Heyy! I'm Addie, I'm a college student at U of Iowa (Go Hawks!) and I love love love travelling and meeting new friends in other places. I joined Couchsurfing because I needed budget travel options but also because I think staying with locals or people who know an area well is often more fun than staying at a hotel! I know that a lot of other Couchsurfers have the same mindset which is awesome! I can't wait to meet you guys <3

Places travelled so far:

US
:) Big Island, Hawaii
:) Olympic National Park, Washington
:) Colorado
:) California
:) Florida
:) Grand Canyon, Arches, Zion
:) Maine
:) NYC
:) Tennessee

International
:) London, England
:) Scotland
:) Prague, Czech Republic
:) Rome, Italy
:) China
:) India
:) Canada

P.S. If you're ever in Iowa for some reason send me a message and I'll see if I can house you! But normally I'm looking for places to stay rather than hosting.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I want to travel a lot and meet all sorts of people, so Couchsurfing is a perfect way to do that. My goal is to find Couchsurfer hosts who'll take some time out of their days to show me around the area and all the local fun!

Interests

• animals
• writing
• interior design
• photography
• traveling
• blogging
• music
• hiking
• surfing
• snorkeling
• swimming
• history
• nature
• exploring
• city life
• local history

Music, Movies, and Books

I tend to enjoy most music, even polarizing genres like country and heavy metal, but I do have my favorites: Bob Dylan, Kanye West, Beatles, P Floyd, Kung Fu Kenyyyy, Beyoncé but only the Lemonade album haha, Simon and Garfunkel, BON IVERRR, and many more of course.

I really like most cool ass movie series like Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Star Wars, etc, but I also love The Godfather, The Lion King, Stand by Me, and pretty much any baseball movie ever made.

I'm an English and Creative Writing major so I love me some books: Slaughterhouse Five, Portrait of the Artist as Young Man, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian, Things They Carried, Beloved, Catch 22, The Little Prince, and honestly most books cuz books are beautiful and amazing and I love them.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I made a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for a mural that would commemorate the life of my close friend, Scooter, who passed during our freshman year of college. I worked really hard to make the Kickstarter look good, I worked with a local company that sponsored art projects, and I oversaw the design process of "Scooter" shirts that were sold as a fundraiser. The Kickstarter had a goal of $1,500 but raised over $3,000. I have to attribute that to how much my friend was loved and how much his life positively affected those around him, but I am still so proud of myself for creating a meaningful project that will help keep my friend's legacy alive.

Teach, Learn, Share

An amazing book that I'm reading right now: "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates. This book should be read by everyone, but especially Americans. It's a beautiful, painful, and incredibly written culmination of a black man's experiences and knowledge of the realities of being an African American, and how our history of the enslaved and the enslavers has affected the present lives of both black and white Americans.

An album you should listen to: "Facing Future" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. This album is a gorgeous, pleasant, relaxing journey through Hawaiian music by the beloved Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. However, beneath the lovely surface, many of the songs touch on the struggles of Hawaiian culture and natives, including the artist's father. You can listen to this album surface level for nice island vibes or you can delve deeper into the emotional center of the album for a deeper listen!

What I Can Share with Hosts

As an English and Creative Writing major, and avid reader, I have a lot to say about a ton of different things! I love history, I love culture, I love music, I love fiction, and I always want to share knowledge. I'm excited about all sorts of things, and often, I'm excited by things that others may be less interested in. I love hiking and adventures and that sort of thing, but I'm not a hardcore thrill seeking adventure enthusiast (although sometimes I wish I was). More realistically, I want to explore nature, learn about the politics, art, and culture of the place I'm visiting, and get to know the area on a more intimate level. If you're a Surfer who wants to enjoy a cool hike or two but also discuss and explore other parts of the area, then we'll fit super well. Plus, I am considered by friends (and possibly by myself haha) as a great book recommender!

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, China, Czech Republic, England, India, Italy, Scotland

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States