Hi! My name is Allison. In a few shorts weeks I will be starting law school in San Francisco.

Until then I want to have fun! I am 28 years old and love to travel. Last year I moved to Costa Rica on a whim. I spent 5 amazing months exploring Costa Rica and finished my adventure with a month in Panama.

As a guest I am very friendly and quite outgoing, but also more than willing to keep to myself if that works better for you. I travel fairly lightly (1 55 L backpack or less) so I won't be dragging a bunch of things around.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I am couchsurfing for the experience and the potential to meet new people. When you stay with someone in their home you get a different sense of a place. You get to see what everyday life is like. I'm not a big hotel traveler by any means. I fully believe the reason to travel is to immerse yourself in a region and temporarily become a part of the place you are in. The best way to do that is to stay with people who live there.

Interests

I am adventurous and like to try new things. I believe you can't know if you like something until you try it. I am most comfortable in the outdoors. I feel at peace in nature. I love hiking and anything active. Recently I've tried some more extreme outdoor adventures, some I like, others I don't, but I'm always up for a challenge.

I also really like food. At home I go to local farmers markets and cook as much as possible. Sometimes I use recipes, sometimes I just cook. In my mind every bite of food should be enjoyed and savored. Delicious food is definitely my weakness.

Reading is something I never seem to have enough time to do, but sitting down with a good book is always an adventure (of a different sort). Its the best way to spend a relaxing day or to unwind before bed.

• books
• dining
• cooking
• recipes
• wine
• reading
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• backpacking
• languages
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

My music preference vary based on what I am around. I grew up on Country music and still love it. I like oldies, blues, and jazz a lot too, and I pretty much enjoy listening to any type of music.

I tend to enjoy comedy movies. If it can make me laugh its a good movie. Movies definitely bring out my girly side. The cheesier and more romantic the comedy, the more I enjoy it. I also really like documentaries. Learning is never a bad thing.

Books. I just love books in general. I can read anything from a (horribly written) teen novel to books on economics. I'm usually reading anywhere between 2 and 6 books at a time. I'm really into books on travel, history, and world economics at the moment, but that might be because I'm getting ready to travel.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Finished my Bachelors Degree. I had a bit of a hiccup and had to go back for one class 2 years after I graduated. No matter how hard it was, I made it work. To me that an amazing accomplishment.

It's not as cool as canyoning, white water rafting, or any of the more extreme things I've done, but to me those came easy, they were fun. Going back to school while working full time was much harder.

Teach, Learn, Share

I enjoy learning about different cultures and cultural traditions. I would be happy to be immersed in them.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I am more than willing to share my love of cooking with you. I enjoy cooking for friends and family I would love to cook for you too! I usually make food fairly spicy so if you don't like spice I will need to know that. Also, getting used to ingredients might be an adjustment, but I can make anything work .

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Canada, Costa Rica, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Panama, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Costa Rica, France, United States