CURRENT MISSION

To meet people from all over the world, make lifelong friends and visit as many countries as possible.

ABOUT ME

Hey there, our names are Philippe Messer and Gabrielle Thompson and we live in Devon, England just outside of Exeter.

We moved here about a year ago and we are keen travelers looking to meet similarly minded people to share stories, make new friends and show you what Devon has to offer.

Phil - I work as a French secondary school teacher and have lived and worked in various countries over the world teaching languages.
Gabrielle (Gabi)- I am a junior doctor and also taught English in Japan.

If you happen to be in the area and need somewhere to stay, contact us and all we ask in exchange is some interesting stories!

PHILOSOPHY

Deep question. Nice and simple really, we only have one life and want to experience as much as possible, see as much as possible, and meet as many people as we can. Road less traveled etc...

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

We are just starting out with couch surfing but we are aiming to host people for the next year or so and then hopefully hit the road ourselves. We would love to meet some interesting people from all over the world who might not mind us popping by at some point in the future.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Phil - I took part in a couch surfing experience in Delhi, India in 2011. I stayed in a slum school for two weeks with a delightful family and am aiming to return this summer as part of a charity project I am running with my school.

Interests

Anything and everything really.

Philippe: I am a very keen traveler, particularly back packing and learning languages. I love playing sports like basketball, squash, swimming and have recently started Ju-jitsu. I am a big film and video game fan and will happily talk about them for ages.

Gabrielle: I am also interested in travel and particularly history and culture. I love to read and learn about ancient cultures as well as participate in creative projects like sewing and knitting. I love playing the role of the tour guide and can talk your ears off about history for hours.

• animals
• culture
• running
• traveling
• socializing
• knitting
• hiking
• surfing
• sports
• basketball
• racquetball
• swimming
• teaching
• history
• languages
• medicine
• tourism
• beaches
• squash

Music, Movies, and Books

Phil: Now that is a question! You'll have to come stay to find out the extent of my film, music and book tastes. I guess my all time favourite films are: The Green Mile, Cinema Paradiso, 12 Angry Men, Back to the Future and anything by Tarantino. Although recently the Lego Movie shot near to the top. Music, I tend to lean towards Rock, Indie, Punk Rock but anything is fine. I currently have a guitar sitting in the corner that definitely needs more love. Big video game fan and would say my favourites are: Zelda Ocarina of Time, Shenmue 2, Last of Us, Mario 64 and countless more.

Gabi: My favourite band is Maroon 5 but I am very keen on musicals and am also a closet country fan! I tend to read non-fiction books but I am currently battling my way through Game of Thrones when I have the time.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Phil: So many to mention but usually the small things stand out. Last year, I spent some time in Malawi and I remember playing a game called Bawo with the locals down the market and that really stuck with me. Big fan of wild animals so sitting on a beach in the Falkland islands while 20 plus penguins slowly circling me curiously checking me out would be an amazing moment.

Gabi: For me, hiking Mount Fuji in Japan was a truly amazing experience. We climbed over night to see the sunrise from the top. A truly stunning sight that will stay with me forever.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, India, Italy, Madagascar, Malawi, Netherlands, Peru, Portugal, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, France, Japan, Spain, United States