FrancescaP

Updated 2014/06/27

NON-EUROPEAN SWAPPERS: Please indicate a max value of $19 on your package, otherwise I'll have to pay crazy high customs duties. If possible, please use an envelope rather than a cardboard box, and please don't write "tea" or anything edible on the CN22 form (something generic like "kitchen apparel" will be fine!), as such packages are sometimes blocked by customs, thanks!

I'm a freelance translator specialised in video games localisation and testing. I hold a master degree in Modern Languages (German and English), a PhD in Linguistic Theories and Text Analysis and I attended Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich for a year. I love German language, traditions, culture and food :-)

I love cats, and I have 3 adorable furballs! A rainy night, a cup of tea, a cozy blanket and my cats messing with yarn while I'm knitting is my idea of perfect happiness :-)

I also love music, I play guitar and alto saxophone and I like singing.

I'm picky with friendships, I'm a workaholic, I hate sports (except for zumba), I like surprises and I strive to think positive :-)

PLEASE NOTE: A swap is a promise. I'd never flake on you. If you haven't received my swap in 4-5 weeks (USA/Asia/Australia) or 3 weeks (Europe), please contact me! I always take the time to read your profile, even for sender's choice swaps: this doesn't mean I'm hunting for hearts, I just think swaps are meant to be fun :-)

At the moment, I prefer BLACK TEA you can add milk to (plain, decaf, dessert flavors, caramel, marzipan, vanilla, hazelnut, rhum, almond, marzipan, chocolate...)

PLEASE DON'T SEND ME FRUIT FLAVORED BLACK TEAS (I have a food intolerance to most black teas with fruits, so it's a big No-No, please - this includes bergamot/earl grey).

My second favorite is rooibos (plain or flavored).

I like green/white tea (plain, fruity, flowery) although I don't drink it very often.

I don't like fruit infusions very much, but my mom is into them, so they won't be wasted ;-)

I don't like herbal teas (I only drink mint/fennel). PLEASE DON'T SEND ME YOGI TEAS. I also dislike Chai.

I'm in love with Pickwick Spekulaas black tea and Niederegger Marzipan black tea!

My all time favorite bagged teas: Curtis Truffle black tea; Curtis Creamy Praline; Basilur Autumn Tea; Bigelow White Chocolate Kisses; Teekanne Rooibos Karamell-Sahne; Numi Chocolate pu-erh; Stash Vanilla decaf; Forté Hazelnut Truffle; Gschwendner Rooitea Sahne-Caramell; Pickwick Spekulaas; Niederegger Marzipan Schwarztee/Rooibos...

Please only send me individually sealed tea bags (no unwrapped bags). And if you're sending loose tea, please report expiry date and ingredients. Thanks a lot!

No allergies/intolerances

I eat fish and meat quite often, although I generally prefer pasta/rice/vegetables

I like dairy products, I actually love anything with/for milk and yoghurt

I hate cheese (except for mozzarella)! It's the only food I'll never eat O__O I can't sit at a table if there's cheese on it, the smell just makes me sick :-S

I sometimes drink alcohol, so for example I'll gladly try mulled wine/sangria spice mixes or chocolate with rhum filling.

I'm desperately looking for Panko!

Favorite foods: vegetable soups, anything with potatoes, anything with/for rice, local dishes (I'd love to try your traditional foods!), instant noodles, anything with buckwheat/rye, German typical foods (sausages, Semmelknoedel...), pizza, snacks (see below)... My motto is: As long as there's no cheese in it, I'll try it! :-)

I'm not crafty at all :-( There's only 2 things I'm good at: knitting and cooking!

I'd love to receive knitting stuff (most of all yarn, but also things like stitch markers and anything else!) Only whole skeins, please. No 100% acrylic. Any other fiber and any colour is fine!

I love cake design. Here's my latest creation (I'll update it periodically):

Peppa Pig cake (gluten free vanilla sponge with chantilly cream and strawberries)

I'm currently looking for cake pops moulds and colourful sticks

I LOVE salty/savory snacks and I'd really like to try your typical snacks! I'd love to receive: chips, snack mixes, nut mixes, crackers, popcorn, bread, rye snacks and typical savory snacks. If you're from the USA, I promise a heart rating for Gardetto's rye chips or snack mix :-)

I'm not a big fan of chocolate. Anyway, I prefer truffles/pralines with nougat/nuts. I love white chocolate. I hate fruits or mint fillings. White chocolate with Speculoos is the best chocolate I've ever tasted!

I love cookies and biscuits, I could live off of cookies only! :-) Any kind, except those with fruit pieces or fruit fillings. I especially like Digestive-like cookies, butter cookies, rye and/or cereal cookies.

I love peppermint, balsamic and butterscotch candy, and I adore sour/tart candy and bubblegum. I have a "soft spot" for gummy candy :-)

In general, anything local/typical is truly appreciated :-)

Drinks: I don't drink plain black coffee/espresso. Apart from that, any drink mix is fine: the weirder, the better! Some drink mixes I received through Swap-Bot and loved: Nescafé Irish Cream Latte; Lynch Hot Apple Cider; Options hot chocolate; Cadbury Highlights; Nescafé Creamy Latte; Nescafé Cappuccino with chocolate sprinkles, Mulled Wine spices...

