NOW(02-03 2024)
So I got my first job and I have the amazing opportunity to work abroad - especially on the American continent since that doesn’t interfere with the meeting times.

I am currently in Bogotá after an amazing time in Costa Rica and next week I’m seeing an old CS friend (8 y!) in Mexico, where I’m gonna take my first week of holiday this year.

NOW NOW

March~May 2024: I am travelling. Almost never home

PLEASE WRITE SOMETHING PERSONAL OR NOTHING AT ALL! I’m quite sick of these daily non-personal messages, guys! Plus if you want to hook up — try tinder

If my profile is out of date or I don't pay the membership, hit me up on IG: @zipporart

I have just moved back from Rome where I finished my Master's thesis with a Swiss Medical Startup - yes in home office.

(March 2023): 11 Feb - 10 June I have an infinite Interrail ticket and am open to any sort of travels alone or with anyone. I have some basic plans but I'm open for anything, really. That's what I do now before soonish looking for a job and start my adult life ;)

ABOUT ME (17 year old me nota bene)
Lea ist liebenswürdig und witzig, allerdings auch chaotisch. Mit ihr kann man durch dick und dünn gehen. Sie ist ein Wirbelwind und mit ihr Dinge zu erleben ist immer wieder ein Vergnügen.
-Seraina C.-
This one's from 2013 when i first got cs. I should have some more people describe me in their words, it's kinda awkward to do it myself...maybe you find something in my references ? Maybe you can add something there some day, too?

CURRENT MISSION (2023)
I'm done studying at ETH, the federal institute of technology in Zurich, Switzerland and I have no idea what comes next....PhD or industry?!?
My studies werebest described as a mashup between medicine and technology with a pinch of neuroscience (open for questions) After an internship at the neuroengineering lab I decided to my master thesis in the industry at a PET startup which kinda makes me a particle physicist doesn’t it ?

PHILOSOPHY (2023) Still not there, yet. I think I should follow Yuval Hararis call for vipassana some day! Try to convince me, please.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I have had a wonderful time on CS in the past (many) years and I have met so many incredible people with amazing views on the world that have helped me widen my horizon tremendously! I wouldn't be who I am now without CS as I might have never left my protected little Swiss Academic bubble life. Thanks for making this possible!

However, I realise the community is growing and changing - not for the better.
I’d like to still be able to meet some of the awesome people out there without losing time with people that use CS as dating website or free hotel room. So I take the liberty to only reply to personal messages, may my response percentage drop or not ;)
I don't care about "verification" but if you have no reference at all don't be surprised if I'm cautious.

EXPERIENCE

(2023) I completely deleted that section since its sooo much. You'll just have to ask ;)

Future:
High on my traveling bucket list are Guatemala, Cuba (I will visit as soon as I learned Spanish), Finland and Tibet and Nepal. Himalaya is a big dream. I also wanted to see St Petersburg but then the war came...I also hope to soon return to New Zealand but who knows how long that might take!

Interests

nature is the great love of my life. I love the mountains more than anything on earth and enjoy all the sports that are connected to it (walking, trail running, snowboarding, climbing)
If ou have the same passion, it would be nice to organise something!

I love trees, stars, flowers and sunsets, I love all our 4 seasons but spring's my favourite.
I also love the ocean but can't visit it too frequently. I appreciate the magic of Sahara and it's incredible silence.

Music, Movies, and Books

(2017) My favourite non-famous writer at the time is Swetlana Alexijewitsch who's a journalist and writes about life in and the citizen of Sowjet Union.
(2023) It is so sad how the great Russian culture is overshadowed by the nasty recent war and I'm not gonna comment on this here.

(2020) I love the fact that he’s almost becoming mainstream but Yuval Noah Harari is incredible! He did change my view of the world (history) and I love how he puts things in perspective and (re)connects also known facts.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

until 2012: standing on stage with Dropkick Murphys , many different festivals and concerts , Diving in Heron Island, AUS and living in Whakatane, NZ
2013: Living in Holland for 2 ys including on a boat, discovering Ruigoord!!
2016: Basils Cathedral, Moscow
2017: 1 month of discovering England
2018: learning how to surf, 3w Portugal
2019: "learning" Kizomba
2020-2021: 2 weeks each of discovering Albania, Portugal, Lanzarote , Gran Canaria, Morocco and Spain
2022: Living half a year in the city of my soul, Roma
2023: Interrail: Geneva,Lyon,Avignon,Montpellier,Marseille,Paris,Amsterdam,Berlin,Leipzig,Dresden,Prag (to be continued)

Teach, Learn, Share

(2013) I can learn from anyone, if I like the person or not. Bad experiences also bring you further in life! After all, Voltaire once said: il est important de se faire à l’idée que le mal est un élément nécessaire à l’ordre du monde et à la naissance du bien. (Zadig)

Nothing to add to this, even after after 10 years <3

What I Can Share with Hosts

Usually just long talks, a nice meal, and the fact that I'm open for almost anything

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, San Marino, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland