Ultimate Frisbee Player - Music fanatic - could participate in eating competitions (don't let yourself be fooled by my slim build) - Student of English and Math - English and American Literary Studies graduate - Pet Lover - goofy dancer - Wannabe Vegan - Lakeside VOGAL - Board and Card Game Enthusiast - likes to read and remote work on long-distance trains and busses

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing has provided me with the possibility to escape the monotony of everyday life by meeting new, interesting people while discovering new places. So far, I have only had pleasant experiences - many of which ended up being memorable encounters. In the past I often struggled with finding a place to stay when I was making short trips to other cities (mostly to concerts). I would pull an all-nighter and catch the first train back home. So, what initially started as a practical means of "survival" has grown into a real passion. There's something incomparably beautiful in making friends with people around the whole world by mere coincidence. Thanks to Couchsurfing, I had some exceptional travel experiences, revelatory conversations and found proof that beautiful things can happen if people gift each other trust, regardless of how long they've known each other.

Interests

• contemporary art
• music festivals
• alternative music
• hiking
• history
• nature
• indie music
• ultimate frisbee
• city life
• foreign languages
• environmental justice
• environmental issues
• contemporary literature
• random facts

Music, Movies, and Books

I'm a musical omnivore enjoying evergreens, pop, hip hop, indie, experimental rock electronica as well as Latin American music traditional and contemporary. Among my favorite artists are: Mount Kimbie, NoName, Kali Uchis, Charli XCX, Royel Otis, Whitney, Bad Bunny, Frank Ocean, Clairo, Bon Iver, Little Simz, Bombay Bycicle Club as well as Still Woozy

I have an MA degree in English Literary studies, in which I focused on American literature. The genres that particularly interest me are life narratives and contemporary multimedia poetry. My favorite anglophone writers are Louise Erdrich, Sally Rooney, John Steinbeck and Ocean Vuoung, whose On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeus is one of my favorite novels. Other favorite books are The Song of Ice and Fire series (though years ago), Ayad Akhtar's Homeland Elegies, Michelle Zauner's Crying in H Mart and Questlove's Mo Meta Blues. Among the German-writing authors I like are Stefanie Sargnagel, Benedict Wells and Sasa Stanicic.

With these two big interests, I have little time for watching movies and TV series but two of the most impactful films that I have recently seen are Anthony Hopkins's The father and Martin Scorsese's The Killers of the Flower Moon. This summer (2024) I was also hooked by Luca Guadagnino's Challengers. I'm interested (academically as well as personally) in documentary film and it's construction of memory. Questlove's Summer of Soul (or When the Revolution Could not be Televised...) on that front is one of the most moving films that I have seen in the last few years. My favorite series is Paquita Salas, a Spanish-language mockumentary.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Travelling by car for 12 hours from Austria to Debrecen (Hungary) thanks to a blocked highway and black ice. From there on I really started to appreciate the space you have while travelling by train.

Teach, Learn, Share

Even though I'm not a big fan of Austrian cuisine, I have created some vegetarian/vegan variations of Austrian classics. We're unfortunately not going to be doing Schnitzels, but I promise that there's more to see.
I can also show you some basic stuff on the guitar/ukulele, which, however, depends on the amount of practice I have (at the moment not much). Finally, I'm always happy to share some words in my first language with people I'm meeting. For everyone who has tried learning German it may seem daunting, but it can be really fun, I promise!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'm very gifted with general knowledge so I think we'll definitely find something to chat about. If you're interested in music, I can definitely show you some cool bands/artists. Ultimately, a component that to me is defining for encounters is conversations. I think that I can offer both discussing serious subjects as well as sharing stories and laughs. You be the judge. Every place and person have its histories and anecdotes, and I'd be grateful to exchange mine with yours.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Scotland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Austria, Spain, United States