CURRENT MISSION

spread love in the world :-)

ABOUT ME

As you can see in the name, we are two people.
We don't live together any more and consider being rather friends then a couple. It would be a pity though to delete this profile, as it connects us to common friends and reminds us of the good times we spent together traveling and receiving guests.
Here is Nastjas new profile (still working on it):
http://www.couchsurfing.org/people/murmurik/

Here is Björns new profile (coming soon):
...
Our dear friends still can write messages to both of us here, we live close to each other and will both be glad to hear from you. I (Nastja) will check the post from time to time.

PHILOSOPHY

Be the change you want to see in the world.

N: I think people will have to change as soon as possible in order to survive.
If everybody would be living following the "golden rule":
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golden_Rule_(ethics) )
or just really love his next and all living creatures --as much as himself--, I think this could create a new, sustainable and peaceful world order.
This is not an idealistic point of view - it might be the only chance we have to survive as a species.
IF we just stay what we are - egoistic, intolerant, greedy etc. - the human race will destroy itself, very soon. There already are wars for oil, gas etc. There might be wars for water and fertile soil soon, as the population is growing rapidly and the ressources are coming to their end. The Earth is a sensible ecosystem, and we are overusing and destroying it. A similar sutuation is where a virus destroys its own host (cell or animal). Viruses then spread to other hosts - but where can we go if the Earth is dead?

So, be the change you want to see in the world.
Act locally, think globally. Avoid dependency, seek for freedom. Observe yourself and others and try to understand them. Find out what you really want and need. Think about others while deciding something for yourself. You cannot really change anybody's mind, but you can help, inform, discuss. Respect other opinions. There is no absolute truth. Stay concient. Don't expect anything from others. Give if you want to give. If you need something, get it. Love. Don't fear. Think positive.
...

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

In a totally globalized world, many people share the same dreams of traveling but don't have the same possibilities - projects like couchsurfing try to help the ones who can't afford a place to stay. And how should we understand other people's cultures without ever entering their homes? Culture is not only on the street, in concerts, books and in the theatre.. it's in the way people live. Opening your home's door for a stranger you truly open your heart and your mind quite a bit..

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

we hosted many times through hospitalityclub, met really nice people. Now this cite seems to be much more developed, more members, better functions. It does not make any sence to split the hosts-guests-community and it does not matter how to call this all thing..
In June 2009 we finally met our first hosts - and they were amazing people. Danutian, Debra&Regis, we are very glad to have met you on our way and many thanks again!
We also met really nice people while looking for couchs and through Buenos Aires-Group. Then, we found out, some of our friends were souchsurfers, too.
We hope the network will grow, and the members never forget the idea of helping without awaiting something in return.

Interests

Nastja:
-> Biology and Geography (studying those subjects) and everything what has to do with those subjects, from urban development and human migrations to leaf-cutting ants :-)
-> Sustainable living, globalization.
-> Arts. Here, like with music, I hardly can remember the names of the artists, even if I saw something really impressive..
I love painting and drawing, but never learned it well, so it can hardly be calles arts.
-> handcrafts: knitting, sewing (both hands and machine); makrame, just love making things with my hands..
-> recycling things. make new stuff out of old stuff
-> Renewable Energy - since I participated a summer school about it the idea of a mostly solar powered world follows me everywhere. I'd like to learn how to biuld solar tools like a cooker, lights, solar heating systems, build myself. Never had a workshop nor time to start..
-> Sports: ultimate frisbee, voleyball, hiking, climbing (indoor, I'm too bad for outdoor and scared of related adventures), tried slaklining but never practiced

Björn:
unfortunately, he does not have much time to fill that out himself. I'll try to pick the most obvious ones. Most of it are my interests too since we met :).
-> British humor :) (see Movies, Music, Books)
-> Arts, especially street arts. Many things, from "improveverywhere" and flashmobs to graffiti.
An example:
http://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/
-> Sports: volleyball, ultimate frisbee, table tennis, hiking, climbing
-> watching (not playing) soccer games of the favorite teams like Barcelona or FCK Kaiserslautern :-)
___________

Both of us started to avoid meat in our meals a couple of months ago. It just seems the right thing to do. Its not only because of the suffering of the animals, but also because of the waste of energy and water and a great envorenmental impact the production of meat requires. As a consequence, our interest is to learn vegan and vegetarian cooking.

Both of us appreciate a nice and practical home. We have built some of our furnitures and loved the process and the results.

We enjoy shared living, and its not only about shared costs, but about cooking, playing boardgames, watching stuff, discussing and just having fun together.

Both of us use the internet intensively, so many web2.0 tools make our lifes easier but a little bit to full of information sometimes.

We try to participate in the political life, by voting, signing petitions, going to demonstrations, if the subject seems important.
Importants things, for example: human rights, peaceful solutions instead of wars, non-cencored access to information, free media, free education (both "free" like independent and "for free").
Also, we are aware of the consequences of many things we do and try to keep them reasonable.

• animals
• arts
• culture
• books
• street art
• concerts
• education
• human rights
• ethics
• cooking
• vegetarian
• vegan
• movies
• traveling
• knitting
• painting
• drawing
• music
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• sports
• rock climbing
• soccer
• tennis
• volleyball
• table tennis
• biology
• communications
• teaching
• geography

Music, Movies, and Books

Nastja:
-> Last book i read and enjoyed: 'The unbearable lightness of being' by Milan Kundera
-> Films:
The recent favorite: avatar, a beautiful movie. Watch it in 3D if you can, but don't let the special effects blow your mind too much, though :-)
Documentaries.
Some of my favorite "entertainment"-movies:
"Me and you and everyone we know",
Donnie Darko, Soñando despierto, animated films by Hayao Miyazaki, Lord of the rings(all 3, sorry never read the whole book).. many more!
also some classics with some "ideas" behind like Terminator, Matrix.
-> Music:
I like many different styles, almost all, from reggae over classics to heavy metal. Non-or less-commercial music is what I value most.
Dancing to the sounds of the 80ies and pop is fun, too.
My problem is, it is difficult for me to remember the names of the artists, even if I like them much.
Just some of the names, starting with an "M": Morcheeba, Moby, Massive attack, Manu chao, Metallica, Molotov..

Björn:
-> Books of Douglas Adams
-> Music:
Raggae, Rock, Metal, Jazz, Lounge electro and many more!
-> Films:
Monthy Python
comedy series like "Spaced", "Black Adder", "Black Books" etc.

both:
-> "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy"

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

June 2010: Fireflies in Pennsylvania. In the evening thousands of them are rising out of the grass, sparkling like little stars and spreading in the fields, trees, until the whole landscape is full of lights..

•