CURRENT MISSION

Go through my list

ABOUT ME

Nurse, academic, researcher, traveler, geek, foodie, post-structuralist, wonderer, occasional insomniac, tree hugger, half-epicurian, half-ascetic.
I'm both social and independent, a good talker and a good listener - best of both worlds, I hope.
Silence doesn't make me uncomfortable!
Drama and me don't get along too well.
I'm queer-friendly, vegan-friendly, pagan-friendly, pet-friendly, lots-of-other-things-friendly.
I can be stubborn. I don't mind a healthy, respectful confrontation of ideas.
Love, love, love the outdoors. Love, love, love food.
Yoga, dance, and any mindful body movement.
Eco- green- enviro- stuff. I'm also interested in alternative lifestyles and would like to find out more about them.
I enjoy making fun of things, including myself, but I'll keep a straight face the whole time.
I'm adventurous and try stuff. Just because. I like things that keep me grounded but also things that make me dream.
I have strange little pleasures:
- hanging out at airports or train stations. I love people-watching.
- playing pranks.
- I love seeing how people organise their lives. You learn a lot about people when they think no one is watching.
- flea markets.
- mud, slime, dirt, goo, paint - anything dirty is a joy.
If it looks or sounds strange, unusual, or weird, I'm drawn to it. That could include you, in the best possible way.

PHILOSOPHY

Basically to treat others the way I want to be treated. Live and let live.
I like to think of myself as someone who knows when to be serious, when to be silly and how to tell the difference.
I have a good sense of responsibility and accountability. I'm aware of the impact (good and bad) I may have around me.
When I travel, I don't "do" a new country, I discover it, I savor it, I take it in, I let it change me. For me traveling means accepting to be vulnerable and challenged, and I try my hardest to live by that principle. Uncertainty and instability can be good things!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Sharing ideas, changing the world through words, images and food. I believe it can bring out the best in people.
I've organised several dinners/nights out and will gladly go out of my way to make sure others have a good time. I have little patience with freeloaders so when I get a request, I ask myself what's in it for Patrick and me. Hosting travelers is an investment - time, energy, food, money, whatever. Please keep this in mind when you send requests to potential hosts.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

We hosted a lot before surfing. Hosting first made more sense because I think you're a better surfer when you have welcomed surfers yourself. We're not in this for a free bed. We had opportunities to CS during many travels but decided against it when we realised we couldn't spend much time with hosts.

Interests

Photography and cooking but I'm not very good at either - yet!
I'm desperately addicted to artisan shops, food markets, and flea markets.
Anything indie.
Traveltraveltraveltraveltraveltraveltravel.
I love to dance and to watch others dance. I used to be good at it but it's been too long now.
Love our Canadian hockey nights. Go Habs go!
I love food and will try pretty much anything. I won't judge it until I try it.

• pets
• photography
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• vegan
• yoga
• walking
• traveling
• painting
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• surfing
• hockey
• track and field
• nursing

Music, Movies, and Books

Books:
Calvin & Hobbes!

Authors:
Michel Foucault
Judith Butler
Nikolas Rose
Frank Furedi
Academic stuff in general - I'm a nerd.
Emile Nelligan

Movies:
Movies with a purpose, I guess. Movies that make me think or that haunt me weeks after I've seen them.
Movies with convoluted life stories: Magnolia, Babel, Go
Strange movies like "Short Bus"
Stunning, heart-wrenching films/documentaries like "What Remains of Us", "Baraka" and "Powaqqatsi" (unfortunately I haven't seen the other 2 qatsi movies yet).

Music: most genres, especially House/Lounge/Chillout

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

- Helping a mother give birth and she named her baby after me
- Hanggliding over Interlaken, Switzerland (I'm scared shitless of heights)
- Watching the sun set in Ubirr in Kakadu National Park was very special and humbling
- Hiking over a lava field for 5 hours in absolute isolation in Iceland
- Pondering the meaning of life in Spitzbergen and Greenland
- Walking the track of great civilisations: Petra, Valley of the Kings, etc.
Every place I've been has changed me one way or another.

Teach, Learn, Share

Travel experiences, knowledge about the work I do, or readings I've done. I also provide candid opinions when asked.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Greece, Greenland, Iceland, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Norway, Palestine, Senegal, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Canada, Egypt, France, Senegal, Switzerland

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