Hello stranger, future friend!

I'm Mattea, 28 years old teacher and traveler with itchy feet, restless soul, vivid mind and never ending list of dreams, ideas, plans and desires.

As a firm believer that life is all about living your dreams and not trying to please everyone around you, I’m very serious in not taking what society says we should do too serious. Dedicated to taking the path where the heart leads, with one main goal: to be happy.

I believe that by traveling we don’t discover just the world around us, but the one within us, too. So, I guess I’m wondering around this pretty little world, hoping to meet my true self somewhere along the way. (And a bunch of other awesome people too :D)

Amazed by diversity, I love immersing into foreign cultures and meeting new people. I’m genuinely interested in their opinions, views, lives, choices, experiences… I will be a patient listener of your stories and won’t mind sharing mine.

I believe in a good sense of humor and random acts of kindness, so I enjoy a good laugh and good people.

I adore life, nature and literature. I read a lot, and write a bit, so I often get lost in books (and new cities as well).

I love being surrounded by children because they are spontaneous, curious and amazed with the world around them. I think it’s also the reason why we get along well. I’m passionate about working with the little ones, trying to teach them how to be good human beings, while trying to be one myself.

Love riding a bicycle, it gives me a feeling of what freedom tastes like.

Have no other addictions besides those to sweets and traveling. (And a slight obsession with magic tricks.)

Horrified of being alive but not truly living. Chasing my dreams, trying to turn them into memories.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Because it's literally the best thing ever. I simply LOVE the idea. My travels are always about people that I meet along the way, they define my experience and the place I'm visiting, and this amazing community introduced me to some of the best and most inspiring people I've ever met. Couchsurfing helps you to be more than just a tourist; it's a great way to become a traveler instead.

Interests

• writing
• books
• reading
• traveling
• magic
• cycling
• backpacking
• teaching
• languages
• philosophy
• psychology
• hitchhiking
• art
• food
• nature
• english
• adventure
• cultures
• people
• humor
• stories
• exploring
• learning
• stupid jokes
• spanish
• experiences

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Alt-J, Arctic Monkeys, Glass Animals, Imagine Dragons, Passenger, Mahatma Dandys, Onda Vaga, Roo Panes, Tom Rosenthal, VAST...

Movies: La vita è bella (Roberto Benigni)

Books: The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)
Just keep on moving! (Davor Rostuhar)
Silence (Meša Selimović)
The book thief (Markus Zusak)
If this is a man (Primo Levi)
- travel books from different Croatian authors

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Walked Camino de Santiago

Been homeless in New York for 5 days

What I Can Share with Hosts

"When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you'll never get back. Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give someone is your time."

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Kosovo, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City State, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Croatia, Puerto Rico, United States