CURRENT MISSION

share, learn, think positive, laugh, love

ABOUT ME

Since starting to do yoga and meditation in a big way, I'€™ve become a bit of an early bird! Many people are shocked by the time I wake up, including me!! Ha ha!

I like to be INVOLVED. What I'm involved in can change. At the moment, I'€™m learning French, so I do things in my leisure time to help that, like reading bilingual novels, watching French films... I like to go walking from time to time in the mountains near me.

I€'ve got a small nephew (he'€™s one year old!) who lives in Paris, so quite often I go there to hang out with him. He's wonderful company! I love it how children live NOW. His moods change so rapidly, but there are plenty of smiles and joy, which is fabulous! He doesn'€™t remember if he had a bad time yesterday, or worry if tomorrow'€™s going to be tiring, so he is a good reminder of how to approach life.

When travelling, I like walking, beaches, water (especially the sea!), trees, interesting buildings, dancing, music, trying different veggie food¦I love taking photos.

In people, I like the diversity that exists! Everyone is unique. I've lived in a lot of different places, and have had to say lots of goodbyes, but it's worth it for the experiences of being with friends and sharing experiences. I think I'€™m pretty tolerant and accepting, and I like it when people can accept that I am different too!

PHILOSOPHY

Being inclusive. Not paying too much attention to the demands of the mind, emotions or body. Being open. Being fully present in the HERE and NOW. Taking risks. Committing fully. Knowing that I’m not the be-all and end-all of live, having a perspective. Seeing the immensity of mountains every day definitely helps with that!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Hosting and surfing.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I started when my friend told me about her experiences CSing in Australia. At the time I was living in a huge flat in Malaysia, so I thought – why not host? I had good experiences – my first guest was a CS ambassador, so I could ask loads of questions, and set my mind at ease.

When I came for my job interviews in Geneva, I surfed for the first time. It wasn't as easy as I’d thought. In the end someone accepted me last minute, and I had a good experience. Then I surfed again when I first moved here. I also met “cup of coffee” people, so I would know some of my neighbours.

I’ve also surfed in India. It was great to meet locals. When I got settled here, I started hosting again. Sorry, but if you come and stay with me, you should know that I’m not a local. I live in France and work in Switzerland, but I’m English. Most CSers didn’t work that out from my old profile! For a few months I flat shared with another CSer, and that was fantastic. We had a very similar outlook.

I think I’m lucky to have the things I have, and if other people can enjoy sharing them, we both win.

Interests

Looking out of the window! Now, if that sounds silly, think again! I can see Mont Blanc from my window on a clear day, and there are fantastic sunrises, sunsets, rainbows, all sorts of delights just there!

Otherwise: yoga and meditation, art, things involving water,cooking veggie food, dancing, chatting, playing games...

• arts
• books
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• yoga
• meditation
• walking
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• music
• surfing
• swimming
• cartography
• tourism
• beaches
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Yes, please!
I like to listen to music, to dance, to watch films and to read. But don'€™t ask for a list, it's too hard. I'm not the kind of person who does Top 10s.
The only sound I don't much like is the electric guitar.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I woke up this morning!!
No, seriously… Definitely, meeting Sadhguru was THE most incredible thing. Meeting an enlightened being is pretty rare, and extremely memorable! A whole hall full of people crying tears of joy is something you can’t forget in a hurry!
The three courses I did through his Isha Foundation http://www.ishafoundation.org/ have turned my life around! They deserve credit for so many positive things in my life. They’ve given me new eyes – a new way to see life! That’s pretty amazing.
I feel so lucky that I had those opportunities to develop an openness and inclusiveness to the joy that's possible in life. I've had some incredible experiences as a result of it, and really want more of them. More zest, hope, peace, love! YES PLEASE!
That’s why I do my practices every day – to get another boost before interacting with the outside world.
Otherwise, well, I’ve been very lucky. I’ve been to a lot of places, and had many incredible experiences, including:
- witnessing the Northern Lights and walking on frozen sea inFinland- swimming with turtles in Malaysia- sleeping in a hammock at the top of a waterfall and seeing the infinite expanse of stars above me
BUT you don’t need to travel the world to have amazing experiences. The MOST incredible and amazing thing to experience is to be able to experience NOW! It may not be the stuff of postcards, but being present in the moment is such a beautiful and enriching thing!

Teach, Learn, Share

Share: depends on the circumstances, but probably time, food,
smiles, laughter, maps, books, music
Learn: Let’s learn together. It has to be said, I’m not an
excellent tour guide, but I can share the knowledge I have about wherever I am.

Countries I’ve Visited

Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Poland, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Czech Republic, Finland, France, Malawi, Malaysia, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Zambia

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