Hello fellow traveler friends,

My name is Ariel Swoboda and I'm a native Saint Louisian. My partner, Atticus and I have hosted friends and family many times within our home. If you are tired and just need rest, we have a completed guest bedroom with a TV/DVD player with Hulu and Netflix accessibility, books for reading, and a bathroom always clean with provided toiletries including all soaps. By car, we live 10-15 min from the city. Uber is 100% available at all times as well as the public transit system (Metrolink and Metrobus). Our house is a mid-century modern fully renovated delight! You are welcome to enjoy our patio that backs up to the woods where you can kick back and relax! Saint Louis can easily be called home to anyone who pays a visit to this incredibly diverse and eclectic town. Activities include all the free places to visit in Forest Park: The Zoo, Art and History Museums, The Jewel Box, and free golfing on the expansive greens in the middle of the park. You'll definitely want to check out the newly renovated Arch and the grounds beneath where festivals take place often in the spring and summer! Take a trip to Cardinals Nation and sip on a beer or glass of wine while you watch the game! There is so much to see and do in Saint Louis. My partner and I would enjoy hosting you during your stay!

Although I've traveled across the globe a time or two, I just recently hopped into the coach surfing community through a good friend of mine who recommended it to me. I am a very outgoing, optimistic, and warm person. Learning from cultures other than my own is a passion of mine. Last summer I lived in Vienna, Austria while interning for my certificate in Art Therapy at the Maria Gugging Psychiatric Institute/Art Museum. After that once in a lifetime oppurtunity took place, I found myself with what I'm sure many of you can connect with, the travel bug or in other words the NEED to travel and adventure more. After my experience in Austria, I spent a week in Lisbon, Portugal and Prague, Czech Republic. Back home in the states, I enjoy hiking and biking to local parks and nature reserves. More recently, I've travelled to the Smokies in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and found a great sense of enjoyment and respect for the mountainous terrain and forestry.
I love meeting new people and sharing stories! My friends say that I am the social butterfly of the group but at the same token, I am sensitive to other people's communicative boundaries of which I feel makes not only an ideal host but also guest.

**If was to be your guest, I would be respectful to your space that you've provided me to stay. My preference is that I would be treated in the same manner. :)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm on Couchsurfing because I plan to visit Canada very soon and I would very much appreciate the opportunity to meet up with a few new found friends through this platform as well as possibly find a couch or two to sleep on during my venture! Like I said in my bio, I'm new to this community so I completely understand if you are hesitant to invite me into your home as I do not have many reviews. If you are feeling this way, please feel free to DM me at anytime so you can get to know me better!

Interests

• arts
• singing
• performing arts
• street art
• walking
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• swimming
• road trips
• historic sites
• theatre
• biking
• healthy eating
• local history
• horseriding
• enjoying life

Music, Movies, and Books

My favorite music would include almost anything within the folk, indie, and americana genre. I'm a singer/songwriter who enjoys impromptu jam sessions with new friends. I love sharing musical interests and ideas. My favorite movies include (brace yourself, I'm a huge nerd), The Dark Crystal, anything Studio Ghibli, the show Grace and Frankie and of course, The Little Mermaid!
My favorite books would include, The Red Heart, Adventure Divas, anything Carl Jung, and Creative Interventions by Cathy Malchiodi.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I'm paralyzingly afraid of heights and I ziplined down the third largest line in the world while in Puerto Rico! It was a complete nightmare but I'm proud of myself for having the courage to do it. :)

Teach, Learn, Share

I am a person who loves to learn about others and their cultural backgrounds and traditions. For work, I use art-making processes as means for communicating traumas and life experiences with individuals who are recently transitioning out of chronic homelessness into independent living.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I would love to share in an overall positive experience with the host. One that is stress-free for them. I'm a very giving person and would love to give back to my host by here and there picking up food, drinks, or simply helping out by doing the dishes or taking the trash out.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Spain, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Austria, United States