ABOUT ME

*Now in Montreal - since June 2024

*currently in Czech Republic 20/07/2023

I am a New Zealander who discovered France by living for almost a year in the small but beautiful town of Bourges as a language assistant. After this, in La Rochelle, then in Spain, Tafalla and finally Lyon - ten years away from home !

I feel so lucky to be living and travelling in Europe. My work especially and my experiences through CS have made my stay here more than worthwhile, and the friends I have made here have become like a second family.
France is truly my home away from home.
***
Was living in Tafalla, Spain as an English Language Teacher.
FINISHED studying at a cinéma and audiovisuel school in Lyon. Starting to work in the film industry.

PHILOSOPHY

To learn as much as one can about other people, other cultures and therefore life ! I have learnt so much through travelling. It is really the best education one can have.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

During each new experience I try to learn and share as much as I can. I would like one day to make a good old NEW ZEALAND Pavlova for my next CS host. Till now I've have never quite had the time!

Was hosting in La Rochelle:
CS's so far..

Alex - Leipzig, Germany
Manuela & friend - Paris, France
Hasse - Denmark
Alice - United Kingdom
Elliot - Australia
Miriam - Germany
Clément (le magicien!) - Nantes, France
Marie, Elli, Lea - Berlin, Germany
Brendan and Ailsa - Kilkenny, Ireland
Julian and friend - Colombia/Spain
Jennifer - Cuba/New Mexico
Victor - France

When I return home to NZ I would like also to pay it forward by becoming a couchsurfer host.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Magical experiences with hosts who have helped me vist their regions and see sites which would otherwise have been impossible without a car or the kindness and enthusiasm of such wonderful people.
I have been able to meet some amazing travellers and been incredibly well fed with French and foreign specialities and some pretty excellent soirées filled with music and laughter.
One host went out of her way to show me exactly where my interview would be held and even lent me her bike for the day so I could get there and back without any hasstle or stress.
I feel very lucky to have discovered this incredible network of fellow travellers.

Interests

LOVE film (making/editing films for film competions or just for fun with friends, at home and overseas), chatting in cafes, discovering new cities, cooking and eating French food - well all sorts of food really ! Learning languages and about different cultures...

• books
• festivals
• education
• dining
• cooking
• movies
• traveling
• music
• cycling
• teaching
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

SOOOOOO much. My dream was to do the TCM classic film festival in LA. Now I work in film so it’s all good. But till now I have been very lucky to have experienced the Dublin Jameson film festival, completly by chance as it happenes, I was on holiday in Ireland during this week. Fate ? ;)

MOVIES: 1930's 1940's Musicals, Bringing Up Baby, The Philadelphia Story, Rear Window (Hitchcock!!) The Appartment, 12 Angry men, The Big Sleep (any film noir) Tous les Soleils, Ne le dis a Personne, Hors de Prix, Once, The Winslow Boy, Dan in Real Life, V for Vendetta, Star Wars - much MUCH more !!!!
New FAVOURITE: *** 'At Middleton' *** BEAUTIFUL FILM!!!
TV: Un Village Francais, Sherlock, Spooks, X-Files, Dr Who, Game Of Thrones almost anything BBC !!

BOOKS: History books, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Around the World in 80 Days, The Secret Agent, Mercure, Hygiène de l'Assassin, Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, Jane Eyre, Dorothy Parker, Noel Coward, Dickens, Flannery O'Conner, Katherine Mansfield, Arthur Connan Doyal, The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency...a lot more but can't think of them right now !

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

** I won tickets during the Dublin Jameson Film Festival to see Joss Whedon's screening of 'Much Ado About Nothing'.
I found out just before that he was to be present at the screening, he introduced the film and there was a Q&A session at the end.
I got to ask him the final question of the evening !

** went to the 67th Festival of Cannes just for one night and while I was there I got to see Pulp Fiction at night on the Plage du Cinema, Quinten Tarintino, Thurman and Travolta were there !

** This was more so a heart attack experience when on my last day in India with a friend. Our taxi got a flat tyre in the middle of nowhere. Our driver couldn't speak english so we called some people to try and translate and order a new taxi. After a bit of confusion and waiting I thought "stuff it" and waved down a car. Our driver proceeded to have a chat with these guys I'd hailed and returned to the taxi quite pleased with himself.
By this time, he had removed the car tyre and started to roll it towards their car and put it in the back.
NATURALLY (haha!) We thought that these guys were going to help and must have a spare tyre in their boot.
Uh no....
Without a backwards glance our driver gets into their car and drives off !!

SO we are stranded in the middle of India with about 10% phone battery. I was appalled... my friend just laughed.

We ended up hailing down a passing rickshaw who called a taxi and all was well. Our former taxi man was actually going to change the tyre so no foul there in fact …

Teach, Learn, Share

All kinds ! People with stories, who listen who share, who are open minded :)

What I Can Share with Hosts

Cooking
French conversation, Spanish (though expect it to be very hilarious)
Lots of Book and Film chats
Walks in non-touristy areas, getting lost and finding hidden cafes and cake ;)

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Scotland, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Czech Republic, France, New Zealand, Spain, United Kingdom