Hello! I am new to the couch surfing scene, but I have always loved the idea. I have spent most of my adulthood teaching preschool and working with children with special needs, and I love working with children. In the past couple of years, I have also become very interested in sustainability and agriculture, and have been working on learning agricultural skills in order to reconnect with the land and learn how to care for it. I spent the summer of 2016 on a small organic farm, and I loved learning new skills and working with the plants and animals. This year, my partner and I are traveling across the country on our bicycles, hoping to stop at farms along the way to learn more skills and become better Earth stewards!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

My partner, Mitch, and I are just starting our first cross-country bicycle tour, and we would like to complete our tour on a small budget, so we hope to be able to couch surf occasionally. We will often only need to spend one night in any location as we are passing through, and have the ability to camp outside and care for ourselves as long as we have a little space to set up our tent! We are also excited to have the opportunity to meet new people, make friends, and get to know the locale as we ride across the United States!

Interests

I enjoy cycling, camping, farming, gardening, reading, drawing, photography, walking, and spending as much time in nature as I can. I am always eager for new experiences and new skills to learn, and I love hearing new ideas from all kinds of people.

• animals
• dogs
• arts
• photography
• ethics
• walking
• gardening
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• drawing
• music
• teaching

Music, Movies, and Books

Oh boy...narrowing it down is always so hard. Musically, I really listen to a variety of genres depending on the situation and my mood, though my standbys tend to be Incubus, Queens of the Stone Age, Zero 7, Pogo, Gorillaz, and Flying Lotus. I don't watch many movies these days, but if offered, I would be happy to watch most fantasy and sci-fi flicks, any Pixar movies, and occasionally a good drama. My one favorite book of all time is the Tao Te Ching, but I also enjoy reading lots of non-fiction, such as "Guns, Germs, and Steel" by Jared Diamond, and "Plastic Oceans" by Captain Charles Moore.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I visited the ruins of my ancestors at Tikal in Guatemala, and climbed to the top of Temple IV. That isn't the amazing part, though. While up there, admiring the achievements of my Mayan ancestors and the wonder of the nature surrounding me, I saw clearly that the path my life was taking was completely wrong for me. Upon returning home, I did the scariest thing I've ever done (and didn't think I could ever do), and informed my husband that I wanted a divorce. That one decision was the most amazing decision I have ever made for myself, and my life has only gotten better from that moment on.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share my knowledge of children, gardening, farming, cycling, camping, and permaculture with hosts. I can also share my enthusiasm for exploration and learning, and my ability to listen to the stories that others would like to share with me. I am happy to share my attention and compassion, and my ability to help in any way I can.
Mitch and I are also happy to help around the house while we are staying with our hosts. We have lived in several community settings, and are happy to cook shared meals and clean shared spaces.

Countries I’ve Visited

Guatemala, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States