I'm just a silly girl trying to see the world on my own two feet and wheels. I was raised and educated on the west coast of the United States, where I cultivated a love for cultural knowledge and intersectionality. As an undergraduate at the University of Oregon I pursued degrees in Comparative Literature and Cultural Anthropology -- I was trying to dig all of the world's people and art and now I'd like to see them. I'm quite active and am always willing to share a walk, a bike ride, a kayak, a swim or a tree to climb. Low maintenance is how I would describe how I occupy physical space, I like to live small with few embellishments -- trust me I'd rather be outside. I make an outstanding cup of coffee with the proper provision and am a rampant and unabashed conversationalist. I'm traveling to find new places and faces to love -- and I am endlessly curious about how people love the places they are in.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

In college I was fortunate enough to be part of an open house, that hosted traveling musicians, artists, and freethinkers. We created a space for art to be shared -- especially through music. I loved the freedom in the community created. I met and got to vibe with wonderful people and created connections through generosity and openness. People are rad, I've found everyone has something worth sharing (and I dig getting to know what you love!!). I would like to travel as I have helped others travel -- through community -- in such a way to be constantly exposed to new ideas and new insights into culture and place. I have found myself in an epoch where technological and financial isolation are real -- people are able to travel without seeing reality of the places and spaces, ignoring the humans that make them great. I'm couchsurfing because I'm making a bet on human kindness. So let's share, shall we?

Interests

I believe live music to be one of the most enriching forms of community art-- I want to see it everywhere on the streets, in a home, in a club at a festival. I want to watch it all happen and boogie down when necessary.
My day is never complete without some physical exertion, if I can walk there I probably will, to see everything at a human pace. I can't see a hill without wanting to see the view from the top. And honestly how can you let a city enfold you from within a car?
Art is life man, I want to see it all from classical to pop-art, in a gallery or in an alleyway; and as in everything art is better shared. So let's look and talk about it, keeping it slightly silly as we go.

• writing
• singing
• performing arts
• cooking
• walking
• reading
• live music
• cycling
• hiking
• art history
• museums
• vegetarian cooking
• cycle touring

Music, Movies, and Books

I will listen to any live music that is available to me- watching musicians create is one of the most singularly pleasing joys in my life. When it comes to recorded music I've found myself drawn to the traditions of Black American Music -- things along the intersections of jazz, blues, soul, motown and especially funk. George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic were the groupings that taught me how to groove. I can do some serious bopping to Hiatus Coyote, Flying Lotus, Roy Hargrove, D'Angelo, Raphael Saadiq, Nicholas Payton, and James Brown. Nina Simone, Esperanza Spalding, Erykah Badu, Cyrille Aimee,Terri Lynn Carrington and DeeDee Bridgewater are some fine ladies I move to. If I'm trying to really get down, I'll pull out some Missy Elliot. I can really dig Run the Jewels, Dead Prez, Kendrick Lamar, Mick Jenkins and Chance the Rapper. But if you care to know my soul on paper, listen to Charles Mingus, he's already put it there.

I'll watch any movie that's around, I believe strongly that cinema can be both the highest and lowest form of media at the same time. Some directors i especially enjoy are David Lynch, Bernardo Bertolucci, Stanley Kubrick, Lars Von Trier, Wes Anderson, the entire Coppola family, Vera Chytilova and Alejandro Inarritu.

I read everything-- or at least I would like to if i had time enough. I like to read weird things by Daniil Kharms and Jack Spicer. I spent my youth obsessed with the beat generation that found some ground in my region of the United States. I love the silly non-fiction-y stylings of Hunter S. Thompson and Tom Wolf. Gertrude Stein is my literary hero, well cultural hero, perhaps guru? Some other goddesses i worship are Anaïs Nin, Doris Lessing, Natalie Barney, Anne Carson, Adrienne Rich and Virginia Woolf. With a little specialization in Russian as an undergrad I came to deeply love, Nabokov and Bugakov -- in the more contemporary era i delight in the stylings of Victor Pelevin.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I spent the summer of 2015 traveling from coast to coast of the United States in my yellow Volks Wagon Beetle. I traveled over 12,000 miles camping and adventuring in the wilds and urban scapes of my home country. A brief list of destinations are as follows:
Los Angeles, the Grand Canyon, Denver, Omaha, Milwaukie, Chicago, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York city, Atlanta, New Orleans, the Badlands, and Seattle.
ask me anything, I saw a lot :)

Teach, Learn, Share

I have been employed as a tutor and an educator in varying capacities. I was hired by my university to be a publically accessible english tutor. This job afforded me the opportunity to work with many second language english students along with native speakers on english writing organization, grammar, conversational concepts and fluency. I love tutoring, and how it has taught me to actively think with a wide array of people. Trying to learn english? Brushing up skills? Need a second set of eyes on your paper/email/ etc.? I'm your girl! The english language is silly and great and i like to share the way I know it with people -- who knows I may even scribble you a tidbit of poetry for a good laugh.
I'm endlessly curious, open minded and patient -- so teach me whatever you know and I'll listen.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'm trying to live small, but whatever provisions I have I am willing to share generously. I can cook and clean and do the chores that are asked of me. I am always willing to buy a friend a pint, or a sandwich or cup of coffee. Want to swap clothes, need a big hug or a laugh, need a book recommendation? Let me know. Let's share what we have and enjoy the freedom other people give us.
WooHoo for Global Community.

Countries I’ve Visited

Costa Rica

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States