CURRENT MISSION

To leave a trail of love, stars, and rainbows, happiness, and magic in my wake.

I am fully dedicated to helping the kids I work with develop morally and to succeed in life.

I am more than a little passionate about social issues.

ABOUT ME

I accidentally majored in French, and after I graduated, I was all like, "oops!" But then I found this awesome opportunity to be an Assistant de Langue in France for a year. So I guess it all worked out, right?

I'm basically a Missourian, but I grew up in Portugal from 6-16, so I speak Portuguese fairly fluently (the continental way).

Since I've been back in the States from teaching in France, I've found a job at the elementary school in my neighbourhood as a teacher's aide and behaviour interventionist. I am super passionate about serving the families in my community.

PHILOSOPHY

Let the weirdness in.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

There were a few times when I was teaching in France that I ended up wandering the town all night long, lugging my backpack around, sleeping a few warm hours once the train station opened up in the morning. No room for me in the inn and whatnot.

I want to offer any fellow traveller welcome, comfort, and warmth.

Interests

All the human things like music, and art, and myth, and you know. I try to swim 3 times a week and just learned to dolphin kick out of my flip-turns. I fold paper animals sometimes. I should read more often than I do.

• animals
• arts
• magic
• music
• piano
• backpacking
• swimming
• teaching
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

I do an after school club at the school I work at where I help kids write their own comics, so I've been binging on comics and other graphic-type novels.

I really liked "How to Be Happy" by Eleanor Davis, and "By This You Shall Know Him" by Jesse Jacobs.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I wrote and staged a play about unicorns and ghost wolves a while back. That was pretty amazing. And an amazing thing I've seen? The sun setting into the ocean.  I really like seeing that.  Oh, oh, and also seeing the Pena Palace out my window every day.

Convincing a little one to tell the truth is another amazing thing I can do.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you to fold paper animals, to swim, I'm pretty good in the three languages I know too. I'm full of new and weird and magic. You never know what I might come out with next.

I play the piano, but in the absence of one, I play ocarina.

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Portugal, United States