I'm friendly, considerate, and (here's hoping!) fun to be around. I aim to be a better person through talking to others who both share my beliefs and hold completely different views - it's how I like to grow and learn, and hopefully it'll lead to all sorts of friendships across the world!

I'm an artist who now works in graphic design, and also dabbles in writing. I was born in Oxford, one of the most beautiful (and bizarre) cities in the world, and after a while abroad I'm happy to be back. Unfortunately I can't host at the moment, but I'm more than happy to show anyone around. Please send me a message if you'd like to catch up! The further in advance the better, as sometimes I miss messages on here!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I've loved CS ever since my European hitchhiking trip in 2013. Kindness and hospitality welcomed me throughout my whole trip, and I hope to pay it forward!

I'm trying to be a more conscientious Couchsurfer. To my hosts, to other travellers, to my visitors (one day, when I have my own home!), and to whatever country I'm visiting. I've grown up a lot since I first started using CS, and I aspire to meet the ideals and generosity that it was first known for. In other words, I'm trying not to be a moocher!

One of my favourite parts of shared travel is learning the quirks of other people's lives, and their opinions on the world. I'm a keen cook, and I love sharing and new recipes, both new and old favourites. So if you'd like me to cook for us, or to cook together, I'd be more than happy to!

Interests

The arts are my real passion - theatre, books, poetry (both writing and reading), photography and galleries. But I'm not really a museum-hopper - I prefer to soak up the culture of a city by wandering round all day and seeing what I can find. Reading a book in a warm plaza-cafe, whilst watching people go by, is one of my favourite ways to spend a day.

I'm a passionate gardener (if I could bring a host some home-grown vegetables through airport security then I would...). Mixed results on the allotment front, but I love doing it all the same.

I also love running, and am training for my first 10k at the end of September! So if you have any recommendations for good running routes in your hometown, I'd love to hear them.

One of my favourite ways to get into a new city is to go to a comedy night (if I speak the language of course!).

• arts
• writing
• poetry
• design
• photography
• cooking
• fitness
• running
• gardening
• reading
• hiking
• languages
• hitchhiking
• theatre

Music, Movies, and Books

MUSIC

I'm a bit old-school in my tastes in some ways (Janis Joplin, Fleetwood Mac and general funk and soul feature quite highly in my playlists...). But I also love Alt-J, London Grammar and Laura Marling.

MOVIES

- Fargo
- Embrace of the Serpent
- The Act of Killing
- Toni Erdmann
- O Brother Where Art Thou?
- Bridesmaids
- Anything with some dark humour

BOOKS

- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
- To Kill a Mockingbird
(They're not all about birds I promise)
- The Sellout
- A House for Mr Biswas
- Anything by Jane Austen
- Essays by great Teju Cole, George Orwell, David Bradley
- Gone Girl reminded me that there's always a place in my heart for a really well-done thriller

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Hitchhiked solo over 2500km from Bulgaria to Oxford, England.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can:
Help with your English
Practice Spanish together
Show you the beautiful Oxford Colleges (they're often closed to the public, but I work at the university so can get one guest in, and they really are beautiful!).
Show you the 'other' side of Oxford (outside of Harry Potter and the Colleges!)
I'm not the best at photography, but would love to take a photowalk together and share some tips.
As a designer, I'm very happy to talk/share design tips, if that's what you're into!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I've been collecting the words for 'Cheers!' from over 15 languages, and I'd love to share them over a beer (or 15...). 🍻

I try to be a conscientious guest, so if I can help out in any way (cleaning, gardening, cooking, English practice), then please let me know! With a low benchmark of culinary taste, I can cook some half-decent veggie food that hopefully won't put you off vegetables for life...

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Canada, Croatia, Cuba, El Salvador, France, Greece, Guatemala, Ireland, Latvia, Morocco, Netherlands, Romania, Spain, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Myanmar, Nicaragua, Peru, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom

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