CURRENT MISSION

Always planning my next trip, and trying to do some PhD work too!

ABOUT ME

I'm an English girl from the countryside, currently doing a PhD in law in Florence and also working full time as Publications Editor on an international law journal in London!

PHILOSOPHY

I'd like to say 'live each day as if it's your last', but if I was really doing that, then I wouldn't be sat here at my desk right now, I'd be base jumping in Peru or racing camels in the Atacama.
More accurately, it would be to make the absolute most of every opportunity you have and try everything once (again, might have a few restrictions on the latter!). Probably it can best be summed up by the saying: 'It's better to regret something you have done, than to regret something you haven't!'

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Living in Florence the last three years I made the most of CS to see as much of Italy as I could whilst there, by couchsurfing with others, and showing as much of it as I could to strangers by offering them my couch! For an idea of the kind of things Tuscany has to offer, see my photos called Florence Life! Cannot recommend a visit here highly enough!
I often surf when I travel but so far my experience has mainly been of hosting, which I love. It's great to see your city through someone else's eyes, and reminds you of all the beauty you sometimes miss if you see it every day.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Had never done Couchsurfing officially until I joined in 2009, but I was constantly hosting friends from abroad or even out of town on my sofa, and often stay with friends around the country/world. It's definitely the best way to see a place - staying with someone who knows the area, the great places to go, some interesting local facts, and can show you the place as it is experienced by people who actually live there. Brilliant. Best sofasurfing so far was to a friend's husbands' sisters' place in Rio de Janeiro for Carnaval! Incredible! I also stayed with some wonderful families in India and experienced life there as I would never have done staying in a hostel.
My couchsurfer guests have been fantastic, with really interesting lives and really easy to get on with, I guess because couchsurfer types all have a similar outlook on life - adventurous, friendly and fun! I can't wait to host more people!
I also love the Florence CS community and have many great friends and fun experiences from participating. It is a great social network and almost as important an aspect of CS for me as hosting and surfing, because as a foreigner living in Florence I managed to make many Florentine friends which is fantastic!

Interests

Life, the universe and everything!! My dog Billy. Enjoying people, places, art, culture, history, food, wine (occasionally cocktails and the odd spirit (except gin - that I drink all the time!)), world cinema, a good book, walking in the countryside with my dog (or other people's if mine isn't readily available), horseriding, tennis, most outdoor activities, random adventures or spontaneous strange things to keep me entertained, monkeys (awesome little hands they have), the smell of the pavement just after it starts to rain, asparagus and artichokes, sunshine and torrential rain, quiet cafes with great coffee where I can write/read, huge music festivals with millions of people where you can hardly move for fun encounters and new experiences, travelling (of course), my family, my friends, Star Trek (yes, really, but not Star Wars, vastly inferior in my opinion), and being kept safe by others from any spiders which might cross my path and terrify me half to death (please note, any potential hosts/guests, I really am serious about this one!!)

• dogs
• arts
• culture
• books
• beauty
• music festivals
• festivals
• dining
• italian food
• cooking
• wine
• cocktails
• coffee
• walking
• drinking
• movies
• traveling
• music
• outdoor activities
• surfing
• tennis
• history
• law

Music, Movies, and Books

If I filled this in comprehensively I'd be here all day! Again, this section is for another time! Will pick one movie, one book and one band for now.
Movie - Pan's Labyrinth (and anything Guillermo del Toro, or Almodovar for that matter)
Book - Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
Music - Neon Bible, Arcade Fire

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Thinking about this one!

Teach, Learn, Share

I can help you improve your English, teach you how to cook some traditional Italian food (really, I learnt from a CS friend who is a fantastic cook and foodblogger!), teach you the best places to go in London!
What I want to learn - anything and everything! I loved one CS guest who was an artist and took me round the Uffizi explaining the importance of each of the pictures, and another guest who taught me how to cook an Argentinian speciality!

Countries I’ve Visited

Andorra, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Belgium, Italy, United Kingdom

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