CURRENT MISSION

Be kind, be simple, be curious, and be captivated by all things beautiful.

ABOUT ME

Hello, Hola, Bonjour, and Namaste! I'm a junior university student studying Environmental Studies with a passion for social justice and living a sustainable life. At school, I teach student-initiated classes to my peers. I have taught two semesters of a course called Expanding Environmental Consciousness, and this spring I am teaching a course called Grassroots Environmentalism. I also volunteer at the local elementary school's seasonal after-school garden club, where I teach kids about organic gardening and different environmental issues. And on the weekends, I enjoy biking around my town with a couple friends to pick-up peoples' compost on a bike trailer to take to the university's farm!

I try as much as I can to take my activism global. The summer after my senior year in high school (in 2012), I traveled to Ecuador for two months to work with United for the Benefit of Ecuadorian Children International, a locally-run organization in Quito that teaches children working in the markets basic hygiene, reading, and writing skills. This past summer (2014) I worked on a biodiversity farm called Navdanya in northern India for nine weeks. While there, I had the opportunity to meet people from all over the world who are fighting for a more sustainable food future. I also met my now-partner, Thibault, who is from France and studies Agronomy in Paris.

Anyway, in my family I'm a bit of the black sheep, and that's okay with me. I love learning from people of all different viewpoints and backgrounds. I'm naturally a bit of an introvert, but when traveling I'm better able to get out of my shell. I love asking questions, listening, and sharing ideas and passions with people from all walks of life.

PHILOSOPHY

"Instructions for living a life. Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it." -Mary Oliver

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm Couchsurfing first and foremost because I appreciate learning from people in different parts of the world. I'd much rather stay at a local's house, get to know them, and learn from them than stay in an (over-priced) hotel starved for meaningful interaction. I have yet to couch-surf, but am excited to get started meeting new people.

Interests

Gardening, hiking, reading, learning, yoga, meditation, holistic health, permaculture, natural building, activism, traveling, cooking, writing, learning languages, philosophizing

• writing
• dining
• cooking
• yoga
• running
• meditation
• clubbing
• gardening
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• cycling
• hiking
• environmental studies
• languages
• volunteering
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

I don't have any musical talent, so I really am in awe of those who do. I love listening to piano and guitar music when I'm surrounded by people who can play, but when I'm alone I enjoy relaxing music like Gregory Alan Isakov and S. Carey.

On my sofa or at the theater, I tend to love documentaries. Ones about food and the environment are my favorite. Some of the most memorable ones I've seen are "We Feed the World" and "The Last Mountain". But I also love movies that make me think in any way, shape, or form. I love "Belle", about a mixed race woman growing up in a royal family, and I tend to like foreign films such as "La Vie en Rose" about the tragically beautiful life of French singer Edith Piaf.

As for books, I am an avid reader. I read a lot of nonfiction, but love any book with lots of social commentary. A short list of my favorites: Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo, The Algebra of Infinite Justice by Arundhati Roy, Hope's Edge by Frances Moore Lappe, Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, and The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran. I have been known to pass on parties to stay in with a cup of tea and a good book.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

When I was in India I spent one of the best weeks of my life living in a remote village near the border of China with a host family. The village was about ten hours away from the nearest city, surrounded by the snow-capped Himalayan mountains, organic rice fields, and beautifully hand-carved homes. I loved hearing the local language, learning how to make roti and chutney, and looking up at the sky at night and seeing thousands and thousands of stars.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'd love to teach someone about what I know about composting (it's a passion of mine) or gardening or simplifying. I'd love to learn from activists and travelers, yoga-enthusiasts and foodies, teachers and wild spirits, about anything you're yearning to share.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'd love to sit down for a cup of dandelion tea and get to know someone new. I enjoy sharing experiences, stories, knowledge, and life lessons. I crave discussion about important issues instead of chit-chatting just to fill space, so I hope that any host and I could learn from each other and grow, even if just a little.

Countries I’ve Visited

Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, India, Mexico, Puerto Rico

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States