CURRENT MISSION

Living my way by avoiding traditional work structures and top-down hierarchies, instead maximizing my time spent on valuable things: own projects, moments of life, nature. The previous chapter of "Travel and experience the world and find out, what's important in life." is kind of finished for now.

ABOUT ME

"Hello, world!"... some famous words in history, but also a good start for a couchsurfing profile! My name is Andreas and I´m participating in CS for sharing views on the world, experiences and traveling moments with others. You are welcome to stay in Berlin!

During my studies I tried to combine uni accomplishments with the fun part of life: traveling, working and studying in Australia, internships in Norway, projects in India and Indonesia, hitchhiking through some parts of Europe, and endless more adventures! Most of my relevant occupation were related to renewable energy (bioenergy, hydro power) and development cooperation, but while finally settling down in Berlin I had a new plan. For the past five year I founded or have been part of three startups ideating ideas to market fits. Meanwhile many projects and startups ask me for business development guidance and I'm in the process of professionalizing my consultation skills.

People describe me as an open-minded person. I'm up for a lot of adventure and get along pretty fast and easy with everybody and everything. I'm very energetic and friends often wonder how the hack I gain the power to do many, many things to its full extent. The answer is curiosity, being in the moment, sports and healthy food.

I love to hang around with my friends, want to explore the world and get to know why everything is like it is. Sometimes I feel like making things better and other times I only want to have party...

PHILOSOPHY

"You can get it if you really want, but you must try..." (Jimmy Cliff)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I hosted herds of couchsurfers and friends of friends of friends... and besides that, when I'm traveling I hopefully embody the CS spirit!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Oh guys! Over the years there has been so many incredible CS experiences. Here are the top 3!

1. Couchsurfing close to Budapest turned out to change my entire view of the project. How amazing it was that the host hasn't been at home for weeks, but constantly people could stay at his place and using everything as it would be their own home! Mostly there were between 10 and 30 people around while the host was traveling. (2008)

2. Do you guys know what shrimping is? First I thought, we'll go catching shrimp, but my Malaysian friends at Borneo proofed me wrong, when they took me out for catching prawns with little shrimps on the hooks. (2011)

3. In the summer of 2006 we had a really great time to make friends. The world was "at our place" since the World Cup was running in Germany and here is a little episode from back in that days: That night Nicole and Miguel (Australia), Gerard and Mathieu (France), Mario, Renan and Roberto (Brasil) and Marc (Luxemburg) and two Germans (Felix and me) decided to go for swimming. We walked a few minutes and observed the swimming pool to ensure that nobody is in there, climbed over the fence...None of us hesitated... but when it came down to swimming only the Europeans put off their clothes and went into the water...the Australians and Brasilians didn´t follow us, because it was "too cold" ...was a very funny night...(2006)

Interests

Sports are an essential part of my life. In Berlin I'll go climbing one or two times per week and will most-likely bring you to my favorite spots. I always connect different sites by bicycle, so the city streets became my terrain for more than 10 years now. Yoga is another weekly retreat from the other energetic sports, as well as from my work life. In the summer I might be able to take you on a kayak trip in the outskirts of Berlin, which is just a 40 min bike ride away. Most of my holidays nowadays drag me into the mountains, going hiking or climbing. I'm glad most of my interests are happing in the nature, because I'm quit a nature boy. Caring for a healthy lifestyle good food and cooking is another important part in my daily routine.

• yoga
• traveling
• cycling
• hiking
• kayaking
• sailing
• rock climbing
• swimming
• hitchhiking
• nature
• healthy food

Music, Movies, and Books

On the road, Big Sur, Dharma Bums to name a few books of my favorite writer and ideal Jack Kerouac who interestingly reflected: "Because in the end you won't remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain."

Other than that: Shantaram, Siddharta, The little prince, Into the wild, Brave new world... and many more books I especially enjoy to read after the summer having hit the road and feeling home in a cosy place.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

When in early 2011 the volcano Bromo (Java, Indonesia) erupted I only thought that I once will have to see a volcano. I didn't know how close I would go... A few month later I was traveling with two Dutch friends and we passed Bromo on out itinerary. Although it was not throwing lava out of the gigantic chimney, ash clowds were rising hundreds of meters in a few seconds! Well, and we decided to watch that imense power of Mother Nature from as close as possible, so we went up on the volcano rim and looked inside! It was so amazing, because I've never seen such a power before and it made me feel very small...

Teach, Learn, Share

Breaking out of the conventional thinking and develop approaches that match one's desires instead of adjusting one's life to the various circumstances and restrictions.... I believe a satisfied way of life first of all needs the freedom of thinking and then the power to go on one's own path.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Besides the two couches in our flat-shares cozy living room I can offer an insight into Berlin lifestyle and startup ecosystem. I'm happy to spent some time with Couchsurfers and share time cooking local dishes from wherever you are from.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Fiji, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Norway

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