Hello, hi :)

My name is Rebecca, a postgraduate student from South Africa who's indulging in a year of travelling in and around Europe before plunging back into Academia/the working world.

I like to think of myself as being curious, grounded and easy-going.

I have an postgraduate Honours degree in English Literature, but have dabbled in psychology, anthropology, linguistics, drama and environmental geographical sciences along the way. I think the cross-pollination of ideas is so important.
I love learning from people and sharing stories.
I could spend hours drifting through book shops, art museums, galleries and watching people in public spaces.
Theater outings, jazz, live music and film screenings are always a treat.
Dancing to Afro-Funk and Disco is my absolute best.
I also love cooking , especially with things plucked straight from the garden.
Lush forests walks. Mountain hiking. Grassland meandering. Lakeside lounging. Dust. Rocks. Desert. The ocean too. Bliss.

I recently completed a TEFL course so that I can travel and teach English around the world before doing my Masters. I wanted to see a bit of Europe too, so I'm currently au pairing and doing some English tutoring just outside of Paris. Using this time to reflect and write for myself.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To explore, connect, and learn from other parts of the world.

Interests

• arts
• culture
• poetry
• theater
• sketching
• illustrations
• dancing
• education
• wine
• coffee
• yoga
• crafts
• gardening
• board games
• reading
• painting
• podcasts
• music
• jazz
• cycling
• hiking
• languages
• films
• food
• sustainability
• permaculture
• funk
• card games
• vegetarian cooking
• collecting
• philosphy
• urban gardening
• dinner parties
• children's books
• charades
• kloofing

Music, Movies, and Books

Books:
Small Moving Parts by Sally-Anne Murray
Portrait with Keys by Ivan Vladislavić
Just Kids by Patti Smith
On Beauty / White Teeth / Swing Time by Zadie Smith
Half of a Yelllow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The Posionwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Quiet Violence of Dreams by K. Sello Duiker
The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
Black Skin White Masks by Frantz Fanon
Rediscovery of the Ordinary (essays) by Njabulo S. Ndebele
Sounds of a Cowhide Drum (poetry) by Mbuyiseni Oswald Mtshali
Blink / Outliers by Malcom Gladwell
The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks
The Vegetarian by Han Kang
The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhuti Roy

Music:
Benjamin Clementine , Cat Stevens, Joanna Newsom, The Brother Moves On, John Wizards, Beatenberg , Bob Dylan , Arcade Fire, Boca Livre , Caetano Veloso, Fela Kuti, Ali Farka Touré, Nakhane Touré, Curtis Mayfield, Gil Scott-Heron, Marvin Gaye, Earth Wind and Fire, Kate Bush , Bateleur , Beach House, Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, Simon and Garfunkel, Jungle, Frank Ocean, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Pink Floyd, Leonard Cohen, Abdullah Ibrahim, Hugh Masekela, Miles Davis, Theloius Monk, Alice Phoebe Lou, Etta James, Nina Simone, Little Walter, White Stripes, Ottis Reddering, St Vincent, Francois Hardy, Tupac, Vulfpek, Bob Marley, Lucky Dube, Michael Jackson, Prince, etc etc...

Movies:
20th Century Women / Frances Ha / Tree of Life / Moonlight / Billy Elliot / Amelie / The Red Turtle / Howl's Moving Castles/ Spirited Away / The Triplets of Belleville / Tsotsi / District 9 / I'm Not There / Romeo +Juliet / Lost in Translation / Moonrise Kingdom / Before Sunrise, Sunset, Midnight trilogy / Fight Club / Kinky Boots / The Dreamers / To Kill a Mockingbird / Pulp Fiction / Paterson / La Haine / Fargo / Spotlight / Life is Beautiful / Singing in the Rain / Leon the Professional / Mulan / The Lion King / Call Me by Your Name / Isle of Dogs

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Ran along the beach one night during a plankton tide in Keurboomstrand. Every footstep turned electric blue. Avatar glowy blue. When we eventually plunged into the icy water, we were radiating bio luminescence. It was utterly surreal.

Teach, Learn, Share

- Interested in learning about your passions, listening to your stories and picking your brain for all the anecdotes and ideas you've gathered over the years.
- Although site-seeing is great, what I'd love most is to peek into the everyday lives of different people, cultures and places. See the hidden gems and grit of a city.
- Also very keen to swap some culinary skills. Maybe we could teach each other how to cook a favorite local dish?
- I've recently planted a veggie garden and want to keep it happy. If you have any tips and tricks up your sleeve, do please pass them on.
- Teach me your card games and magic tricks! (I've got this one really great one. Really, really great. I swore not to share it with anyone, but maybe we can strike up a deal?)
- I can teach you how to make Kusudamas (Origami 'medicine' balls) and paper cranes.
- I'd love to develop my language skills.

What I Can Share with Hosts

- Rooibos tea and Ouma rusks (actually I have none of these things left and will have to re-stock for my next trip)
- One dazzling card trick.
- The family brownie recipe (nothing compares)
- Some of my favorite vegetarian dishes
- South African musical gems
- South African slang

Otherwise, I'm pretty easy-going and promise to be very considerate of your space.

I think kids are fantastic. They are some of the most interesting people to have conversations with. I'm the eldest of three, so I've developed a knack for entertaining the youngins. If you need a babysitter, I'm your gal.

I'm very resourceful and hate things going to waste. Up-cycling and re-purposing is a vibe. If you've got old and broken things lying about, let me give them new life.

I've also got super crafty fingers and love making/drawing/painting/building/molding things. We could have a craft night!

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lesotho, Mozambique, Netherlands, Scotland

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, South Africa