Currently (28 March 2023): stranded in Bologna with no roof for the night. It is also my last night here! If someone else in this situation we could split a hotel room together.

I'm Rafa! I'm a Panamanian guy living in Berlin with a joy for traveling and reading. I like to draw and play the guitar. I have been studying in Berlin for four years, but I'm moving around whenever I get the chance.

In Panama I was very active in NGOs. I worked in promoting recycling and environmental protection. My most significant work was volunteering for 4 years in TECHO, an NGO working with communities with no property rights and helping them get the government to recognize them1.

I'm taking time to adapt to Berlin. Crazy city! But meeting new people and connecting is making me fall in love with my life here again.

I'm gay and had some rough patches growing up because of this, so sometimes I'm a bit shy, but this goes away after a while. I'm kind and thoughtful and love conversation.

Always up for a beer and a little dancing.

Know that my roof accepts all kinds of people with no discrimination. Please write and I will do my best to accommodate you if I can!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I recently moved into an apartment where I can host people so I want to share this with people who want to come to Berlin.

I shiffted my mindset into believing in the kindness of others and being kind yourself and this motivated me to couchsurf for my travels.
I'm also frequently traveling within Europe and would love to meet new people.

Interests

I'm a beginner, but I really love to play guitar and sing. Reading, a lot. I haven't read as much as I like to lately because I'm exploring other things and caught in the flurry of adulthood and studies.

Going to bars,talking or chilling somewhere with nice music and conversation is mostly what I gravitate to. But very open to all kinds of events.

I'm improving my french after my exchange semester in Paris, so any opportunity to practice is welcome!

• dancing
• reading
• drawing
• ecology
• art
• urbanism

Music, Movies, and Books

I like indie rock and folk a lot. Like Of Monsters and Men, The Naked and Famous, Mumford and Sons, Florence + the machine to say some. Oh, and Father John Misty.

I also like electronical music like Boris Brejcha, Hercules and Love Affair, Sylvan Esso, Purity Ring.

My favorite books right now are 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being', 'To the Lighthouse' and 'All the Light we cannot see' I know the first one is cliché. Doesn't matter.

Movies is more difficult for me to say, but I had an obsession with The Pawn's Labyrinth and Lost in Translation. Oh, and I love horror films. Not gore especially though, more into psychological thrillers.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I have climbed the highest point in Panama 4 times now. I feel alive when I do this, connected deeply with nature and the elements. Every time it is a different experience and the volcano welcomes you in different ways. One time we got lost but managed to find our way back to the beginning of the trail. That one was a tough dance between the volcano and me, but he let me escape.

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach: we will cook crazy stuff, hand me a recipe and you will not be disappointed.
Among my accolades are cooking: empanadas, hojaldres, enchiladas, pizza, bread, sushi, cinnamon rolls, granola bars, onion soup, pumpkin soup... You get the point.

Don't ask me about Panama or latin america social justice because I will not stop. Jk, you can ask me but I can get very passionate about it.

Learn: I'd like to learn more about music, so showing me some bands or a bit of history of jazz and rock, or playing music together are all super fun and interesting to me.

Or just tell me from where you come from, I like getting impressions of other countries I've not yet been to!

Share: I have a massive list of books and movies, so I can recommend something for mostly everyone.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Colombia, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Germany, Panama