After 11 years of city life (in London), we now live in the forests of deepest Germany.

Aged almost 40, I've decided to start a PhD. Having been an expert on wellbeing and happiness and all the critiques of GDP for 12 years, I've decided to become a novice on something quite different - the influence of advertising on political values. I'm studying at the University of Erfurt - the oldest and the newest university in Germany! Apparently.

If you come to visit us in Eberswalde, you'll meet me, my wife (Magda, from Poland), and our daughter (Alba, from all over the place. Born 2014, and she can already speak three languages).

Maybe some things I like? The gurgling of a bottle of wine when you pour out the first glass. Forgetting the world whilst dancing to reggae or drum'n'bass. Watching cats. Watching dragonflies. Stirring a risotto. Eating a risotto. Coming back home from Belgium on the Eurostar with a rucksack clinking full of Belgian beer bottles. Making a difference to someone. Cycling down Calle de Balmes in rush hour. Spontaneity. Singing along badly to female vocals. Listening to my daughter saying bizarre things.

Things I don't like? Unthoughtful people, arrogance, the English summer, cars, flying without thought of the impact, waste, materialism, feeling trapped, pubs where the music is too loud to talk, but there's nowhere to dance.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

The first time a stranger lets you into their house and offers you a glass of wine or a cup of tea, and the first time they leave you, a stranger, in their house whilst they go to work - you realise there is hope for this world!

Interests

• dancing
• environment
• cooking
• beer
• politics
• cycling
• hiking
• economics
• psychology
• linguistics
• theatre

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: amparanoia, lamb, ojos de brujo, tori amos, lhasa de sala, bjork, spook and the guay, goran bregovic, la xula.For dancing: reggae, balkan/gypsy, drum'n'bassFilms: habla con ella, central do brasil, el laberinto del fauno, maria llena de gracia, brazil, dogville, american beauty, dark city, fight club, persepolis, krematorBooks: stuff like...One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Kiss of the Spiderwoman, Manuel Puig. The Handmaiden's Tale, Margaret Atwood. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera. Snow, Orhan Pamuk. No Logo, Naomi Klein. The Meme Machine, Susan Blackmore. Post Growth - Life after Capitalism, Tim Jackson.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Theatre of the Oppressed. Walking along the top of the walls of Jerusalem with someone who had spent half his life in prison. Getting involved in the public support of a Latin American president when there was a mini one-day coup (el pueblo unido!). My work's mentioned in the Lonely Planet (hurray!). And I've looked after a baby wolf (ahh!).

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, Oman, Palestine, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Chile, Ecuador, Germany, Poland, Spain, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom

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