My name is Maria and I was born and raised in Madeira Island, Portugal! At the age of 17 I moved to the continental part of the country to study and so I ended up in the lovely city of Coimbra. I guess I fell in love with it because it has been 6 years and I'm still here, but working as a Biomedical Engineer now! :)

I've always been passionate about travelling but it was only when I moved away from home that I got the chance to start exploring the world by myself. I've lived in China for two months, in Germany for seven months and I visited many (not as many as I would like) places along these years.

What I like the most about travelling is having the opportunity of getting to know completely different realities from what you're used to!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is all about making new friends and sharing experiences. Plus, I think meeting with locals is the best way of absorbing a new culture and environment. Not only because it's they're comfort zone, but also because they sure know where all the hidden gems are!

Interests

My passions include travelling, photography and combining those two with new experiences! I almost never say no when I get asked to try something new, specially if it's food! :D

• photography
• movies
• traveling
• music
• languages
• physics
• sightseeing
• nature
• gastronomy

Music, Movies, and Books

Music-wise, I love pop, house, dance/electronic and a little bit of latin music when I'm in the mood for partying. When I'm in the mood for relaxing or drinking a glass of wine with my friends I like listening to jazz or classical music.

In terms of movies, I love the ones that make you think deeply and the drama genre. I also watch a lot of TV series, Netflix is love.

I love reading, but unfortunately I don't read that often anymore.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I volunteered as an English Teacher at a Summer Camp in China! It was a fulfilling experience, I stepped out of my comfort zone and grew up a lot. I would do it all over again!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, China, Croatia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Morocco, Netherlands, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, Germany, Portugal