CURRENT MISSION

Being a student in the School of Life, re-inventing myself after I quit my job, gave up my rented flat and sold or gave away about 90% of my stuff in 2019.

ABOUT ME

Outgoing. Reflective. In for new things, even weird ones. Don't like coffee, anything else goes. Like to joke around, but can be serious too. Always in to help, sometimes a little too much and I forget about treating myself well enough. Good with animals. Respectful to other people's opinions, although I do like to challenge those. Eager to learn. Eager to teach. Eager to change my mind on topics. Stubborn at times. Independent. Severe case of travel bug under my skin. Sometimes afraid. Human, therefore perfectly imperfect, sometimes perfectly unaware of that fact. Human, therefore flawed, but most times able to say sorry and right my wrongs, so it's OK. I'm a hugger. I want to be able to listen carefully and with my full attention to you. Understand you. Be there for you. Often I'll succeed. I want to learn from you, know who you are, feel connected to you. Possibly become friends who see each other once in a while. I'm friendly, like most humans. I eat vegetarian if I have a choice, but not a purist. I like my privacy, but I'm very much a social creature, so by all means take me places and show me your mates! I like alcohol, and can indulge myself in it from time to time, but I know when to stop. Tea's fine, too. There are days I don't want to do a thing, except watch Netflix and YouTube, browse stupid cat GIFs and eat pizza. On other days I want to feel alive, go wild camping, cycling, go to another country, experience something new, try out a new game, a new recipe. I don't like being lied to, cheated on or ignored. Honesty is the best. And honestly, even I tell a white lie every once in a while.

Well, that's just a few keywords I wrote about myself. Let's get to know each other and you tell me what I should write here instead ;).

PHILOSOPHY

This is your LIFE. Do what you love, and do it often. If you don't like something, change it. If you don't like your job, quit. If you don't have enough time, stop watching TV. If you are looking for the love of your life, STOP; they will be waiting for you when you start doing things you love. Stop over analyzing, life is simple. ALL emotions are beautiful. When you eat, appreciate every last bite. Open your mind, arms and heart to new things and people, we are united in our differences. Travel often; getting lost will help you find yourself. Some opportunities will only come once; seize them. Life is short. Live your dream and share your passion.

Life is about the people you meet and the things you create with them, so go out and start creating!

Inspired by the Holstee Manifesto

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I hosted a lot of people that needed a place to stay and got to know them. I could also help others get to know the website or a particular city or country I know a lot about. I'm also active in the CS meet ups and message boards and started several events and groups myself. However, right now I'm not able to host anyone as I'm mostly traveling or house sitting myself, and don't have the ability or permission to host.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE
Hosted a lot of people from all over the world:
- Scotland
- The Netherlands
- UK
- Ireland
- China
- Japan
- Congo
- Czech Republic
- Germany
- Australia
- USA
- Poland
- Belgium
- France
- Bulgaria
- Finland
- Mexico
- South Africa

I surfed at a lot of places, mostly in Europe. What I found most fascinating is that I meet people from all ethnic groups, all with different views and cultural habits. One time you're sleeping on the ground in a squatted place, the other time you're staying at a Norwegian villa. Life can be fortunate sometimes if you let go. I believe CouchSurfing widened my horizon of understanding who we are as a human species. Thanks to all hosts and surfers that made this possible. And, of course, the CouchSurfing website itself! Even though it is only an online tool and the real connection can happen anywhere, the community is an important place to get familiar with the concept of offering a place to sleep to get to know people.

Interests

Computers, traveling, Ultimate Frisbee, cooking, people, reading, listening to and making music, actually many subjects interest me from vulcano's to cars, from symbols to trains, you get it.

• culture
• design
• concerts
• festivals
• cooking
• reading
• tv
• traveling
• cars
• socializing
• music
• outdoor activities
• bungee jumping
• business
• entrepreneurship
• science
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

See my last.fm profile for a list of artists I like. In reality I don't have a specific genre that I listen. My interests go from Michael Jackson to the Offspring to Daft Punk to Irish Folk to some Trance as well.

http://www.last.fm/user/riddergraniet

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

- killed a chicken for my chicken soup (it had a wonderful life)
- seen the most beautiful, unpoluted night skies in rural South Africa
- bungee jumped
- shook hands and talked with both our former Queen (Beatrix) and our current Queen (Maxima)
- hitch hiked with a rocket scientist from ESA at Christmas in snowy Czech Republic
- cycled all the way from Bucharest to Budapest along the Danube river (1400km)
- cycled the west coast of USA from Vancouver to San Francisco. It was amazing!
- hosted refugees from Iraq
- drove with our campervan across Europe for 6 months in 2019, continuing to travel in 2020

Teach, Learn, Share

Programming, Ultimate Frisbee, cooking skills and a whole lot of facts about nearly everything :P

What I Can Share with Hosts

Countless hitchhiking stories, how to play the drums, how to travel on a shoestring budget, how to throw the frisbee like a pro, how to cycle around the world, how to program websites, how to give up your job, house and almost everything you own and start traveling, how to find and buy a campervan and live the vanlife.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Belgium, Netherlands, Romania

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