CURRENT MISSION

My mission is to tell long, glorious stories with sound effects and voices and excitement while drinking wine and eating spicy food and laughing. The objective is to see others laugh and smile in return.

ABOUT ME

I really like coffee. Desperately. Although I think I'm now leaning toward iced coffee, which may be indicative of a love dependent on caffeine intake rather than true love. I like staring at paintings and seeing little dabs of light and feeling silly because I have this incredible urge to just start tearing up and I think "Oh not now, we're in a museum." I like Klimt because he makes me feel grand and Chagall because he makes me love. I like music that beats with my heart and I like red wine that explodes on my tongue. I love feeling restless because I want to go go go. And I love telling you the things that make me explode with excitement and academic interest. I just can't wait, I have to talk about it now, and if you disagree, that's even better because now I know you really care. I want women to be citizens with rights, with the right to choose and to control their bodies - nothing has ever meant so much to me in my life and I doubt anything will ever mean more. Apart from family and friends. Nothing will ever give me the kind of happiness they can give me.

PHILOSOPHY

I live my life so that I can believe in and fight for the things that I feel passionate about. Not everyone feels that way about something or even wants to. But I live to study and understand and eventually work with the issues that make me feel alive. I also believe that it's absolutely necessary to be kind and love those who are close to you.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I've just recently gotten into CouchSurfing, but I want to introduce people to the world I know and be welcomed into the reality of theirs. It's more than seeing a part of a city you wouldn't otherwise see. It's really experiencing something, connecting with someone you wouldn't otherwise know. People are everything. Landmarks, museums, ruins, what have you - they would mean nothing if they weren't surrounded by passion and personalities and ideas. I intend to be part of that. and speaking of being part of that, to make sure you've actually read my profile, please include the word for my favorite drink, described in the first line of my "all about you" in your request. I will host and travel and try, with what time I have, to spread that sentiment of a connected world.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Even when I wasn't part of CouchSurfing I met a girl in Pucon, Chile who was hosting a guy from Toronto. They explained CouchSurfing to me and while I didn't end up crashing on her couch, I spent the entire day with the two of them. They were incredible people, interesting, kind, filled with amazing stories, information, and just great to be around. It was my first experience with the community and sent a clear message of how fantastic it is to just share and be with people like that. I hope to have many more similar experiences.

I've hosted a couple of people and I've spent some time exploring with others here in Boston. I had some great experiences during a short trip to Europe that really made my time there. It's been a blast and now that I've finished with school, I think I'll be able to host more in the future.

Interests

Women's issues (primarily reproductive rights), talking about those issues without end to whoever will listen, immigrant rights, learning languages, having conversations in those languages, eating delicious food and drinking wonderful wine with it.

• dining
• wine
• red wine
• coffee
• drinking
• traveling
• music
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

I like movies and music that take a few viewings and listenings to realize just how incredible they are. I like seeing details come together or hearing things I never heard on the first, second, or even third listen. I like fantasy books or non-fiction mostly.

My favorite book right now is Nicholas Kristoff's "Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide." It's an exceptional book and one that I think every one should read.

My favorite band is the Decemberists (probably because the majority of their songs are story songs). I generally like music along that indie, lovely, melodic vein.

And I'm always terrible with movies, because there are just so many. But without thinking, the first ones that pop up are Memento and Garden State. Ugh. So bad at this. You know how there are tons of movies you just adore and then you can't think of them later? Later. Maybe more later.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

One of my favorite moments happened in Cusco, Peru. I sat down with a group of indigenous women next to some ruins. Generally these women will dress in their traditional garb and charge tourists to take pictures with them. But these women were relaxing, chewing some coca leaves, and talking, and so they welcomed me as I sat down with them. I spent the next 30 minutes talking about the difference between llamas and alpacas and learning how to properly chew and share coca leaves. It was extraordinary and they were more than willing to share the time with me.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Dominican Republic, France, Greece, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Chile, Guatemala, United States