CURRENT MISSION

peace and harmony

ABOUT ME

We are a couple in our late-forties, with several children, some living with us (2 14-year-old girls, one of them not ours), some others visiting occasionally.
We love travelling and discovering new places and people (how common this sounds!)
We enjoy going away on week end trips, in France or Europe.

I must have been a cat in a previous life: lying on a sofa in a sunny spot is one of my delights. I also love watching my garden grow. I'm quite contemplative when I'm at home, probably to rest from my overactivity at work.

PHILOSOPHY

I try to make the most of what's life has given me. I'm rather spoilt, haven't suffered from any difficult situation so far (besides having divorced parents, studying something i've loved, having children, divorcing myself and remarrying) so I do my best not to be too selfish and considering the people around me (although not every body agrees with me on that point).

I think preserving our planet is our civilization's current challenge. Some days I'm pessimistic about that and wonder in what world my children are going to be adults. Now I understand why some people say that they don't want kids because they are afraid of the world we're leaving them.

But let's not brood about that! Most of the time I'm optimistic and trust people's ability to adapt.

Pourquoi je suis sur Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

We are mostly hosts, and sometimes surfers.
We haven't hosted for some time, but can do that again now. Cyclists are welcome, as we have a garden where you can park your bikes.

Thanks to the people who hosted my friend Benedicte and I in Norway. Different persons and lifestyles, interesting meetings!

Centres d'intérêt

Reading (several hours a day, almost every day), gardening (we have a small city garden, the perfect size, with a cherry tree), singing (we are in a choir), playing and listening to music (antoine plays the guitar, i've tried the piano for a while but wasn't very successful at it).

• cats
• singing
• cooking
• gardening
• reading
• traveling
• music
• guitar
• piano

Morceaux de musique, films et livres

Books are an important part of my life. I read a lot, mostly novels written in English, because this is what i've learnt to like and what I know best. Among my favorites are Vikram Seth (never been disappointed by any thing he's written), Michael Cunningham, Jeffrey Eugenides, Siri Husdvedt, Kate Atkinson, and so many others...
French literature I rarely appreciate, except Michel Houellebecq. I can read anything coming along my way and enjoy it even if I won't put them in my best of list. I love novels about music.

Music is important for me too, even if I don't often listen to cds at home (i can't listen to music and do something else at the same time, and very often when the kids are in bed i prefer a silent activity... like reading). I love live music, from classical to pop. I try to be open-minded on musical genres and I'm really happy to discover new things.

I very often watch TV shows. Making a list would just be too long ! British mini series are my favourite, but there are lots of great American shows as well, and I really would like to be able to watch more foreign shows (not English-speaking) .
We can't get enough of Kaamelott ( http://www.kaamelott.com/). Some cues we know by heart and they still make us laugh. The best antidepressant in the world!

As for movies, I'll try that list later.

Une aventure extraordinaire que j'ai vécue

Having kids? Reading The Lord of the Rings twice, loving it the first time, hating it the second? (twenty years had passed in between)

Enseignez, apprenez, partagez

Teaching's my job, I would love being taught for a change.
I definitely don't want to teach you English !
But we can share a couple things about gardening, and Antoine is a good cook.

Pays que j'ai visités

Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Pays dans lesquels j'ai vécu

France, United States

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