I generally listen to heavy metal music (Metallica, Pantera, Blind Guardian, Within Temptation, Nightwish, Marylin Manson, Angra, Stratovarius...)

I like Irish, Celtic and Medieval music.

I don't like disco music, jazz and fusion.

If you want to make me happy, I'd really like to receive CDs (homemade, store bought or even second hand) or USB devices from any heavy metal bands you like/know (Power/Epic/Symphonic metal is my favorite, think about Blind Guardian, but I'll gladly listen to any heavy metal music, I love local bands, too).

MAKEUP - I only use:

• Foundation/BB cream (very fair, I have a vampire complexion ;-) )

• Mascara (any colour)

• Kajal

• Smokey eyes eyeshadow/palette

BATH/BODY:

• Face cream/lotion/moisturising capsules (normal/sensitive skin)

• Body oil/spray

• Anything eucalyptus/balsamic (essential oil, candles...)

• Body scrub/Shower gel (we don't have a bathtub)

• Face masks (my favorite masks are paper masks and peeloff masks, but I like all masks)

• Nail stickers/Semi-permanent polish/Top coat

CLOTHING - I like cozy, funny socks, my size is 36 (Italy) - USA 6 - UK 3.5 --- T-shirts/pajamas/leggings: size 38-40 (Italy) - XS-S (Europe) - 32-34 (Germany) - 6 USA --- I like all colours, from black/white to bright/neon! My hair is blond and my skin is very pale (are these info useful at all? Oh well... ;-) )

• Cappuccino (any brand, any flavor)

• At the moment, I'm very much into knitting, so knitting yarn would be awesome (any kind, but only new and whole skeins and no 100% acrylic, please)

• T-shirt yarn (homemade would be super welcome, too!)

• Mugs, any color, any size

• Custom handmade/printed address labels

• Savory/salty snacks (typical chips or snacks are SUPER welcome!)

• Dressing / sauce / seasoning mixes

• Typical cooking ingredients: I love to try new recipes and I'd be excited to receive anything typical from your country/area (I eat everything except cheese). One thing that never ceases to amuse me is receiving "Italian style" foods, like "Italian" tomato sauce or chicken herbs or whatever has the adjective "Italian" on the package. It's super funny to see what is considered Italian food in other countries, so please feel free to send me "Italian" snacks or ingredients from your country :-)

• Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

• Faux leather bracelets (esp. black, but any colour is fine)

• I'd like to receive some of those big paper coffee cups with lids (like Starbucks cups) for hot drinks

• Kitchen or tea towels (my kitchen is steel/dark grey/light grey and red, but any colour is fine), especially tea or cat themed

• Typical drink mixes, like apple cider or Irish coffee latte or Gold Kili ginger...

• Makeup brushes

• Dr. House / Big Bang Theory anything (I'm obsessed with Sheldon! Bazinga!!!)

• Heavy Metal bands t-shirts (local bands appreciated) size S (Small)

• Cozy, funny socks, my size is 36 (Italy) - USA 6 - UK 3.5

• Clothing (t-shirt, pajamas, leggings) - new or in good condition, please - size 38-40 (Italy) - XS-S (Europe) - 32-34 (Germany) - 6 USA --- I like all colours!

• Handmade blank notecards and/or envelopes

• CDs (homemade, store bought or second hand) or USB devices with heavy metal music (famous artists or any heavy metal band from your country) or Celtic/Irish/Medieval music

• Beauty products and samples. I received some face moisturising capsules (Rilanja) in an Advent swap and I loved them, so I'd like to receive something like that, as we don't have them here.

• Anything with Eucalyptus scent (candles, essential oils, candy, and so on)

• Cosmetics ingredients, such as beeswax or cocoa butter or almond oil: I make body lotions, lipbalms and other cosmetics myself and I'm always keen on new ingredients.

• Small cat toys, my cats particularly like feathered toys and small balls :-) No snacks please, unless we have agreed upon them: they're very picky ;-)

Some things I don't use and/or I wouldn't like to receive:

• USED bath/body/makeup products (I'll just throw them away)

• Pens/Pencils/Notebooks

• Plain coffee

• Fruity black tea (yes, I know, it's the third time I mention it! ;-) ), herbal tea, Chai

• ATCs, FBs, ephemeras (I have no use for them)

• Sewing/Crafting supplies (I'm not crafty at all, but knitting yarn is super welcome)

• Embroidered pieces of fabric (I have no idea what to do with them...)

• Expired goods (in a swap, I received a drink mix that had expired a year before, come on.......)

• Jewellery (I don't wear rings, necklaces, and so on - I only wear faux leather bracelets)

• Nail files or lipbalm (I do use them, but I received so many, I think they'll be enough for the next 5 years :-) )

• Nail polish (I have a GlossyBox subscription and I'm receiving more than I can use...). Nail stickers, semi-permanent polish or top coat are welcome!

• Bathtub items (I only have a shower)