CURRENT MISSION

My mission is to live simply, and follow what brings me the most happiness and balance.

ABOUT ME

I'm Crystal and I adore traveling. I have 'the itch' as I'm sure the rest of you do. :) I always know that traveling changes me in meaningful ways, and yet I'm always pleasantly surprised in the midst of traveling when I'm reminded that's the case.

A bit about me: Mostly, I'd describe myself as a silly person. :] I love to and value play. I love to spend time outdoors and see the world. I love big playful dogs, sweet cats and animals in general, hiking, good indie music & film, art museums and artistic endeavors, swing dancing, rock climbing, good food, anything space related, camping, reading and people that know more than me and can teach me something, thoughtful people, funny people, positive people, and adventure, among other things. There are many things I'm looking forward to trying, and should you have a suggestion, I'm all ears!

I'm excited to wake up each day and see what I can make of it... :]

PHILOSOPHY

Be kind and honest, to yourself and to others. Find time to be playful, daily. Explore. Go after whatever dreams you have. Love fiercely. Live fully. Appreciate and value your health. Laugh a lot. See as much of this beautiful planet as possible. Enjoy. When in doubt, smile. :]

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Am open to hosting and couch surfing. I'm thrilled to be part of such a cool community for so many years, and looking forward to having more couch surfing and hosting experiences. Yeah CS! :]

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE
I had my first couch surfing experience in Asheville in 2010, and it was truly a remarkable time. I stayed with 2 awesome people, Jess and John. We ended up going camping together and will most definitely keep in touch. Then I had several others, and I've never had one that wasn't just wonderful. Some were passing friends, as travel often provides, and others became long-term friends. Though I haven't had a chance to travel in sometime, I am super grateful this community still exists after all these years.

Interests

Global wandering/exploring, filmmaking, swing dancing/lindy-hoppin', rock climbing, cooking and good eats/real food, good music/live music, yoga, t'ai chi, completely losing track of time in bookstores or travel stores, hiking, sunshine, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, the great outdoors, laughter, adventure, languages of the world, learning, reading, sitting around a campfire (ah, the smell of a campfire... :)), quiet and stars in the middle of nowhere, Q-time w good friends, brunch, fearlessly silly people, books you can't put down, stand-up comedy, roadtrips, badmitton, good chocolate and good cheese (can't help maself), charades, geeky and space related things (secretly wish I was an astronaut), singing loudly off-key (esp while driving), fortune cookies, beautiful and inspring people, words and language, being barefoot in nice grass, loud and beautiful thunderstorms, mountaintops, holding hands, getting on a plane to go somewhere, writing and receiving good ol' fashion letters and good stories.

• animals
• cats
• dogs
• arts
• writing
• books
• singing
• fashion
• film making
• dancing
• swing dancing
• dining
• cooking
• chocolate
• cheese
• yoga
• reading
• traveling
• eating out
• music
• live music
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• kayaking
• camping
• surfing
• rock climbing
• track and field
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

I adore music, films & books. I'll just give a few for this little box, because otherwise I'll get carried away. Shaw Shank, Life is Beautiful, Stranger than Fiction, Motorcycle Diaries and Cinema Paradiso.

I am currently reading the third in Connie Willis' time-travel series. She's a marvelous writer and storyteller. Highly recommend the first two, To Say Nothing of the Dog and Doomsday Book.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Swam in the rain forest and a volcanic crater at night.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Qatar, South Africa, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, United States

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