Currently living in Dublin, Ireland ! I won't be able to host you in Lille at this stage unfortunately guys !

ABOUT ME

Well, as far as I remember, traveling has always been something important in my life. When I was a kid, already maps were fascinating me ! Attracted by anything from which I can learn, discover and share, I am trying my best not to lose time but to fully live my dreams.

Moving to Australia when I was a teenager for a few months certainly developed that inner passion. And since then, I got addicted to what we call life ! I quit school when I was 16 in order to use my time to travel more ; I was young, with a lot of energy and dreams, so I first explored the old continent during over a year, getting to know the tips of the low-cost traveling way of life. Hitch-hiking, car-sharing, trains, etc. As I was studying on my own with the aim to succeed my high school degree in free candidature, I graduated in june 2011.

Still studying by distance courses, I graduated in 2015 of a Bachelor of History and Political Sciences so that I can keep using my time on exploring. Since I consider myself as a responsible person, I decided that cycling was the best way for me to travel on many aspects, as it's ecological, healthy, it doesn't cost so much and gives the possibility of always going by your own path while meeting people all the time, which is what I am looking forward the most :-)

Between 2011 and 2013, I have explored 27 countries with my bicycle for approximatly 13,000 kms.
http://xavierbybike.wordpress.com

In 2013 I hitch-hiked all the Balkanic peninsula countries, plus Moldova and Ukraine. Then settled down for half a year in Leipzig (Germany) in order to learn the language and to enjoy the East Germany easy-going atmosphere and way of life.

2014 has been another productive year, started in Latvia for new year, I explored Mexico, I hitch-hiked from Cairo to Beirut, I bought a van with my best friend and we did a 7,000 kms trip in one month from Belgium to Istanbul and back.

From august to december I volunteered in Iraq for a NGO and went on food and supplies distribution for the Syrian refugees plus Iraqi displaced people.
http://www.xavierloup.wordpress.com/

2015, I moved to Berlin during 8 months, practiced my German, worked for a Start up, and then felt like traveling some more. I made a 8000 kms trip from Kyrgyzstan throughout Kazakhstan and Russia before eventually coming back to Europe not knowing what to do.

On the 14th of november, I flew to Rio de Janeiro, and started exploring South America. 10 countries and 6 months later, I eventualy flew back from Colombia to France in 2016 and decided to settle down in Ireland for a while.

PHILOSOPHY

If you really want something in life, then why don't you move your butt just a little, and GO FOR IT !?

Interests

Sports - Bicycle, Parkour, Freerun, Swimming, Climbing.
History - Civilisations & Geopolitics.
Street Art - Juggling, Spiting fire, Graffs.
Reading - Travel Diaries, Sociology, Historical books.
Writing - Check out my diaries blogs !
MUSIC ! Open to any style (Metal in my heart)

• arts
• writing
• books
• street art
• dining
• cooking
• recipes
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• juggling
• music
• cycling
• hiking
• sports
• swimming
• cartography
• geopolitics
• history
• political science
• sociology
• hitchhiking

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

- Moved to Australia when I was 15 (2007)
- Explored Northern & Central Europe by hitch-hiking when I was 17 (2009)
- Spent 2 years on a bicycle exploring 2 continents.
Over 13,000 kms through 27 countries (2011/2013)
- Surfed the couch of an Iranian member of parliament (2012)
- Threatened by Turkish soldiers that expected me to be a Kurdish terror/activ-ist (2012)
- Explored Balkans and Eastern Europe by hitch-hiking
Over 10,000 kms through 16 countries (summer 2013)
- Hitch hiked from Cairo to Beirut ( february 2014)
- Bought a van with my best friend and traveled to Istanbul from Belgium and back.
Over 7000 kms through 15 countries (august 2014)
- Traveled in Kurdistan with an Iraqi Air Force General (2014)
- Volunteered in Iraq during 3 months with Syrian and refugees. (2014)
- Moving to Berlin for love (2015)
- Drove 8000 kms throughout Kazakhstan and Russia (2015)
- Spent the night in custody in Russia ...
- One way to ticket to South America 10.000 kms and 10 countries (2015/2016)
- Settling down in Ireland (2016 onwards...)

- http://www.xavierloup.wordpress.com/ [English]
- http://www.xavierbybike.wordpress.com/ [English - French]

Teach, Learn, Share

I love to share, I love to learn, and Couchsurfing is a very good way to meet people and do those two things. So I'll be glad to share with you my traveling stories, to teach you how to juggle or to spit fire !

I would not say that I am a good cook, but during my travels I got to learn a few recipes, and I really like international food, so it'd be cool if we could cook and learn something together !

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guernsey, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jersey, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Palestine, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Iraq, Ireland, Spain

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