I am a relaxed, often goofy but also sometimes shy graduate student who's done some traveling. I'm a dual citizen in France and in the USA, I'm part of the LGBTQ community, have two cats, and used to be vegan but went back to vegetarianism after a few months because I'm weak. Usually I'm pretty independent and like doing my thing when I have my own space, but since moving back to the USA I've opened up more and developed better social skills. Obviously from this previous paragraph I'm a socialist and a feminist.

It's tough to describe my interests because I appreciate a lot of things that can be seen as very different--I've been described as a chameleon by my former roommate because one day I'll be a geek, the other a hipster or a grungy person, another one I'll be more glamorous and then the next go to work/school in my sweatpants. I'm a school nerd but I make sure I nurture an identity that's kind of separate from that world. I've tried jiu jitsu, ballet, love yoga and muay thai, but have stuck the most to horse riding since I was a little kid.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I've been really disappointed in my last experiences with Airbnb so I decided to give this website a try. Plus it's not cheaper than hotels anymore. I've been on here for a while but never used my profile, mainly because I wasn't in the right state of mind before. Now I'm really excited to explore the site and find great hosts for my next travels!

I'm also open to host. My area isn't super exciting but it's very easy to get to NYC and Newark from here (NJ Transit, New Brunswick > Penn Station EWR or NYC).

Disclaimer: I've heard first-hand f---ed-up stories about some hosts on this website. So please if you're into weird shit or think I'm also using Couchsurfing as a hookup space you're mistaken!

Interests

About artsy tags: I do film and digital photography and I enjoy portraits the most. Sometimes I model for people or for myself. I used to make short movies when I was in film school a few years ago but haven't gotten back into that since. I enjoy writing and my wildest dream is to become a published author and live off of that. I also love singing but still haven't done any classes although I also dream of hitting the stage. I did a few music festivals in France because they're so much cheaper but have great lineups. I see a lot of concerts and thanks to festivals I have a few good stories about great artists.

• cats
• horses
• literature
• photography
• tattoos
• music festivals
• partying
• music
• hiking
• food
• nature
• film
• vegetarianism
• veganism
• chill
• yoga and meditation
• environmental protection
• 1990's

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: punk rock, post-punk, folk, rap, jazz, hip hop... a bunch of stuff. I'm always listening to Warpaint, PJ Harvey, Portishead, Angel Olsen or stuff like Beach Fossils; but right now I'm obsessed with Mac Miller & Childish Gambino.

Movies: my favorite movies are what I've seen of Godard & Cassavetes, and I enjoy slow and abstract stuff like Apichatpong Weerasethakul. In my top 3 there is Buffalo 66 by Vincent Gallo, and... I'm not good with classifications! I also love watching silly movies e.g. last in date Girls Trip. Right now though I've been watching more stand-up and Youtube than actual movies (apart from those for my Film class) and TV shows.

Books: I'm into 18th and 19th century stuff for work--I study literature and politics and the impact the word can have/has on readers. For very contemporary literature Homegoing, There There, and What it Means When a Man Falls from the Sky blew my mind. I don't usually read cheesy, romantic stories if they're not from the 19th century, and I need to feel like I learned something from reading. Sometimes I re-read the

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Getting a full-ride Ph.D. package! I could say that I did a road trip in the West a few years ago or I could talk about my unforgettable albeit slightly disappointing 17-day trip in Tokyo, but my Ph.D. is what comes to mind first when thinking about this question. I might be much more of a nerd than I thought.

Teach, Learn, Share

My experience growing up in a country but being just a little different, then moving and feeling even more "different" and being just overall confused is a rich topic for me. I love brainstorming about how cultures in Western countries can be different even though the conclusion is always the same past a certain point. I have things to teach, learn, and share around that topic.

I love sharing music now that I've lived in Philadelphia for a year and got to witness the more local and underground-ish scene there. Also everything is much better when shared over really good local food and craft beer.

Something that I'd be really into learning is cooking unique recipes, either because they're from a different country, from the state (and is vegetarian), or a delicious vegan meal that I could reproduce when I'm back. I'm also into learning about new charities and local actions that help resist a discriminatory and oppressive discourse or political decisions.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, United States