Updated (11/06/2018):

Wow, here we are 2,5 years after my last update (see below). So much has happened. I’m still a student, but I haven’t ‘studied’ in the last.. time (starting again in October if everything goes well). Instead I have gone through one of my wildest yet best years so far. Would you like to know whether you can endure an enormous heap of work, being messaged literally constantly by people from all kinds of places and also attending social drinks, parties, thematic activities and spending many, many events abroad? Then join the board of an AEGEE local!

So, there’s more to me, but let’s meet up to talk about that! I have been inactive for some time on CS, but I’ve hosted, I don’t know, a hundred and fifty, two hundred people or more in the meantime? All members from my European youth organisation AEGEE-Europe! And I’ve stayed with them as well. Sometimes good friends, sometimes ‘strangers’. To me it’s still amazing how we have friends everywhere actually, whether you know them already or not.

If you read the old texts below you’ll see my life has taken quite a hilarious turn, enjoy!

Updated (20/01/2016):

I'm still into biology, ecology, evolution and parasites, but my life looks a bit different now. I actually am pretty much taking a break from studying (not officially, still registered), and I'm very much involved in the refugee crisis through the European student organization AEGEE (and as a volunteer sometimes).

Also I should say: people of all religions, nationalities and ethnicities are welcome! Gay travellers as well (OF COURSE). I can show you some gay bars if you want.

Original text (2013):

Although I really love travelling, I also have a passion for biology, and especially for figuring out the ecology and evolution of parasites. As it is my passion, I never really thought about taking a break from my studies (which is of course all about biology, and hopefully soon about parasites). If I'm lucky, I'll have the chance to start a PhD soon after my studies, however, it is quite hard to get such a position nowadays. If I'm not that lucky, I'll be glad to travel around! I know that ecology can take me to many places (I’ve studied in Norway so far, I'll probably start my first master's research on Texel - one of the islands above the NL - soon, and my second may be anywhere abroad, as could be my PhD research), so I'm never afraid of missing out!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Updated (11/06/2018):

Still the same, what’s not fun about having random people over all the time or sleeping at a stranger’s place while traveling?

Updated (20/01/2016):

Still true! :D I've discovered now as well that many people spend a lot of thoughts on spirituality. Me, not so much for myself, but I like hearing how others (either religious or not) think about it.

Original text (2013):

No time to travel? No problem, meet people who are travelling and you'll hear the best stories. And it is never a bad thing to have some friends abroad.

Interests

Updated (11/06/2018):

Well.. so many things. Equal rights, (forced) migration, politics (national, European and global), LGBT+ activism, diversity, sustainability and more. In August 2018 I will start my term as the coordinator of the Equal Rights Working Group of AEGEE-Europe.

Also, biology still rocks, I just haven’t been involved in it lately.

Updated (20/01/2016):

That didn't change much :-) Although I could add a few things!

- The refugee crisis (mostly: how can I help, but also its effects on Europe).
- Geopolitics (never thought I would write this, but well, I'm only 22 and not done yet with broadening my horizon).
- AEGEE (if you’re under 35, check out if there’s one in your town :D).

Original text (2013):

Of course biology is not the only thing that interests me. I'm an extravert, I'm half French, I like horseback riding and theatre (both watching and acting), I make friends quite easily and am therefore not home a lot, and, like I said, I do not mind to travel far far away.

• arts
• modern art
• acting
• walking
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• equestrian
• backpacking
• biology
• ecology
• geopolitics
• volunteering
• sightseeing

Music, Movies, and Books

Updated (11/06/2018):

So, I’ve grown in this as well. Even though you can make me happy with almost all kinds of music, I particularly fell in love with HOUSE. Especially Future House Music, that stuff is dope. I’ve also been listening to hardstyle and French (+ Dutch/English) hip-hop lately.

Updated (20/01/2016):

We can talk about this when we meet.

Original text (2013):

Mainly mainstream, nothing special here :P

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Updated (11/06/2018):

After the last crazy few years I have endless stories to tell. One of my favourites is about the time I ended up sleeping a one square meter hallway in some building in Georgia, without planning to. Does that sounds interesting to you? Come over I’d say.

Updated (20/01/2016):

I travelled quite a bit more :) Quite recently from Poland to Greece! There's some interesting stories attached to this trip, I won't spoil them here for you ;-)

Original text (2013):

Not riding a zebra, as you might think, no that's a painted horse ;) But it has to do with something amazing I've done: backpacking in Vietnam with a good friend for a month, when I was 19. The picture was taken there. Makes me think, I really recommend Vietnam, the people are amazingly nice!

