CURRENT MISSION

see, exprience, socialise.

ABOUT ME
I'm a Quebecer (french speaking part of Canada) and proud to be.

I'm a bit of a hyperactive, I talk a lot. I always have something to say, no matter the situation, but don’t worry I know when to shut up and enjoy the moment.

I like to question people about their passions and ambitions, learn about their lifestyle, what thrills them in life. I love experiencing the cultural differences between countries. It's often surprising, even for cultures you thought were really close to yours. Humans fascinate me. There is a reason I study Social Work you know…

I have a particular interest in design, especially regarding to living and public spaces.

I love beer, particularly from microbrewery. I like coffees and teas a lot too.

I play badminton, I swim a lot, I love hiking, but my favorite sport is cycling.
At the present, I'm fascinated by Scandinavian and German culture and I'm open to new fascinations :)

You can look up my Facebook profile for more info.
https://www.facebook.com/philippe.girouard

PHILOSOPHY

I'll sleep when I'm dead

Get shit done

Just do something (I'm a bit of a procrastinator, I must admit)

Make lists (my life is literally summarized by lists, this way everything is out of my head and I can sleep at night (a bit like the “pensive” in Harry Potter (OMG I’m making Harry Potter references in my CS profile and I’m up to the third parenthesis, no one is EVER going to choose me!)))

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Now that I’m living with two roommates in an apartment, I should try to host. I have a friend who did it in the past, one in my home city and another one in Strasbourg and it's just an amazing way to know other people and cultures (+ it opens possibilities for further travels). Only, I’m very busy with school, work and I also do a bit of voluntary work. I might accept guests this summer if things slow down a bit.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I couchsurfed only once in San Jose. My host was soooooo awesome. We visited the city and he showed me his favorite spots. It’s a memorable experience and I can’t wait to try it again.

Interests

Architecture and urbanism, Theater, Politics, Technoloy, Beer, Teas

• culture
• theater
• architecture
• design
• beer
• politics
• traveling
• socializing
• painting
• cycling
• hiking
• sports
• swimming
• badminton
• history
• social work

Music, Movies, and Books

“La vie d'Adèle” winner of the Palme d'or 2013 at the festival de Cannes is one of my favorite movies. I saw it at least 6 times. I also love a director from Montreal(in my province) named Xavier Dolan. He is very young but already is prolific. His best film is “Mommy”.

In music, my favorite bands are Metric, Bon Iver and Patrick Watson. The first and last come from Montreal and the middle one from Wisconsin.

Sorry, I don't read enough. Although, I really like Dr Seuss books even though it’s for kids.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I directed a play with a friend who is now studying in theater. It was with actors from my secondary school and we had so much fun. The play was “Rhinoceros” by Ionesco. We all collectively participated in the staging, every one bringing something to the play. We used paint to show that someone became a rhinoceros. We tore apart parts of the set during the play and ran everywhere screaming. It was very entertaining and the public followed us in our craziness. We went so far as to stain the curtains and the principal was mad. But we didn’t care, the show was awesome.

Teach, Learn, Share

I traveled a lot, especially in Europe. My best advice for the small pockets is sleepinginairports.com. I slept in some airports in Europe and I think it’s a good way to save money on your last night at a hostel while being sure to be on time for your flight the next morning. You have to be prepared and to be ready for the unexpected. I remember in Stockholm I ended up in the only McDonalds open 24/7 in the entire city. I ate a small meal in the middle of the night and had a wonderful one-to-one discussion with a homeless who had such a life history. It was amazing. That time I tried sleeping at the train/bus station. It turned out they closed it from 00:00 to 03:00. Anyway, it was one of the best travelling experiences of my life.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Apart from really great company and good conversations? I’m fascinated by new things, I can give my host a new vision of his hometown. I have a degree in architecture so I can give my opinion about renovation, the potential of living spaces (my parents are now finishing their second big renovation on the house, believe me, I can help). I can make you discover French culture from both Quebec and France. I can do wonders, just give me the chance.

Countries I’ve Visited

Cuba, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, France