All about me? Gosh, how to begin... I'm twenty years old and spending way too much time just hanging around or doing nothing productive.

I'm something like a realistic optimist. It takes a lot to actually bring me down.

My aunt, who took me on journeys since I was six, taught me to encounter foreign cultures with interest and without reservations - I will try to spread this message.

Also, she taught me the beauty of photography and how great it is to save moments in a nicely done photo-album. I'm actually studying Photography in Dortmund, Germany, right now and hopefully it'll become my main-job later on. So far I've had a few jobs here and there, but not nearly enough to make a living off.

Photographies also help me to remember all the things I've seen and done while on journey, like a journal.

I used to be a slam poet, but I guess I've lost the motivation to continue. But I'm still occassionally writing - for example as a freelance editor for a local magazine. It's published only every three months, but I get to cover topics of my own choosing and gives me the opportunity to research on things I wouldn't have learned much on otherwise (e.g. I once hitchhiked on boats for two days to learn more about the life as a captain).

Speaking of hitchhiking: I LOVE IT! And I love talking about it. So if we ever should meet in person, please tell me all your stories about it - where you've been, what you've seen, what was your most special experience, ... I hitchhiked the first time in May 2011 and so far I got picked up exactly 112 times and travelled about 11,500km this way (I'm also kind of obsessed with keeping lists).

My first big time abroad was a bike-tour through France in 2010 when I was 18. I took my mother's bike (which was too small and lila), covered 2313 in 21 days and lost 20 pounds (which I gained all again and some more). I was so keen on doing 100+ kilometers each day that I actually didn't get in touch with many locals or spent much time at the same place. It was weird spending so much time with me alone, but I learned a lot about myself and what it means to travel all by yourself. Eventhough I was homesick quite often and my muscles were sore, I'm sure this was a very important journey for me and my future travels.

The year after that I spent a month in Athens, researching on loval streetart and graffiti. It was a very interesting experience, since I was on a budget and had to work in a hostel to afford accomodation there. I met

I can be a very dynamic person, and stay that for days. I made a major bike trip through France in 2010 that showed me what I'm capable of. When I see a reason to, I can pull all-nighters, sleep in the gutters to just keep going.
But I also enjoy calm, relaxed days on which nothing at all happens. As long as the company fits!

PHILOSOPHY

I'm a born optimist. I believe in the good in mankind, and so I'm trying to encounter strangers without reservations.
I go hitchhiking and couchsurfing, because I see a huge potential that shouldn't be wasted. The experiences we make while coming up for strangers, encounter the vague future are too worthy to not be done, and they balance all the risks that might lurk.

That's why whenever I'm on the road/on a trip and it comes to situations other might think they are really risky (like sleeping on the street, taking a ride with a stranger, etc.), I simply don't think anything is going to happen. I'm not that naive to think nothing can happen - but I just don't think it will. I'm sure there's something about our own attitude and behaviour, that has a huge influence on our environment and how we are perceived.

Keep calm. And everything will be fine.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

The first two times I surfed a couch were at the same couple's home in Paris. I had such a great time with them! But since then, I was able to meet a couple of CouchSurfer in German and Greece.
So far I couldn't host anyone in my city. In all the time I'm registered, there were just two requests - but both times while I was on vacation myself. I hope I get the chance to host someone in the future!

Interests

Literature.
Photography.
streetart.
Biking.
poetry (slam).
Procrastination.

Music, Movies, and Books

Authors: Nick Hornby, Charles Bukowski, Edgar Allan Poe, Walter Moers, Christian Gailly, Wolfgang Koeppen, Dan Brown, Paul Murray, Jonathan Safran Foer, Schiller, Pascal Mercier, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, ...

Movies/Series: Big Fish, A beautiful Mind, Garden State, Harold & Maude, Imaginary Heroes, Gran Torino, The Big Bang Theory, how i met your mother, Scrubs, Friends, Star Wars, ...

I don't have THE ONE favourte book of mine, but I want to present you my selection of loved books:

The Hotel New Hampshire - John Irving
Night Train to Lisbon - Pascal Mercier
A long way down - Nick Hornby
The City of dreaming Books - Walter Moers

There's also a lot of music I really like, but these are my all-time-favourite bands:
Toctronic, kettcar, Bishop Allen, Kings of Convenience

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

In summer 2009 and 2010 I've been on a Theater-Camp with 120 other youths - an amazing experience! Although we didn't know each other, there was from the first day on a great friendly and familiar atmosphere who made it possible to do great projects.

In summer 2010 I rode the bike through France and Belgium on my own for almost four weeks. I travelled 2300km, lost 20 pounds and met a lot of interesting people.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you how to memorize words and numbers really fast. That might not be the greatest skill, but hey.
And of course I can teach you some German. For starters: "Gute Reise" means bon voyage (have a good trip).

Countries I’ve Visited

Czech Republic, France, Greece, Italy, Poland, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Germany