (physics and astronomy), The Pure Cure (how to detox your house and body), Malcolm Gladwell's David and Goliath: The Triumph of the Underdog .

Классная вещь, которую я сделал(-а)

Helping kids go to school in Honduras. (The Honduran government only gives them free education to 6th grade, and since most can't afford to pay for schooling after that, they end up working in the fields or making tortillas to sell on the street corners. Sad to see such wasted potential.) Our scholarship program offers 50 kids per year a chance to create a better life for themselves and their families. We also have University graduates who have gone on to work for Universities and foreign governments. Success stories! So rewarding!

Учу, учусь, делюсь опытом и информацией

Let's make a cool little film together! Or spend an afternoon making art photographs. Or cook a meal together. Teach each other our languages or more about our respective cultures. I like cooking cuisines from various cultures. I also enjoy sharing the history and local charm of Austin (or where ever I am traveling). I can show you the out-of-the-way places and experiences most tourists will never find. I can teach you how to dance (country western, salsa, swing, tango, waltz). I look forward to a glimpse into your world.

One quick travel tip: in my travels I use Grapefruit Seed Extract in countries like India or Honduras where it is common to get stomach/intestinal issues. In all my travels, GFS extract has kept me safe and healthy (but I still only drink purified water). One tiny bottle lasts a long time and is the first thing I pack.

Чем я могу поделиться с хостами

My kind-hearted, loving, curious and fun nature.

I make a great chai (black, green or herbal).

I like to laugh and make any experience enjoyable (waiting for trains/buses, washing dishes, etc.) I can share travel stories and tips about numerous places (India, Central America, USA, Europe and beyond). I can teach you a few words of several different languages (especially if you want to order chai in Hindi!). I enjoy sharing meals and cooking different cuisines. I can teach you to dance (and you can teach me!). I am very open to anything you wish to share/teach.

Где я побывал(-а)

Austria, Belize, Canada, France, Germany, Honduras, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom, United States

Где я жил(-а)

Germany, United States