I'm a friendly, curious, bookish person with an interest in good food, good conversation, and making happy memories.

I'm close to completing a PhD in South Asian Studies at Aarhus University, Denmark. Besides this, I'm trying to learn how to dis-identify with the idea of being a PhD student because I won't be one for much longer. Any tips you have for how I may do this are appreciated ;-)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm on Couchsurfing because I've heard from friends that it's a great way to make friends in places that would only be accessible otherwise as a tourist.

It appears to be a platform that encourages friendship and generosity without the mediation of money. Any creative alternatives to the capitalist norms of our societies is something to be celebrated!

Interests

I like to read, write, travel, cook, eat good food, spend time with friends, flap my arms to music. I like to meet new people. I enjoy the company of cats.

• cats
• dogs
• poetry
• cooking
• running
• reading
• socialism
• wes anderson
• learning german
• writing letters
• cooking together
• tim burton

Music, Movies, and Books

Favourite Music:
Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, Patti Smith, Tracy Chapman, Pink Floyd, Andrew Bird, Devendra Banhart, Fiona Apple, Amanda Palmer, Indian Ocean, Hozier

Favourite Books:
Books by the wonderful Marxist geographer David Harvey, 'The Golden Gate' by Vikram Seth, 'Siddhartha' by Hermann Hesse, 'A Passage to India' by E. M. Forster, Alice Munro's short stories, 'Life and Times of Michael K' by J.M. Coetzee, 'The Heart Goes Last' by Margaret Atwood, 'Such a Long Journey' by Rohinton Mistry,

Favourite Movies:
'Turtles Can Fly' by Bahman Ghobadi, 'A Separation' by Asghar Farhadi, 'The Lunchbox' by Ritesh Batra, movies by Tim Burton and Wes Anderson

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I once cooked a big 'biryani' meal for 15 Danes (biryani is a layered, slow-cooked, aromatic South Asian rice dish). They were very eager that the dish be "authentically spicy" and very disappointed that they weren't sweating from their scalps while they ate it (in other words, it wasn't spicy enough for them). It was however the first time that I pulled off cooking for so many people at once. :-)

Teach, Learn, Share

I can share poems and other snippets of soulful literature that have been life-boats to me when I've needed guidance or consolation.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'd be happy to cook my hosts a good meal, sing them a song, give them a brief and hopefully entertaining synopsis of my PhD project, or to share something about my background, nation, tribe...

Countries I’ve Visited

Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Croatia, Denmark, England, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

Denmark, Germany, India