CURRENT MISSION

I'm travelling across America with my friend Caterina. After having spent four wonderful years in University, I'm trying to learn how to be both creative and productive outisde of instituional frameworks. I used to write a lot in an academic context (you can give a look at my academia page: http://mcgill.academia.edu/HugoBLafreni%C3%A8re). Now I want to write from a more personal point. Writing-wise i'm mainly interested in philosophy and french poetry.

I would also like to find the great beauty again (see Sorentino's movies for more information: aka La Grande Belleza: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dyt430YkQn0).

My relation with CS is quite simple; I like to host and visit new, original, intelligent and sometimes crazy people from all arround the world. As much as I receive from these eccounters, I think I can give back. As you know, describing yourself on a website is a tedious task so I wont eternize myself here and will simply say that i'm looking forward to meet you.

PHILOSOPHY

These two quotes are a good introduction:

"We must break with the conventions of society once and for all, and reject its utilitarian spirit. We must refuse to function knowingly at less than our physical and mental potential; refuse to close our eyes to vice and fraud perpetrated in the name of knowledge or favors or due respect. We refuse to be confined to the barracks of plastic arts - it's a fortress, but easy enough to avoid. We refuse to keep silent. Do what you want with us, but you must hear us out. We will not accept your fame or attendant honors. They are the stigmata of shame, silliness and servility. We refuse to serve, or to be used for such purposes. We reject all forms of intention, the two-edged, perilous sword of reason. Down with both of them, back they go!" - LE MANIFESTE DU REFUS GLOBAL.

“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.” - ON THE ROAD

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I've been hosting a lot of couchsurfers in my appartement in Montreal for the last year. However, it was mainly done using my roomate's CS profil so this is why you won't see many references on mine. We hosted all our guests as one flat: welcoming them, going out and taking care of them. If you want to see my roomate's profil for more infos on the vibe at my place: https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/laurentdarveau.

Between work and study, I like to escape to go anywhere. To do so my favorite receipt has always been a mixture of hitchiking, couchsurfing and cheap youth hostels.

Interests

So many things... I've been doing academic research in the fields of legal theory and philosophy for a couple of years now. I'm reading every book of phenomenology I can get my hand on (i'm reading Being and Nothingness by JP Sartre right now). I would say that writing and reading is my main passion. I'm mainly writing short poems and reflective narrations. If you want an idea of the kind of book I like, look for DANY LAFERRIERE's workd (he writes in French).

I also love sailing, I do it as much as I can in the St. Lawrence River. I mainly have experience with small catamaran like HobbitCat 18. I used to play volley-ball and practice competitive karate, but it's not possible anymore since my big car accident of 2010 which left me with an impossibility of taking any hit of the head.

Finally, I like to go out, travel, meet people (ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE). oh! and I love cinema too. Last great movie I saw was.... let me think. "Only lovers left alive" + "La Grande Belleza" + "La planète sauvage". Yep.

• arts
• writing
• books
• poetry
• theater
• beauty
• festivals
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• sailing
• law

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: All my favorite arists are french-canadian. To name a few: Jean Leloup, Richard Desjardin, Gille Vigneault, Félix Leclerc, Plume Latraverse, André Fortin, Phillipe B, Philémon Chante, Bernard Adamus, Dead Obies, Alaclair Ensemble, etc.

English music i love that you would be more likely to know includes stuff like Kimya Dawson, Bright Eyes, Tunng, Sigur Russ, Jurassic Five, Jedi Mind Tick, all kind of stuff. I don't what to say!

I'm trying to learn loving techno also, but its an hard process.

Movies: Once again, its mainly french-canadian stuff like "Les invasions barbares", "Quiconque meurt, meurt à douleur", "La bête lumineuse", "Crazy", "Tom à la ferme". However, since i'm much more interested in cinema than music, i know more international stuff. If you want a good idea of my tastes you can look this play list which is very well done and sums up the kind of stuff i like: http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/the-50-best-films-of-the-decade-so-far-20150225. To be acurate it should, however, include LA GRANDE BELLEZA.

BOOKS: My favorite novel might be Les misérables because of its ambition and overall grandeur. A more personal work from the american side would be Comment faire l'amour à un nègre sans se fatiguer by Lafférière.

On the side of philosophy the most important books for me are : Critic of pure reason (of course), Genalogy of Moral (of course), Being and Time (of course). All texts by Arendt are also quite powerful. I have not finished Sarte yet, but he sounds good to me so far. Also, because its so beautifully written, I would say Anarchy State and Utopia by Robert Nozick. I'm not a libertarian though.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

In a big theater festival in Quebec, me and my brother - without any planning - started an improvised play without the organizer's consent. It was so realistic that a considerable crowd gathered around us. At one point the crowd got so big that the organizers called the security and we got kicked out.

Teach, Learn, Share

Being is much more complicated than it seems.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Pretty much everything. Mainly time. When I couchsurf I dot it to spend time with people. If you too busy, I will understand, but otherwise it will be my pleasure to share a piece of life with you. Whoever you are and whatever you do, i'll be interested in discovering it.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Canada, Cuba, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mali, Mauritius, Netherlands, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, France