CURRENT MISSION

To live my life without any hesitation

ABOUT ME

My name is Michal (Michael) and I live in Cracow (Krakow), one of the best Polish cities to live in :) Originally from Oswiecim ( 75km west from Cracow). I used to work as auditor and advisory in one of main 4 global financial auditing companies (KPMG), however, currently I dived more into the business working as business analyst in the huge IT company.

I was studying finance and accounting at the Krakow University of Economics. After graduating I decided to move to Warsaw and continue my carrier as financial auditor. After 2 years in Warsaw me and my wife Angelika (https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/angie26) decided to move back to Cracow.

I am very optimist and easy going person. Few years ago I had an opportunity to study 5 months in Basel - Switzerland. It was a great chance to explore this breathtaking country (those mountains .... love them - there is something magnificent in high mountains). Moreover, I also had an opportunity to travel around Asia for 2 months just after my second students' exchange programe - this time in Taiwan. On my way back home I have visited: Thailand, Australia and New Zealand. I have visited New Zealand and Australia again during my 2-month honeymoon.

New Zealand was always my dreamed destination, which makes me even happier that finally I had an opportunity to visit this country. I have always known that I am a bit freak about extreme sports
(I was skiing since I was 3 and right now I'm snowboarder and aggressive inline-skater), but after my Asian adventure I am addicted to adrenaline rushes... Everything started with one, relatively small rollercoaster in Ocean Park in Hong Kong... becoming a real madness later on, more rollercoasters, bungy jumps, skydives, drop towers ... etc

My current dream destination is South America: especially Chile, Peru and Argentina. However, I might also consider going to some Caribbean Islands this winter :)

Update:
Please do not bother about this one negative reference - It is all because my friend was participating in the facebook competition to win an internship in European Parliament (You know, this kind of competition that if you get the highest amount of likes on facebook and you will get something). So I was posting about it on different CS forums and someone found it rude an gave me a negative reference .... (which is not fare in my opinion), however, it does not change anything :)

PHILOSOPHY

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I was convinced to join CS by Anelika – active surfer since last few years. My firs couchsurfung experience concerns a CS meeting and surfing in Prague. Currently, if I'm not travelling I try to host guests in Krakow

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

So far I have traveled quite a lot. First time I had a contact with CS was in August 2011 during my small trip to Prague. I was there with my GF and we couldn’t find anyone to stay with for our two nights there. Luckily the same day that we arrived there was a CS meeting and we have found a very friendly guy, who agreed to shelter us (despite the fact that his apartment was quite small and he already had other surfer that night, he agreed to shelter two stranger he met in bar). Later on I was hosting few people and was hosted by couple of guys in plenty of places (e.g. Norway, Sweden, China, Ireland, Slovakia, Australia, New Zealand).

In my personal opinion CS is about the people so either I'm hosting or surfing I try to do my best to get to know other people, spend with them some time and learn about the similarities and differences in cultures and general being. Therefore, if you only want to "take" from CS and don't want to "give" something by return - you would rather find a hostel.

If you want to surf my place while writing a request, just to assure me that you have read my profile, please write "Geronimo" somewhere in your request. It really helps if you show that at least you made some effort to get more familiar with my person before you send a request.

Interests

Economy and accounting - related to my university profile and current job

Snowboarding, juggling (poi), postcrossing, adrenaline rush (which stays for bungee jumping, sky diving. roller coasters etc.)

Traveling around the world, discovering different customs and cultures, knowing new people and learning languages - personal aim

• writing
• flying
• traveling
• juggling
• surfing
• scuba diving
• snorkeling
• bungee jumping
• skydiving
• skiing
• snowboarding
• sports
• extreme sports
• economics
• languages
• hitchhiking
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

During high school I really enjoyed reading all the books for a maturity exam.
Polish writers:
- Henryk Sienkiewicz ("The Knights of the Cross", "In Desert and Wilderness", "The Deluge")
- Witold Gombrowicz ("Ferdydurke")
- Gustaw Herling-Grudzinski ("A World Apart: The Journal of a Gulag Survivor")
- Adam Mickiewicz ("Sir Thaddeus, or the Last Lithuanian Foray: A Nobleman's Tale from the Years of 1811 and 1812 in Twelve Books of Verse")
- Boleslaw Prus ("The Doll")

I also like fantasy novels:
- Ursula K. Le Guin ("Earthsea" - especially the first book "A Wizard of Earthsea"
- J.R.R. Tolkien ("Hobbit", "The Lord of the Rings")
- Trudi Canavan ("The Black Magician trilogy")

As far as movies are concerned, I cannot mention:
- forest gump,
- The illusionist,
- V for Vendetta,
- Green mile,
- The king's speech,
- Game Of Thrones
- Spartacus

Music ..... hmmmm hard to specify. On the one hand, I try to be updated with the newest radio hits (however, I cannot stand dubstep - sounds a little bit like an impact drill). On the other, I really enjoy listening to the folk music, especially Cuban and Irish.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

1) I have spent 6 months studying and traveling around Asia and Australasia. During that time I have done many crazy and amazing things - the most exciting things I have done are: Bungy jump from Macau Tower (233 m), skydive in Sydney (14.000 feet) and skydive in New Zealand (16.200 feet).

2) hitchhiking for more than 2 weeks around Ireland

3) traveling around China

4) seen the northern light while flying above Canada

5) heard the whales' song while snorkeling with whales in Tonga

6) dived with bull sharks in Fiji

7) climbed up the active volcano in Vanuatu

8) sand-boarded from giant sand dunes in New Zealand

9) flew over the Victoria falls in Zimbabwe

10) hugged a real tiger in tiger temple, Thailand

11) saved my wife from being eaten by lion in South Africa

Teach, Learn, Share

I can show you how to do some basic poi and juggling tricks :)
Furthermore, I can show you thousands of photos from my trips and tell you millions of stories concerning traveling, our adventures and useful traveling hints.

On the other hand, I'm really open for everything that you might want to tell or show me.

I love spending time with inspiring people, who might encourage me to do something that I have never thought about.

What I Can Share with Hosts

My time, polish hospitality, personal experience, lot of fun, thousands of photos and stories and many many more.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, China, Cook Islands, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Egypt, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States, Vanuatu, Vatican City State, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

Poland, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom

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