I am an enthusiastic, friendly person. I love the outdoors and being active. I hold my friends very dear. I love meeting new people, through travel or at home. I love dancing, eating new food, having meaningful experiences, and laughing. Lots. I like reading and drawing. And sitting with a pint and some friends at the pub on the corner. I love travelling, wild camping, and encountering new languages, cultures, perspectives.

I have spent the last four years in London at SOAS University studying Chinese and medieval Central Asian history. I want to improve my French and Spanish, pick up some German.. If you need any tips about London, or want a few Chinese phrases I can happily help !

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Many of my friends have told me about their wonderful experiences on Couchsurfing, and it seems like a place for the meeting of similar minds -- people who like to share stories, experiences, knowledge, not just their home. The site is a marvellous shortcut to meeting these kinds of travel-hungry, like-minded individuals!

As for me right now, I have just graduated university, and I am travelling through Hungary, Romania and Greece. I want to meet all the people couchsurfer has to offer, and through new friendships learn new languages, instruments, music, recipes, opinions etc. However, I also respect the hosts space and their vibes so i'm also down for a more independent experience if you're busy -- no pressure!

Interests

• arts
• acting
• drawing
• violin
• hiking
• skiing
• rock climbing
• lacrosse
• etching

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: I love listening to all kinds of music, depending on who i'm with or what mood i'm in. Sometimes a sound is so particular to an experience/location/group of people, no?!
But at the moment (if pressed) i'm currently listening to folk (gypsy, irish, rock etc.), and exploring the sounds of the californian 70's/early 80's.. I like listening to classical in the bath (great acoustics).. rock..blues.. and soundtracks (nothing like an inception/LOTR soundtrack to hype up an average day)

Movies: tricky.. well, off the top of my head:
Hero, The Road Home by Zhang Yimou; The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou by Wes Anderson; Fitzcarraldo by Herzog; Harold and Maude; The Great Beauty by Sorrentino; most Hitchcock's; Tarantino's soundtracks are banging, and Kill Bill Vol 1&2 is great; Spirited away, howl's moving castle, Princess Mononoke by Studio Ghibli; Fearless Vampire Killers by Polanski is a family favourite..
Documentaries are also great and definitely keen to watch more e.g. valley uprising is next on the list

Books:
Well, I'm an exceptionally slow reader, but I really enjoy it.
The wind in the willows, Ring of Bright Water.. I grew up in the countryside so nature is close to my heart -- i love animals, walking, camping etc. I love travel literature, like A Short walk in the Hindu Kush, The Kontiki Expedition, The Station..
light-hearted english books e.g. Three men in a boat, for when life is a bit stressful and you want something you know will make you laugh.
There's a lot of central asian travel books I want to read, by freya stark, gavin maxwell, wilfred theseiger etc. Also books beyond British writers, like Gabriel Garcia Maquez, Jorge Luis Borges... any recommendations warmly welcome!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

A few things that stick in the memory-- confronting my fear of heights, by rock climbing on a cliff over the sea in Spain; cliff jumping 40m into the sea in Greece; learning what phospherescence was whilst night cave-swimming; wild camping with hedgehogs and waking up to 5am birdsong in the South Downs; skinny dipping and sunbathing on a river bank near Arles, and making little sculptures with the clay; camping on the Great Wall and watching the sunrise... followed by freshly made youtiao from the nearest farmhouse...

Teach, Learn, Share

"Every blade of grass has an angel that bends over it and whispers, "Grow! Grow!"

What I Can Share with Hosts

Aside from stories, laughs.. I'm an excellent sous-chef, and at washing up! I bring a positive attitude, and am always keen to find out new things and curious about life. I can share my previous travel experiences, any tips I might have about wild camping in UK or parts of China. If you're going somewhere I know well, I can help put you in touch with any friends I might have there.
I like to draw lil' doodles whilst hanging out with people so maybe I can do one for you (Hopefully what it lacks in skill can be made up for in charm!) If I'm coming from somewhere else, i'd like to share any ethnic foods/drinks i've picked up along the way.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Morocco, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, England, France