CURRENT MISSION

To discover destinations with more than a tourist perspective

ABOUT ME

I am in a big transition. The last four years I have been in a quirky college town spending my time involved with organizations on my university campus and making life long friendships. As a psychology and education student, I worked in a social relationships and social stigma research lab and in many local elementary schools. Last year I popped my comfort bubble and started a love affair with the rest of the world when I studied abroad in Leeds, UK for 5 months. Travel became a full time passion and I started looking for my next adventure as soon as I had returned from the last one.

I returned to Santa Barbara to finish a wonderful last year of school. When it came time to think about what I was going to do when I had to join that scary real world place, I stumbled upon a fantastic opportunity to combine my love of working with kids and magnetic pull to travel. I signed a contract to become an English teaching in Shanghai, China with one of my dearest friends. Until I start my dream job in September, I am looking to spend my time soaking in as much of the world as I can until I am anchored down once again.

I'm a very active and social person who likes to fill my days with activities with anyone willing to join.

PHILOSOPHY

People come for either a reason, a season or a lifetime.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Since this summer I will be more of a nomad I am looking to surf and meet new people. Once I am settled with a place of my own in Shanghai at the end of this year, I would love to host and show people around my new home city.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I am a total newbie but I had the opportunity to spend sometime with a friend and her lovely host while we were traveling simultaneously in the same city. I have also heard nothing but envy-provoking stories from friends who have surfed.

Interests

I love cooking and trying out new dishes, even if they don't always come out as intended. Some would call them mistakes, I call them surprise dishes. With good food come good drinks. I'm a craft beer enthusiast who loves trying pretty much anything with a solid alcohol content. I also enjoy the standard California hobbies of paddle boarding, lounging at the beach and hiking on a good sunny day.

• beauty
• education
• dining
• cooking
• beer
• mexican food
• walking
• drinking
• traveling
• hiking
• teaching
• psychology
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

Concerts and particularly festivals are another great love. Particularly love UK garage, indie and alternative rock but really could listen to whatever.

I like those gut wrenching movies that make you cry.

To be honest I like the idea of reading but I have been reading the same biography since January 2013. I never find the time.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

A friend and I planned a one month whirlwind trip to Dublin, Northern Ireland, London, Paris, South of France, Prague, Amsterdam and Germany. The weekend before we left I fractured my foot from walking (yes walking too much) and I got a walking boot just hours before we left. Our first stop was Ireland and we took a windy bus up wet Northern Ireland to the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge which spans across the ocean to a tiny little island. I hiked or more like hobbled up to the rope bridge and was just astonished by the fear and the beauty. There is something incredible about seeing something so beautiful that so little people travel to. It was fantastic to struggle a little to finally get to a hidden gem.

Teach, Learn, Share

My flatmates in the UK were from all over the world. I loved just sharing stories about where we come from, what our families do, what we hate, what foods people eat back at home. They all particularly loved my lessons on good greasy Mexican food cooking and fluffy American pancakes. But I love just swapping stories and random facts about each other's cultures and lives. The best things I have learned and can teach aren't concrete skills or facts.

Countries I’ve Visited

Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Haiti, Ireland, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

United Kingdom