Hi there! I'm Valentine and I'm from the Netherlands. Over a year ago I decided to leave everything behind, strap on a backpack and now I'm traveling through South East Asia. I enjoy being active, art, good coffee and meeting locals and new people. I'm a happy person who can be both very active but would also be happy with reading a good book or playing cards.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

As mentioned above, I love meeting locals and new people. Looking to share stories and experiences. Plus it's a good way to save some money as traveling the world ain't cheap!

Interests

Trekking, mountainbiking, art, learning new things, good book with a cup of coffee, and so much more than I can put in this little box!

• arts
• culture
• books
• coffee
• reading
• traveling
• backpacking
• boxing
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

My favorites? I hate it when people make me pick favorites... I'll try though. My favorite music genres would be indie, rock and jazz (nirvana, Donny Hathaway, the Editors, the National etc etc). Some of my favorite books would be Mr Norrell and Jonathan Strange and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. Some favorite writers would be Franz Kafka, Franz Ferdinand Celine and Michael Chabon. Favorite movie: Justin Bieber, never say never! Just kidding, don't worry. I prefer Inception, Shawshank Redemption and A beautiful mind.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Traveling south east Asia on my own for starters! One of my favorite things was a 20km trek through the mountains of Mu Cang Chai in Vietnam. I don't think the local tribes there had ever seen foreigners before. When we sat down for lunch the whole village came to stare at us from a 'safe distance'. Kids were hiding behind their moms and dads but still very curious. Even the sounds of my photo camera scared them. On the way we met so many beautiful and shy ladies, gents and children who worked all day for a tiny bit of rice.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'd love to teach you about the Dutch and our culture if you're interested. Would also love to hear about your culture and habits and what it's like to live wherever you live! Also loads of travel stories to share :-)

What I Can Share with Hosts

A lot of fun and happiness! I'm looking to meet friends and learn about different cultures. Whether you just want someone you can share a meal with when you come back from work in the evening or someone to explore the city/country with, I'm very easygoing and flexible!

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Cambodia, England, France, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, France, Netherlands