CURRENT MISSION

Seeking truth through broadening my experiences.

ABOUT ME

I am first a lover of art and nature. I love visiting places of natural beauty, especially where I can hike or bike. I am a high school visual art teacher, teaching ceramics, photography, drawing, painting, and fiber arts. My previous life work was running a school garden program at a rural elementary school, focused on building community and environmental stewardship. I love plants. I am a proponent of localism and socially just food systems. I love sharing meals and consider it the best socializing you can do, outside of dancing.

PHILOSOPHY

Seek self-improvement and happiness through beauty in the places and people around you

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am a verified member and have traveled in Europe where met some simply phenomenal hosts. The most sincere hospitality I have seen is from Couchsurfing hosts who are at first total strangers. It is a joy to meet genuine people who show great pride in their cities and homes enough to share them with me. I have lived in a very small college town in northeast MO and hadn't received any surfer guests, but now that I've moved back to St. Louis, I hope to host more. I love this organization. I am endlessly impressed.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I was hosted a number of times during my travels throughout Italy, a short trip to the UK, and in New Orleans. Couldn't be happier with my experiences.

Interests

Art!, Environmentalism, Cooking, Gardening, Traveling, Ceramics, Printmaking, Hiking, Biking, Music, Dancing, Meeting new people, Reading, Yoga, music fests, nature walks, nightlife, meditation

• arts
• photography
• beauty
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• yoga
• running
• meditation
• nightlife
• drinking
• gardening
• shopping
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• pottery
• painting
• drawing
• music
• cycling
• hiking
• teaching
• volunteering
• wwoof

Music, Movies, and Books

music....anything live, but especially indie electronic, blues, funk, freak-folk, bluegrass
books...I'm always in the middle of about 5 at a time; recently I've been into nonfiction
movies...don't watch many but when I do I try to make it independent films or award-winning flicks

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

WWOOFing! World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. It's a volunteering network that connects people interested in working on and learning about organic farms and the organic lifestyle with farmers who need help with their labor intensive food production projects. Like Couchsurfing, it gives opportunities for skill, knowledge, and cultural exchange. There's no money involved, just warm housing, good food, and kind faces. In 2009 I WWOOFed in Italy and got work on a straw bale construction site, beekeeping farm, meditation center, and organic olive grove. I got to meet people from all over the world thanks to WWOOF. Wonderful growing experience.

Teach, Learn, Share

I know a lot about gardening and art. I'm a potter ... you can check out some of my stuff here: www.etsy.com/shop/CoatedStonePottery

What I Can Share with Hosts

If you want to try a spin on the potter's wheel, I can show you that.
Depending on my schedule, I can show you some fun places to eat, drink, and groove. Summer is best.

Countries I’ve Visited

El Salvador, France, Italy, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

•