CURRENT MISSION

To move to a place that feels like home!!
....and to Learn, Laugh, and Love along the way!!

ABOUT ME

Instagram: @Zahra.zla

Wow so the past few years have been a whirlwind of Adventures around the world!

Here is a video of my travels!! :)
http://youtu.be/lMOJeFQOc3w

The experience has been incredible so far! I've never loved any community more in my life! Without YOU, I wouldn't have been able to accomplish any of it!!

You guys are the BEST! For those of you who use Couch Surfing the way it's intended I LOVE YOU! :D
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I Love getting to know people!!! Please add me on Facebook!! It gives such insight into a person!

http://www.facebook.com/dream.believe.act.inspire

I'm part free spirit, part nomad, part gypsy, all adventure.

I don't believe in nationalities (man-made), only cultures (languages, foods, traditions, music etc).

I believe in the quote that says "The World is one Country and Mankind its Citizens".

Raised in Canada, I've had the privilege of growing up with friends from all over the world (Latin America, Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia, The Middle East, etc) That being said, I've adopted traditions and cultural traits from all of the above.

You will often catch me using expressions such as "aiYaw" (Chinese), busting out in a random foreign accents, or Salsa dancing to music that is not salsa.

I love to experience new things. I'm always up for trying extreme sports! Can't wait for the day I go sky diving in either Australia, or New Zealand.

I am a social entrepreneur with an educational background in international development, and Film/TV Broadcasting hoping to combine the two to eventually start my own production company based around advocating for social justice issues through the media, as well as promoting cultural education. I'm currently working in the film and tv industry on movies like Star Trek, and shows like once upon a time, and arrow etc etc. so my schedule is pretty hectic.

I love meeting and learning from new people who have their own ideas and philosophies on life.

I eventually want to learn how to say (at the bare minimum) hi, bye, and thank you in as many languages as possible.

I'm infamous for asking just about everyone I interact with (from the bus driver, to cafe employees, to my neighbors, and anyone who looks in the slightest bit intriguing, "Where are you from" or "What is your ethnicity" or something along those lines. I then try to immediately follow that question with a greeting in their language of origin... (and Should I not know it, I'll then ask how to say a greeting!) Oh man...
I'm also a complete nerd an memorize flags of countries, along with their capital cities. Just saying.. clearly crucial information..:P LOL

One of my dreams is to travel to every country in the world, but at the very least experience every continent.

PHILOSOPHY

Dream . Believe . Achieve . Inspire .

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

When I want to travel, I want to experience the different countries of the world as the locals do in each country.

I want to know the insider details, the special places to go to that no tourist would know about, and I want to make friends with the people who make each country what it is!!!

And for when I can't travel the world, I shall bring the traveling World to Me!!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Couch-Surfing = Unbelievable, Brilliant, Fantastic, Awesomely Spectacular, Life - CHANGING!!
Maybe I'm just lucky but I have seriously met some of the most inspiring people EVER EVER EVER through Couch Surfing! It has literally enriched my life beyond measure by introducing me to the most wonderful human beings, souls, and spirits that I have ever met! I've recently changed my last name to Aldunia (Arabic for "the world",) which was inspired by my first couch-surfer named Dunja (Pronounced Dunia)!!! The reason I changed it is because I truly feel that the people of the world are all a part of my family, and we need to take care of each other as such!

This is just the tip of the ice berg, but there are many many other CRAZY unbelievable Hollywood worthy Couch-surfing experiences I could talk about, but then what would be left for when we meet?!?!?:P

Interests

Social Justice, travel, cultures, languages, people, astronomy, neuroplasticity, music, flamenco guitar & flamenco dancing, salsa, dancing in general, extreme sports, finding new ways to live life to the fullest!

• writing
• concerts
• dancing
• salsa dancing
• flamenco
• education
• partying
• clubbing
• gardening
• boating
• movies
• tv
• traveling
• music
• guitar
• equestrian
• surfing
• scuba diving
• snorkeling
• sports
• extreme sports
• astronomy
• communications
• economics
• teaching
• entrepreneurship
• languages

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Met Richard Branson on his private island for a dinner with some of the most amazing and innovative people around the world (to talk about my Non-Profit organization!) (Best experience of my life)

Met Queen Rania of Jordan at the Millennium Promise Connect to Learn Launch in NYC (a campaign for the education and empowerment of girls in developing countries), alongside World economist Jeffrey Sachs, (Author of The End of Poverty,) and a bunch of other world changing all-stars. Let's just say an impromptu instrumental/dance off took place provoked by none other than moi, which turned into a group of about a hundred diplomats, royalty, and a bunch of other ballers just joining together in one BIG united ball of celebratory awesomeness!!! Cannot fully describe it in text! I need to describe it using tone of voice, expressions, and body language hahaha (Second best night of my life)

The close third best night of my life was when I was front row center at a Paco de Lucia (God of Flamenco guitar) concert, accompanied by Antonio Fernandez Montoya (God of flamenco dance) where Antonio danced to Paco's guitar while piercing into my eyes and soul for about 2 hours on stage!! My friends and I ended up back stage where we met the entire band and then proceeded to go out with them later that night where we ate, we danced, we laughed, we drummed, we played, we sang, and then all went back to their hotel where we had an after after party (more relaxed) where the band played and sang some more! I could cry just thinking about it. (If you havent hear flamenco before, YOU MUST!!) JUST UNBELIEVABLE!

Rode horseback & camel back through the desert in Cairo, to the Pyramids. (FYI: My personal opinion on Camels- not comfortable, nor friendly, they make really unpleasant grunting noises that freak you out (or at least freak ME out,) BUT are incredible creatures nonetheless! I prefer them for photo ops as opposed to riding though hehe..

Went island hopping through the Caribbean on two private boats (provided by our couchsurfing hosts) only to land in the middle of the sea where a giant Ship club was located where we docked ourselves to other local boat owners and proceeded to party till the break of day!

Been chased by a crazy old man with a Python in Miami ... and I have the video to prove it lol it's actually hilarious.

Drove a BMW sports Convertible given to me for the night by my couchsurfing host to go from Pasadena to Hollywood by myself to meet up with some new found friends!

Went snorkeling in the Red Sea with the Red Sea conservation organization in Hurghada Egypt

Rode a scooter for the first time all through Lisbon and might have had a slight accident with a tire! :P

Stole organges from the Alhambra in Granada Spain, which I later proceeded to keep the seeds of to plant in my friends garden as a souvenir present! :P

Sandboarding at Atlantis Dunes in South Africa

Shark Cage Diving in South Africa with 5 different types of sharks including the Great whites!!!

Going to Robben Island after Nelson Mandela's passing... (extremely emotional)

Chilled with penguins in South Africa

Drove to the South Western tip of Africa (Cape Point) in an old school Cobra convertible!

Ziplining in the jungles of Chiang Mai Thailand in a storm

Elephant riding and jungle trekking also in Chaing Mai Thailand

Living in India for 4 months! Enough said.

mmm... the rest of my amazing experiences are waiting in my imagination for the opportunity to come alive with YOU!!!

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, United States, Virgin Islands, British

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, India, South Africa, Thailand