Currently living in Ziguinchor Senegal (here til August 2016)

Me in a nutshell: I am a long-distance runner, an amateur photographer and a rock climber. I also do a fair bit of yoga, but I'm terrible at it. I love the outdoors and am always, always up for a hike or a camping trip. I also enjoy wine, the ballet, and life in general.

PHILOSOPHY

"It's not who we are that holds us back, it's who we think we're not."

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I have always been curious about the world and will take any possible opportunity to learn about new cultures, places and people. I especially love trying new activities and foods.

Interests

Running, rock climbing, photography, and writing.

• writing
• photography
• ballet dancing
• cooking
• wine
• yoga
• marathon
• running
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• camping
• snorkeling
• sports
• rock climbing
• track and field
• teaching
• history
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

I'm a humongous book worm. Asking me to list all of my favorites will just end in boredom for you, but here are a couple that top my list: "The Grapes of Wrath," "Falling through the Earth," "Year of Wonders," "East of Eden," and "Oryx and Crake."My current music obsessions are The Lumineers, Mumford and Sons, Stromae, Mor ve Otesi, Aloe Blacc, Lisa LeBlanc, Passenger, and Darius Rucker.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

*Sea turtle conservation work in Costa Rica.
*Point Reyes tidepools during low tide.
*Snorkeling at The Great Barrier Reef.
*Sitting in silence inside the Blue Mosque.
*Running the California International Marathon.
*Hiking the Overland Track.
*Rock Climbing at Arapiles.
*Volunteering with rescued elephants in Thailand.
*Making lifelong friends around the world.

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach: I'm certified as an ESL teacher and am fluent in French. I will gladly help you with your language skills.
Learn: I love learning about the history of a place, even the little tidbits that most people don't care about. I also want to learn to cook different foods. If you know of something I should try, let me know!I'm also seriously interested in learning more about trad climbing and improving my outdoor climbing skills in general. I'm traveling with my rope and a bit of gear, so if you've got the patience for a semi-novice sport climber then I'd love to join you.
Share: My favorite things to share are a good bottle of wine and great conversation.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Gambia, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Mongolia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, Philippines, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, France, Senegal, Switzerland, Turkey, United States

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