Living single, always have. If not in a shared community.

I live a quiet life, enjoying the town and surroundings where I find myself at this moment in life.
Walks, bird-watching, art-events, good conversations, taking time for encounters or chatting with neighbours and passers-by at any occasion. With a circle of close friends, both 'around the block' and at distance.

At the moment I'm finishing a period of over 2 years of pause, work-wise. Time for volunteering in an art project and schooling as a masseur / beginning massage-therapist. While keeping an open mind as to what direction life would take.

Now re-entering working life soon (august 2023) , I'll be with the regional authorities, supporting local government in environmental inspections and housing issues.

I've lived, worked and travelled in different regions in the Netherlands (Limburg and Gelderland), consciously avoiding 'big city life'. Also abroad, first as an exchange student to the US, later as an aid worker in two African countries and in South Eastern Europe.

My interest lies in the complexity of our western societies and how to survive it! This translates to taking time to be still, orienting on wisdom from the East, remaining in touch with world-news and running away from it.

Personal history, lifelines, making things smaller. The body as memory. Patient observation. These are impressions of what catches my attention and what approach I prefer to take.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

New to couchsurfing at 57, yet slept in a variety of odd spots and friendly places.

I hear very good reports of friends, travelling with couchsurfing. This is my first motivation, to travel more easily, locally focussed and with less fuss.

My house likes to host people and so do I. It's something to find out, how much I'll be available for hosting and what form it will take.

Music, Movies, and Books

I'm not a great reader or music listener. At least not with a recognisable style-choice. Still I'm touched by great conversations, either as a spectator or taking part in them. Or a book, movie or documentary, that takes me to an era or corner of the world, in a realistic and well documented way, I value greatly.
The very number of life-forms, cultural constellations, sub-cultures, richness of expressions; I get easily impressed by tracks and traces of so many kinds.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

In terms of travelling, one of my fondest memories goes to leaving my country in a small borrowed car, an address in Albania, written on a matchbox, without a clue of what language to use after leaving the ferry-boat.
It worked. Stayed for three months. Left the car behind, it became a chicken home in the end. Returned by train.

What I Can Share with Hosts

My knowledge and joy of the direct environment and nearby towns (Zutphen / Arnhem)
Where to walk, cycle, visit an occasional museum, garden or castle.
Advise on local growers of organic food.
Time and / or food, as it suits all.

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Denmark, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Netherlands Antilles, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, Sudan, Switzerland, United States, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

Albania, Burkina Faso, Netherlands, Sudan, United States