CURRENT MISSION

Transform from an ostrich into a donkey.

ABOUT ME

Welcome, I'm Anja, a Dutch curious, warmhearted person. I live in Nijmegen, one of the university cities in the Netherlands and share my house with a plant jungle and with my boyfriend Derick. I enjoy having dinner together, playing games, go for drinks, concerts, walks and bicycle rides in nature. In case you know how do dance Argentinian tango, let me know and I'll see if we can visit a salon together :) .

For my job I recently changed from an evaluator of development aid projects worldwide - which made me travel a lot :) - to a teacher in research methods and statistics - boring ;) . During my studies I used to make my living as a cook, so when traveling I always like to try local dishes and learn how to cook those.

So far, I traveled around Europe, visited friends in Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, New Zealand, India, Indonesia, and Turkey. My job brought me to South Africa, Zambia, Indonesia, India, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, and Poland - an odd one in this list ;) . In 2017 I went to Iran for holidays, including some couchsurf stays, which I can recommended to everyone. Kenya was a nice holiday destination after work trips to Uganda. On the list for 2018: Kenya, Norway, France and Uganda. 2019 started in Uganda with my love, and hoping to be there again later this year. Work might bring me to Nigeria, a new country to explore.

PHILOSOPHY

Rather be naive than suspicious.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I can host two people per time in our guest room.

During the week, I probably won't have much time to show you around the city. Playing games, and chatting or having dinner is something that would be possible. I certainly will have more time during the weekends. Going out for a drink, lunch or dinner would also be nice.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

In August 2013, I joined CS when I was visiting friends in New Delhi. To get a broader picture of India than just expat life, I met several people, which was a real pleasure and made my stay in Delhi and Khajuraho much more exciting and enjoyable.

Since then I hosted a number of people, surfed some couches and met/ traveled with other couchsurfers when abroad myself. Recently I surfed some couches in Iran and Ghana.

Interests

Found a new love in Argentinian tango :) . Apart from that: city trips, nature trips (walking and bicycling, and occasionally kayaking - definitely not talented but getting better each time), bikram yoga, playing board games and card games, cooking and trying out new food, meeting people, going out for a drink/ concert/ picknick/ dancing, and playing the cello (have some idle hopes that one day I'll be as good as when I just stopped having classes).

Currently I'm learning French and Luganda, so very eager to meet people with whom I could practice.

Music, Movies, and Books

Upcoming concerts:
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, often last-minute decisions, or live music at the Kaaij.

Recent concerts:
Carel Kraaijenhoff Ensemble, Ben Caplan, Oslo Fat String Quartet, Akua Nura, Lisa Hannigan, Songhoy Blues, Jeangu Macrooy, Luke Winslow-King, Eric Vloeimans & Egbert Derix, Michael Kiwanuka, Down the Rabbit Hole 2016 (festival), Nathalie Merchant, Transition Festival: little sister of North Sea Jazz, Jose James, Down the Rabbit Hole 2015 (festival: Motorpsycho, Max Richter, CC Smugglers, Goat, Ghostpoet, Songhoy Blues, Benjamin Booker, Throes and the Shine), Lamb, Anouar Brahem, Tarrus Riley, King Khan and the Shrines (go there if you want to have a real party!), Avishai Cohen, Josh Ritter, DAAU, Steven Wilson, Low, Gregory Porter

Recent or favorite movies:
- Parasite
- The two popes
- Harriet
- Les invisibles
- Okja
- Lunchbox
- La vie d'Adèle
- Intouchables
- Je l'amais
- Adam's Apples
- The Green Butchers
- Estomago
- Oldboy

Recent books:
- Doreen Baingana - Tropical Fish
- Chaim Potok - The chosen | The promise
- Angie Thomas - The Hate U Give
- Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi - Kintu
- Peter Carey - Bliss
- Paul Theroux - The mosquito coast
- Pramoedya Ananta Toer - The Buru Quartet
- Graeme Simsion - The Rosie Project & The Rosie Effect
- Kazuo Ishiguro - Remains of the day
- Amin Maalouf - Balthasar's Odyssey
- Manu Joseph - The illicit happiness of other people

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Only one? Why not mention two?
(1) Deltaflying: The feeling of freedom it gave me was so nice :)
(2) Returning to the world after having been lost in the Albanian mountains

Teach, Learn, Share

Teaching you Dutch cuisine, which is delicious if you know how to do it well. Interested in learning more about local cuisines of surfers and hosts, and in practicing French and Luganda.

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Kenya, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Rwanda, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, Vatican City State, Zambia

Countries I’ve Lived In

Netherlands, Poland, Uganda