Lover of hostel friendships, beach naps, a24 movies, reading in the shade, long surf days, waterfall swims, understanding history... I'm also deeply passionate about and hope to build a career addressing social issues and contributing to a more equitable, sustainable, democratic, and happy world

I graduated from Duke University in the US with a degree in public policy over a year ago and I've been traveling solo ever since... I've volunteered at surf hostels in Sri Lanka, bikepacked in New Zealand, hitch-hiked and surfed up and down the Moroccan coastline, and spent two months in a Turkish-Syrian border town as a consultant for a refugee education org

I'm originally Syrian, but I was born and raised abroad as an international school kid. Now living in New York City :)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I know I'm late to the game, but after repeatedly hearing about Couchsurfing from friends, I'm now giving it a shot

I'm here to host, couchsurf, meet, story-tell, story-listen, teach, learn, connect, explore, laugh

I don't have many references (yet)... so I'm very happy to answer any questions/share my Insta/anything else :)

Interests

• beer
• politics
• reading
• hiking
• camping
• surfing
• history
• public policy
• road trips
• bikepacking
• humanitarian work

Music, Movies, and Books

Any and all music in many languages... house, soft rock, indie, hip hop, reggaeton, funk... here's my Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/user/oubarik

Lots of books… historical fiction, sci-fi, anti colonial literature, nonfiction about social issues… open to anything

Teach, Learn, Share

"Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't"

Damascene cuisine, Arabic slang, international politics, alternative economics, surfing, outdoors skills... and of course good vibes

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Kosovo, Macedonia, Malaysia, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, Venezuela, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Scotland, Syrian Arab Republic, United Arab Emirates, United States