I like to think of myself as open, friendly and sociable---though not the party animal kind of sociable, the sit-and-muse-about-stuff-with-interesting-people kind of sociable. I try my best to be enthusiastic and optimistic, and have, at times, been compared to the Duracell bunny (minus the pinkness). I've also been described as smart, educated and a good listener. You be the judge!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Frankly, because I've heard good things about it from friends, so curiosity pushed me to create a profile. :) And so far, I've only had good experiences.

I'm also always open to meeting travelers. :)

Interests

Reading, both fiction (especially fantasy) and non-fiction (I admit, have a weakness for self-help books...); cooking, baking, juicing and nutrition; cats; chocolate; teas and fancy infusions; recycling; board games.

• cats
• books
• cooking
• chocolate
• cheese
• baking
• walking
• board games
• reading
• traveling

Music, Movies, and Books

(Prepare for a looooong rant and don't say I didn't warn you!)

BOOKS: I was raised with stories about Olympian gods and grew to love ancient literature (favorite Greek tragedies: Alcestis and The Bacchae; favorite Roman poets: Ovid and Catullus). I've read my fair share of the classics (and preferred Thackeray and Emily Brontë over Dickens, Hugo over Stendhal, Dostoyevsky over Tolstoy) and also a decent amount of newer "high literature" (some random favorites: For Whom the Bell Tolls---Hemingway; The Great Gatsby---Fitzgerald; 1984---Orwell; The Little Prince---Saint-Exupéry; Till We have Faces---Lewis; All Quiet on the Western Front---Remarque; The Name of the Rose---Eco; Small World: An Academic Romance---Lodge; short stories by García Márquez and Eliade). Nowadays I consume mainly fantasy (Tolkien, Rowling, Martin, Jordan, Sanderson, Rothfuss, and especially Pratchett!!!), because it feels captivating to dive into imaginary worlds so different from our own (and yet reflecting the same basic human struggles). Popular books I actually hated: The Catcher in the Rye---Salinger, Lolita---Nabokov, The Satanic Verses---Rushdie; authors I should appreciate but I frankly don't: Joyce, Woolf, Faulkner (never got into the whole stream of consciousness thing), Shakespeare. There, I said it (sorry, Will).

As for non-fiction, I like to inform myself about mythology, ancient civilizations, psychology and inter-personal relationships, sexuality, nutrition, and how the mind works.

MUSIC: I'm an eclectic, and, depending on mood, can enjoy anything from Opera to symphonic metal, to the rock and metal (and some of the pop) of the 80s, to old French chansons, to traditional Romanian folk music, to SOME of the commercial hits on the radio. Generally, music that conveys a sense of power, that makes me feel overwhelmed and elated at the same time, and/or has deep, meaningful lyrics. Sadly, I've never gotten too much into jazz, but I am willing to acquire the taste. I do manual work listening to the Carmina Burana (which I know by heart almost completely), I want to fall in love listening to Shostakovich's Waltz no.2, and to shake hands with Death listening to Händel's Sarabande.

Some favorite artists/bands/composers: Verdi, Jacques Brel, Leonard Cohen, Charles Aznavour, Tim Minchin, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Haggard, Pink Floyd, Rammstein, Nightwish, HIM. Guilty pleasure I'm willing to admit: ABBA, Bon Jovi, Coldplay, and Nickelback.

TV SHOWS: I have to admit, I'm a binger, and I sometimes use TV series as a mild form of escapism, like some other people might use alcohol or comfort food. Some very old favorites include: Stargate SG1, Relic Hunter, Doctor Queen Medicine Woman, Mysterious Ways, Sailor Moon. Currently, I love many different types, from fluffy sitcoms (How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, Coupling, Modern Family, Californication) to steamy-gory shows with a historical and/or fantasy element (Game of Thrones, True Blood, The Tudors, The Borgias, Spartacus, Da Vinci's Demons). Lately, I've grown to enjoy some subtler, more thought-provoking series (House MD, Sherlock, House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, Broadchurch/Gracepoint). And Doctor Who (including Torchwood) will always have a special place in my heart. The last show I watched was You, Me and the Apocalypse, and it felt fun and strange and captivating and... I don't know what category to include it in, really... Oh, and I've started watching Star Trek: The New Generation... who knows, maybe in a few months I'll be a true Trekkie... :D

Movies: TBA (one day, when I finally get down to making a list...)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Felt proud and alive walking the Roman forum, and felt touched seeing the ruins of Carthage. Sighed in awe of the Northern Lights. Jumped with joy walking on Broadway.

Felt loved. Experienced deep connection with fascinating traveling strangers. Oh, who could pick just one of those?

What I Can Share with Hosts

First of all, my time,company, and gratitude. :)

Secondly, I've been told I'm a good cook, so I'd love to prepare a meal or two for my hosts---though it'll probably be something improvised (I hate following recipes word-for-word). I can also bring special Norwegian products (did you ever try brown cheese? reindeer sausages? moose?). Duty-free alcohol is always another option. ;)

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Monaco, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Tunisia, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Italy, Norway, Romania