My name is Marco. I’ve been mostly a host. Together with Max my cousin/flatmate we host many fellow travelers in my apartement. Now I find myself on the road again and would love to experience the couch from the traveler’s point of view. Please have a look at Max’ profile for some surfers reviews. See under friends.

Meeting great people and learn about different cultures is what makes traveling addictive.

Considered a openminded and friendly guy that wants to share life and experiences, Learning from much more that Life has to offer and want to learn from other people as well.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I am currently living together with my cousin, we are both not at home a lot but as we have both done a lot of traveling and enjoyed people’s hospitality I want to pay back and share our living space.

Interests

Hi fellow traveler.
Thank you for having a look at my profile. Love meeting some loveable new people on their journey called Life anywhere on the globe.

Life as it unfolds for me so far;
- Born & bred Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- High school A levels/VWO
- Prep program university Tel Aviv, Israel 1989
- Married 1999-2023
- Daughters Zamaya (b. 03) and Anaïza (b. 05)
- 20y Full-time in-house dad on a houseboat in Amsterdam with 3 women, 2 cats, rabbits, mice, gerbils and 50 fishes in 1000 liter aquarium.
- Traveled with the girls (homeschooling etc) for almost 2y total (daughters lived for minimal 4,5 months; 2x Indonesia (Bali), USA/Mexico, Thailand, Australia, Costa rica)

- Studied Medical theory Nurse level II
- Studied Business Economics
- Studied Naturopathy; plant medicine, body-mind speciality
- Studied National Flight Academy (PPL, parts CPL)
- Enkhuizer Nautical college level KZV 

- Understanding Dutch (10/10), English (9/10), German (8/10), Spanish (6/10), French (4/10), Hebrew (5/10)

- Worked as assistant controller, ass. accountant and financial administrator for various financial organisations, in health care and with Doctors Without Borders
- Volunteer Hospice caretaker
- Volunteer Hospice cook
- Volunteer Artis Zoo guide; knowledge about plant & wildlife and natural environment

- Special interest in world religions, inner traditions and meta physics
- Initiator consciousness research VU and  UvA Universities Amsterdam
- Certified Yoga teacher
- Authorised meditation guide/teacher
- 20yrs /40+ silence retreats and darkness/solo/group retreats
- Created The Still Point Movement; integrated Yoga, Running & meditation into a system of physical and mental training in acc. with traditional principles
- Diving certificate (PADI advance level)
- Private Pilot license - fixed wings; not current
- Traveled in all climates and seasons
- Traveled all continents excl. Antarctica
- Mountaineering/alpine hiking basic level (Mont Blanc, Cotopaxi, Kilimanjaro, Mt. Everest base camp, Vilarica)
- Parachute license level 2; not current
- Driving license
- Motorcycle license
- Triathlete; level half & full iron man
- Free style diving, paragliding, kite surfing, wall climbing; beginners level

- Coolest animals wild/special;
Beluga, Orca, diff dolphins/porpoises, Wobbegong, Manta ray, Leather back turtle (egg laying), tropical coral fish. Sloths, White shark (cage dive), Tigers, African big 5, panda, polar/grizzly/black/brown bear, quetzal, hyrax bird, pink dolphin, piranhas, penguins, walrus, sea elephants/lion/etc, asian tapir, striped hyena, anaconda, Fer-de-Lance, Black cobra, coral snake, koala, almost all whales incl. blue vin whale, feeding/breaching humpbacks, musk ox, polar fox, rein deer, moose, condor, kangaroos, Komodo dragon, orang utang, gorilla, chimpanzee, gibbons, most croc species, poison dart frogs, Tucan, Tasmanian devil, possums, Red ara, Narnia trogon.

Sailing Vessel Specific:
- CWO zz II; Dutch certificate level II sea sailing comparable level RYA day/coastal skipper;
- Vaarbewijs I+II; Intl Certificate of Competence inland waters; level I+II
- Enkhuizer Nautical college level KZV
- STCW, Medical First Aid/Medical Care (Nautical College Extended Version)
- Diesel Engine RYA course; level I
- GMDSS Restricted Operator’s Certificate (ROC-M)
- First Aid certificate/CPR
- Studied Medical theory Nurse; level II
Total logged min. 10062 NM
(offshore 8422NM/coastal min. 1640NM)

• traveling
• hiking
• sailing
• sports
• food
• nature
• cultures
• outdoors
• religions
• city trips
• yoga and meditation
• trekkings
• hiking in the mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

All sorts. Non-fiction.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Wow. Can’t do that. The world is an amazing place. Friends describe me as a true world traveler. But let’s say that I’ve been around on all continents (ex Antarctica).

Teach, Learn, Share

Sharing is caring.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Great travel stories.

Countries I’ve Visited

Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, England, Ethiopia, Faroe Islands, Finland, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Laos, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, South Sudan, Spain, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City State, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Indonesia