I consider myself a social and easy-going, intellectually curious and silly person who lives by the general rule "Just don't be a dick". I try to continually grow as a person and connect with people. Learning where people come from and what has brought them to where they are now is just as fascinating as finding out where they want to go and how they want to get there.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

The first stay with a CS host has totally sold me on the idea and so far all my experiences have been great and shown what travelling is all about. Connect and pay it back. Would like to host more, but my hometown doesn't seem to be too popular with travellers ;-)

Currently (summer 2022 to summer 2023) on a sabbatical and planning on seeing and experiencing new corners of the world and learning new stuff (scuba diving and skiing are among the new skills). I want to see how other people live, how their experiences are different from mine. I appreciate the small things probably more than the big sights - which, of course, I still also want to see. And I loooooove trying local food!
The past weeks have just shown again how much more valuable it is to stay with locals and to be allowed to see their city through their eyes instead of crashing at a hotel and missing out on the inside scoop.

Interests

Reading, socialising, film editing, travelling, films, making connections with people, slothing around, being goofy, playing with my friends' kids.

• literature
• beer
• movies
• reading
• psychology
• road trips
• food
• pizza
• local cuisine
• bad jokes
• learning about different cultures
• bad movies
• learning something new
• travelling and meeting new people
• getting to know new places
• true crime

Music, Movies, and Books

I'm not fixed on a particular genre, but what I enjoy are

Music:
Rammstein, Muse, Die Ärzte (a German rock band), System of a Down, film soundtracks (Clint Mansell, Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman, Thomas Newman..), but also 90s dance trash such as Scooter, Haddaway, Snap, Magic Affair

Books:
Lord of the Flies, The Great Gatsby, 1984, Macbeth, A Little Life, Lying on the Couch, Set this house in order, Prisoners of Geography, ...

Movies:
Ranging from the cheapest and worst films to artsy, sophisticated or just plain old ones. Favourites are: 2001, Vertigo, Last Year in Marienbad, Nosferatu, Metropolis, Sharktopus, Bill and Ted, Interstellar, Dracula - Dead and Loving it, The Producers, Young Frankenstein, Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, Seven, The Silence of the Lambs, Arrival, Hereditary, etc.

Anything by Darren Aronofsky, Chris Nolan, David Lynch, Denis Villeneuve I will definitely watch.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Diving with a saltwater croc in the Cage of Death.
Taking a sabbatical and going on my biggest trip yet.
And maybe best of all: inspired a student to travel!

Teach, Learn, Share

I teach English as a foreign language and politics/social studies at a German secondary school with students aged 10-19.

What I Can Share with Hosts

My cooking is alright but I'm happy for you to be the judge of that. Other than that, hopefully some fun and/or deeper conversations about life, the universe and bad movies. Also, I can recite E.A. Poe's "The Raven" - so don't miss out on this high-class entertainment!

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Namibia, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, United States, Vatican City State, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

England, Germany