CURRENT MISSION

I plan on delaying the real world for as long as possible!

ABOUT ME

Me in a nutshell: I'm shy, but always trying to push my boundaries. I'm an academic, but I like to think that I'm still firmly grounded in reality and don't turn people off with it. I am sarcastic and a bit jaded... but then I have been since I was in high school. I have also had a mess of fun, crazy experiences and met some amazing people. And I want to keep on in the same way, come hell or high water.

PHILOSOPHY

I have two philosophies: the first is that looking at the world through an artist's eye can show the real value of a place. There are amazing and beautiful things everywhere - things that too many people miss or just cannot appreciate. The second comes from my studies and places importance on understanding a person through their own perspective, as much as is possible. A person has no right to disregard or disrespect another until they understand them.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I got involved with CS a long time ago, at the recommendation of one of my friends. It seems like an amazing idea, and so far has been interesting to explore. I look forward to visiting other places and seeing peoples' home towns from an inside perspective. At some point (once I have a big enough space - two adults and a dog in a small studio doesn't really lend itself) I look forward to hosting, I love to meet people with different backgrounds and perspectives.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I haven't used CS in years, but the couple of times I did it was a great experience. I've traveled quite a bit, staying with families of friends and such, so I'm not new to the traveling bit of things.

Interests

I love to travel (of course!), I am always reading, I go out as often as I can and always have a blast, I love listening to music (maybe someday I'll finally learn to play the guitar that's hanging around in the corner), and more than almost anything else, I'm always game to dance (though I'm a bit out of practice)! I used to play soccer (football to everyone from anywhere not the US or Japan), but a torn ACL ended that little bit of excitement. Ah, and as a true Oregonian, I of course love the outdoors and will hike and bike to my heart's content. I also paint, and by extension love the chance to wander around a museum or check out some cool architecture. Thanks to my father I can sit down and enjoy just about any film out there (mind the scary movies - I'm a bit jumpy!) Basically, I'm game for just about anything. Ah, and dork that I am, I also enjoy sewing and knitting. So there it is, that's a pretty good list, though I'm sure that something is missing - it always is.

• architecture
• cooking
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• knitting
• painting
• music
• outdoor activities
• hiking

Music, Movies, and Books

Hmmm... this one is easy - just about everything. There are some types of music that are hard for me to listen to because I have issues with pressure in my ears (hard rock mostly), but other than that everything. Books, music and movies - everything.
...
So, I realized that this might be a bit general for some readers, and thought that I would expand! I love foreign (from an American perspective) films, such as L'Auberge Espanol or Y Tu Mama Tambien. I have a tendency to watch my favorites over and over again, though I also love new movies. In music I love Gilberto Gil, Manu Chao, old Argentine rock, and Quruli (Japanese alt rock... that's the best descripition that I can give), as well as many more. As for books, I will read anything that's put in front of me - from technical manuals to high brow literature. Since I have been an anthropologist since I began my undergraduate studies, I have spent an inordinate amount of time reading ethnographies (think Nisa, if you know what I'm talking about great, if not no worries) and spanish literature (por ejemplo: La Verdad Sobre el Caso Savolta por Eduardo Mendoza). Yah, I wasn't lying - everything.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

There are a lot of things that I feel like I could list here, but I'll keep it fairly short and sweet - a herd of 80 horses in the Oregon hills as the sun rises; the sun shining off a small waterfall hidden away in Iguazu Park while multicolored butterflies float around and monkeys call from the trees; a group of monks wandering through a little visited temple in Kamakura while the sun sets and mist gathers in the hills. There are more, and I hope there are many more to come.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I love to cook and experiment with different types of cuisine, and I love to eat with groups of people (what's the point of cooking otherwise?) so I am happy to make a meal for people. I also just love to spend time chatting and finding out about other peoples' lives.

Countries I’ve Visited

France, Japan, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, Uruguay

Countries I’ve Lived In

Argentina, Canada, Ecuador, United Kingdom, United States

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