I love learning about other countries and cultures -and about the source of differences in how we see the world. I was born and raised in Mexico City, one of the world´s most underrated cities. Since 2014 I have been studying abroad most of the time (in the UK, the US and since 2014 in Germany), but I lived again in Mexico from 2010 to 2014. Personality-wise, I think I am a good conversationalist and enjoy discussing things. History, sport, politics, life, football, religion, the environment, social issues and food. I love reading and never have time for it. At the time I am learning German and a bit of Russian. This summer 2015 I will spend a lot of time in Muslim countries (Iran and then Malaysia) and am excited about learning about these cultures :)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Because it connects you to other people who are curious about the world and who want to share experiences. Traveling is primarily about becoming aware of the infinite number of ways in which life can be lived, I think. CS is a window to the lives of people whom you otherwise might not encounter. Hostels are OK but you always find the same bunch of people, because most foreign travellers always come from the same bunch of countries and have similar backgrounds... Whereas CS offers a much more rich experience.

Interests

I'm a very curious guy with too many interests and not enough time to pursue them: I love spending time talking to people and figuring out what paths of life they come from, what makes them tick, and especially what makes them laugh. I love history and chess. I love learning stuff, in particular languages (German is really testing me on this one).
I also love cities, maps of cities, and maps in general. I think cities are a crazy human invention, and each city is a unique lesson about what it means to live in a community. But I love the outdoors, open landscapes where you can roam, roam, roam. Few activities make me feel so free as cycling and camping.

• environment
• dining
• politics
• chess
• reading
• traveling
• blogging
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• camping
• sports
• soccer
• cartography
• history
• languages
• religion

Music, Movies, and Books

My favorite author is Ryszard Kapuscinski. He was a Polish journalist who spent almost three decades in Africa, Latin America and Asia. He was arrested 27 times (I think) and sentenced to death 3 times. He wrote magnificent books about his travels as a reporter, such as The Shadow of the Sun, The Soccer War, Imperium, The Emperor and Another Day of Life.
Other of my favorite books are Siddartha by Herman Hesse, Chess Novel by Stephen Zweig, Pedro Páramo from Juan Rulfo, los Relampagos de Agosto by Jorge Ibargüengoitia, and the Hound of the Baskervilles from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (of the Sherlock Holmes series).
Music- I love 1980s rock from Latin America, the UK, the US. My favorite band is Soda Stereo. I also like Trova Cubana and Balkan folk music.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

In 2012 I spent 6 months cycling through Europe, covering a total distance of 8,512 km through 14 countries. It's all on my blog viajeropractico.com (in Spanish only)

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you some Spanish, Chess and how to make Mexican tacos :)

What I Can Share with Hosts

The limited wisdom that I've accumulated on my almost 28 years on planet Earth. A lot of fun stories about travel and life. Good humor. A smile. Friendship.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Latvia, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Germany, Mexico, United Kingdom, United States

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