Also, I've studied in Bergen, Norway. I visited Trondheim, Tromso and the Lofoten. That's how I discovered couchsurfing :) Norway I would recommend for its scenery.

Teach, Learn, Share

Updated (11/06/2018 – I deleted the original, since this is just an elaboration):

SKIP TO THE END IF YOU COULD CARE LESS ABOUT DRUGS - there's some other tips about Amsterdam there as well.

About Amsterdam and drugs.

This is the paradox: people that live in a tourist hotspot usually see a lot less than the tourists themselves. Being here for the next 2 years and being close for probably a lot longer hasn’t really pressured me to start sightseeing.. Also, I'm from Rotterdam and I wouldn't be from Rotterdam if I gave a *** about Amsterdam.

But hey, this wouldn’t be the advice of a Dutch student living in Amsterdam, if it didn't contain pot and shrooms. I know that for a lot of people being in Amsterdam creates an opportunity they haven't had before, but at the same time, it creates some risks too, because you may not have had many friends nonchalantly telling you how to use what is sold in our coffeeshops in a safe way, like I did.

Therefore, some bullet points to keep you from going nuts.

This applies to both pot and shrooms:
- You will probably have the nicest experience with a few people that you can trust, in a quiet (music is nice though) and soothing room. Being outside or having to walk between rooms can be a bit too much. If you really want to play it safe, have at least one not user around (all these advices apply to shrooms more strongly, being a little high outside is not a problem).
- Do NOT take more than one portion. For example: do not eat two space cakes, just one (0,2 - 0,4 g is good, depending on your size >) and if you're a small woman like me half a portion of anything is enough. It may happen that you experience less than you expected/hoped for, but this really outweighs the consequences of going too big, and you can always increase the dose the second time.
- Buy that stuff at the coffeeshop. Not only do you know for sure that it does not contain extra shady ingredients, but the seller might be able to give you some advice.

For good space cake go to Kadinsky coffeeshop in the Zoutsteeg (others might sell shitty, weak cake made for tourists). It's very close to the Central Station. Ask them how much weed's in there! Sometimes it's as much as 0,8 grams, and then you really want to break it in half (twice even).

NOTE: I'm not encouraging anyone to try weed or hallucinate mushrooms, this advice is just meant for anyone that thought about trying it anyway. Keep in mind that different people can react very different to the same drugs. Other people's experiences should therefore not be taken for granted.

NOTE: I also have quite a lot of info on the Dutch hard drugs scene. I’d rather have you tell me you’d like to use, then to use unsafely without saying. Any type of drug can be tested anonymously, for free and quite fast at different centres. This is very much advised. (INTENTIONALLY) BADLY MADE DRUGS CAN BE A SERIOUS HEALTH THREATH

Outside of drugs

Now if you're not into any of the stuff above, I have to say that the Rijksmuseum for non-modern art and Stedelijk Museum for modern art are really worth it. I also liked the Van Gogh museum. Also the Amsterdam Museum (about the founding and development of Amsterdam) is very nice. Lastly, in the ‘Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam’ (public library of Amsterdam) near central station, you will often find an exposition on a LGBT+ subject for free. It’s very small, but definitely worth it, since the view on the city centre from there is spectacular. So even if in the ends there is no exposition, getting to the top of the library will be worthy of your time! Oh yeah, the Sex Museum is funny, it’s on Damrak 18 and super cheap.

If you plan on walking around a bit, and trying some restaurants, try not to stick around the city centre like ALL other tourists, but walk into the Jordaan. It's a bit more authentic. This Dutch website gives you the address and pictures of its bars – http://www.jordaanweb.nl/HTML/index.htm?/HTML/jordaanhoreca.htm&1.
Rooie Nelis and Cafe Nol are the most known and old fashioned, start from there for the Jordaan experience. NOTE: don’t treat those bars and cafés as a museum. Actually go have a drink!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can host up to 3 guests. Sleeping mats or bags not needed.
There's a bathroom for you and me, the common kitchen is shared with hall mates, but there's a kitchen block (where you can cook) in my studio as well.

Countries I’ve Visited

Armenia, Belgium, Cambodia, Czech Republic, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Moldova, Morocco, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Netherlands, Norway