Hello I am Vanessa de Alba, I am from Guadalajara, México. I am currently living in Toulouse, France as an exchange student in an agricultural school (ENSAT).

I consider myself an openmind, charistmatic and extroverted person. I love meeting up with new people and talk about life, agriculture, philosophy, science, books, films.... anything! I am really talkative... I also enjoy offering a friendly ear to people that have something to say!

I have lived in Vancouver, Canada; California, USA; my hometown: Guadalajara, Jalisco and I had a wonderful experience as a volunteer in a native raramuri village in northern Mexico for a year, the best of all my life.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I am couchsurfing because I love traveling, I enjoy a lot when I travel and I get to know people from different countries, I enjoy listening to people's stories of their hometown, eating their food, getting to know the nice places of their cities or towns. I love people's joy in their face when they start talking about their traditions, their celebrations,etc..

I enjoy listening to other's people stories, and obviously I love talking about Mexico and our traditions, share everything that we are, we believe, and also what we eat, I love cooking mexican dishes!

Interests

• books
• alpinism
• music
• hiking
• history
• historic sites
• film
• museum
• museums
• hiking in the mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

My favorite music: Mexican folkloric music like Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, Juan Gabriel, Joan Sebastian, salsa, cumbia (Sonora Dinamita, Sonora Santanera, Ángeles Azules), banda, jazz...

My favorite movies: Death's Poets Society, The Prestige, Memento, Good Fellas, Kill Bill I & II, Shutter Island, The departed, The Sting, Requiem for a Dream, Hugo, Cantinflas "El Padrecito",.

My favorite books: Demian, Steppen Wolf & Sidhharta written by Herman Hess.
Yo Robot, Murder at the ABA, written by Isaac Asimov.
Dos Crimenes, Las Muertas, La Ley de Herodes written by Jorge Ibarguengoitia
Confabulario, La Feria written by Juan Jose Arreola
Crónica de una Muerte Anunciada, El Coronel no tiene quien le escriba, Doce Cuentos Peregrinos written by Gabriel García Márquez.
1984, Animal Farm wirtten by George Orwell
Un Mundo Feliz written by Aldous Huxley.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I did one volunteer year in an indian native community in northern México, It was a wonderful experience because I learned many things about Raramuri culture, cooking, making handicrafts, agricultural work, native lenguage about nature, about myself, about living in the country side.
It was an experience that allowed me to understand my mexican roots, and of course the native's people world view which astonished me .
I am really happy that I did that volunteer year, I think I received many love, knowledge, food LOL, and I reinforced my spiritual side.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you spanish, how to cook mexican food, how to grow a vegetables garden or have vegetables indoor in the case that you do not have a garden.

I am open to learn anything, especially do-it-yourself projects! cooking recipes, historical facts, phylosophy,etc.

I can share thousand of smiles, my knowledge in agriculture, a good talk, a good dish or dessert that I have cooked, and of course, I love to share thousands and thousands of hugs <3

What I Can Share with Hosts

If we get to know, I can teach you how to cook incredible mexican dishes and desserts!
I can teach how to make mexican tortillas!

I love cooking so I am eager to learn new recipes from all parts of the world.
I love dancing latin music, and I am always looking forward to teach in orden to have a grat time with others dancing, I can teach what I know of dancing latin music and I guarantee a good time.

I have done my bachelor studies in agriculture, so I would be really glad to share all my knowledge , share all my experience, share all my love that I have for plants and nature.
I can teach how to grow an organic vegetable patch, taking care of the soil, taking care of the nature.

I have also worked in landscaping so I can help you in decorating your garden, I can give you advices in your choice of plants according to the season, I know how to install irrigation systems so I can also tell you how to do it, what do you need in case you have a garden.

If you do not have a garden I can teach you how to grow vegetables indoor or in a balcony, etc...

Agriculture is my passion and I love to keep learning and sharing what I know.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, England, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, France, Mexico, United States