I'm an avid hiker and backpacker from the Los Angeles area who loves to meet new people and experience other cultures and ways of life! I hate to stay still and always want to make the most out of each day; however, I can't say no to a nice cup of tea and a book on a rainy day. I enjoy cooking and baking, so I would love to swap recipes with surfers from different countries. I'm always game to grab a beer or a drink.

My flatmates and I prefer not to host people for more than 3 nights, but you can always ask. It's also easier if you send a real request as opposed to just a message asking if I can host you because that way it will show up on my CS calendar and I won't accidentally accept too many surfers at once.

Copy & Paste requests will be declined. I understand the draw of couchsurfing as a free place to stay, but it's also much more than that. I am not a hostel, you'll be staying in my home. Please take some time to at least skim through my info, and address me by name.

If your request implies you didn't read through my profile, I will probably say no unless you refine and make your request shine. Los Angeles is a pretty popular travel destination so my fellow Angelenos and I get multiple requests per day - for best results, make it interesting, friendly, and honest. I'm interested in meeting people and making friends so tell me a bit about yourself! If you're traveling with a friend/significant other, please either include their CS profile or Facebook profile. I like to know who I'm about to host :)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Hotels are so impersonal, and I don't feel like I get as in touch with the people and places I visit when I stay in a hotel. I would much rather stay with someone who can teach me something new and show me why they love living where they live. Would also love to return the favor and host people from all over the world when I return home to LA! It's all about making new friends in new places :)

Interests

Used to row in high school and college. I still love the sport, though! I mostly hike and camp now, and would love to go hiking with a host or take guests to some great trails a few hours outside of Los Angeles. I'm a bit of an aspiring chef and am always looking for new recipes to try out on my housemates. I'm also always looking for good book suggestions! I was an English/Screenwriting major in college, so naturally if you can recommend a good story, I'll check it out.

Music, Movies, and Books

Even though I'm not usually so good with horror, I really enjoy The Shining. Both King's novel and Kubrick's film version never get old. My musical taste is pretty varied, and I try to keep an open mind when listening to something new!
I'm a bit of a sucker for nature documentaries, especially if David Attenborough is involved. Otherwise, I keep up with Sherlock, House of Cards, Game of Thrones, Archer, Bob's Burgers, The Simpsons, Rick and Morty, and I still enjoy going back through Netflix to watch episodes of Futurama.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

This sounds a little braggy, doesn't it?

I used to work with up close with lions, tigers, and other exotic cats at a sanctuary near my hometown. I also hike up dormant volcanoes for fun.
Recently, I hiked and camped along the 75 mile High Sierra trail with a couple of friends and climbed Mt.Whitney (14,505 feet tall) which is the tallest mountain in the 48 contiguous United States.
Just finished a 2 1/2 month long backpacking trip through the European continent - visited 14 different countries and made many valuable memories.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm sure there are a few things I can teach you - depends on what you're interested in learning I guess! As I've already mentioned a couple of times, I would like to learn recipes from all over the world, and would be happy to have a Spanish practice partner (I have to warn you though, I'm a few years out of practice so I'm picking it back up very slowly). I'm also interested in starting to learn German.

I can share blankets, perhaps some beer, and we have an XBox and Netflix too. We also have a washer and dryer for laundry - they're both coin-operated though so you'll need to get quarters from a grocery store or corner store. Usually I just use the washer and hang my laundry up to avoid spending money on the dryer.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Whatever I bring in my backpack, food, beer, travel stories!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Canada, Denmark, Dominican Republic, England, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States