Hello!

My name's Allegra and I'm from Washington, D.C.. I graduated from high school last year in June 2017 and am taking a gap year before I begin college in September 2018 at the University of Chicago. The first part of the year was spent working and saving money in D.C. The second and longest part was AmeriCorps, a federal service program which allowed me to travel around the U.S. doing a variety of community service work (disaster relief, construction, teaching, gardening, etc.). The last part is traveling overseas this summer to Italy, the Netherlands, France, Jerusalem, and Greece.

I love traveling and interacting with new cultures and communities! I also love playing music (percussion and ukulele), having interesting discussions, playing with my dog, doing puzzles (sudoku, crossword, and jigsaw), reading, and going on walks and runs.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I want to see the world! ...on a 19-year-old's budget. College is expensive, and I don't want to graduate knee-deep in student loans.

I also want to go a little deeper than the typical tourist experience. Coming from D.C., I know how easy it is to visit a place and see only the sites and museums, while ignoring the people and the culture. I love meeting new people and exploring new places, and Couchsuring seems like a more genuine way of doing that than staying at a hotel.

Finally, I like being able to pay my travel debt forward! Once I'm back from this trip and my life becomes a little more stable, I'd like to meet up with Couchsurfers in D.C. and Chicago and show them around.

Interests

• theater
• music
• jazz
• philosophy
• psychology
• ukulele
• museums
• percussion

Music, Movies, and Books

Music:
-anything by Sara Bareilles, Coldplay, Meghan Trainer, Fitz and the Tantrums, and Janelle Monae
-I love jazz and musical soundtracks!
-I like most classical music as well

Movies:
-Little Miss Sunshine (my absolute favorite!)
-Whiplash
-Ratatouille
-Bruce Almighty
-Hairspray

Books:
-1984 by George Orwell
-Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

This past winter I trained for a half marathon, the longest race I've ever run! I've never really considered myself a runner, but some friends encouraged me to train with them and sign up! I ran the whole thing in 2 hrs, 50 minutes. No trophies, but a pretty great personal accomplishment!

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm excited to learn just about anything, whether that's new skills, new recipes, or some new words of a new language!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I speak fluent English and limited French, so I can help practice language skills and share aspects of U.S. culture. I know quite a few recipes I'd love to share or prepare for a host (most are vegetarian, but can be modified). I have VERY basic construction skills, so I could potentially help out with any home repairs. I might be bringing my ukulele along, so I could play you a couple songs. And I love just talking and keeping people company! Oh, and I can show you how to make an origami crane!

Countries I’ve Visited

Finland, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States