**I have just had to conclude I don't do last-minute requests very well. If we're only messaging on the day you want to be hosted, any amount of internet and/or mobile connection hassle can happen just by me being in the wrong corner of my flat. I have the will, but not the reliable technology... Try anyway, but be prepared that the silence of Space may happen until I catch up another day. Or make your arrival day a Thursday; that way you can be sure to catch me at Friendship Club (see Common Grounds Cafe in Favourites on this profile) **

*** Some people have a skill of writing very personal-seeming cut-and-paste requests - sorry, but that's still one-size-fits-all and not in the spirit of CS. So, PLEASE find one or two things in my profile that you can tell me are the reason you want to stay with me specifically. It doesn't matter if we don't actually end up doing those things; but I need to see you've read my profile and made an effort to tell me so.***
***** Not hosting until the end of October, apart from those already agreed. Bikes and book piles in-process-of-being-tidied are everywhere; bikes keep needing repaired... Not good hosting conditions. On top of that, the university term keeps getting madder and more hectic every year; while I'm sunk in uni emails, CS drops by the wayside ;-( *****

I'm a lot of things in one person that so-called mainstream culture finds hard to think together - queer mother, atheist who attends Quaker meetings, cyclist-in-Belfast, middle-age woman who sometimes climbs trees, goes on roller skates, walks barefoot in the snow (yes, I do embarrass my teen, but in a good way)... I love chatting to people or reading, discussing intellectual stuff and being silly, going out and staying home, going wild and being quiet... I LOVE discovering just how varied human beings are. The Belfast Friendship Club (http://www.belfastfriendshipclub.org/) is a great place to do that (and to share board games, do crafts, listen to vinyl...). Couchsurfing is another.

My daughter describes herself as shy and artistic. She loves doing trapeze and dancing (contemporary and hip hop). She loves loves LOVES animals! Current missions: getting another tattoo or two and completely re-decorating her room. She's wondering about the best way to move forward with her art, specifically the best way to build a portfolio.

I'm NOT a housewife, but can get pernickety about ready-to-use worktops and keeping things like dishes, scissors, keys in the right place (which also means that, as a guest, I'll not spread my stuff all over your place and I'll clear up after myself, turn off lights etc when finished). Staying with us means you'll probably have to "dance" around piles of old papers and other things I still have to sort: what to keep, what to discard? It's so difficult! Marie Kondo says we should only keep things that spark joy. But it so happens that what sparks joy in me are loads and loads of books and funky drinking mugs and cuddly toys and old greetings cards and photos…

But if you think you could improvise around our messy flat without judging us, do send a surfing request, and we might fit you in!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

When I stay in hotels etc., there always comes a point when I wish I could be shown by a local what an area has to offer. Couchsurfing gives you the insider view on a place, helps you understand better how people live and what makes a place THIS place. I love giving and receiving insider tips.

Interests

• dancing
• environment
• yoga
• pilates
• cycling
• languages
• storytelling
• intentional communities
• urban planning
• games
• novels
• equality
• sustainable living
• tandem
• tai chi
• intergenerational living

Music, Movies, and Books

Terry Pratchett (and others, but too much - just visit us to find out more).

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

If I have to choose just one amazing thing I've done, it's got to be giving birth and watching my child develop.
Spending half a year in Benin, West Africa, was pretty amazing (and not just when I jumped off Tangieta Falls). Studying Anthropology - it seems I was an anthropologist before I knew anthropology exists as a field of study.

Teach, Learn, Share

Afraid of cycling? I'll get you started. Want to share languages? I've got four languages to offer.

I'm always up for a chat or discussion on everything under the sun. Working as a student support worker since 2006 taught me the inside of many different study subjects, increased my disability awareness, and probably also my cynicism about formal education...

Can anyone teach me Swahili, please? I need to diversify a bit, and Swahili seems a good one to start.

Also need to seriously brush up / re-learn my British Sign Language.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Languages, experiences, some recipes, fun, dance, perspectives. I can be someone to share problems with and keep them confidential, or just play a good round of Uno or Bananagrams.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Benin, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Benin, Germany, Northern Ireland, Spain