Hello! I hope you are smiling as you read this. I am writing this post in what I'm convinced is the most interesting internet cafe in all of Mexico. There's a unicycle driving back and forth, multiple stray dogs walking in and out, and just outside there's a moustached guy in a pick up truck full of watermelons screaming "SANDIA, SANDIA!" through a megaphone. Glad to set the scene for you. Isn't life dreamy?

Anyways, my name is Christiana. You can call me Chris for short. I'm from Providence, RI (itty bitty little rhody!). I love music and yoga and traveling and nature, and I have a Bachelor's degree in Metalsmithing. Just about four years ago, I hopped on a plane all the way across the globe to the beautiful and bountiful New Zealand. There, I bought a van, called it my home, and experienced true freedom for the very first time. Ever since then, I've been hooked- been roaming around in search for this freedom and sense of adventure everywhere!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Well, for starters, I LOVE TRAVELLING. Over the years, I've explored many different avenues. I've lived in vans, I've camped for months on end, I've WWOOFED, I've backpacked, I've hitched a bit, I've even lived in the back of a pick up truck for a while.

All of these adventures were different chapters in this lovely little life of mine. THIS is the chapter where I arrive at your doorstep, humbly, with my backpack and guitar in hand, and I sleep on your couch (or floor or spaceship or hammock..). We chat about life and loss and love and laughter and whatever else it is that bonds people together. We share stories and smiles and connect and (hopefully) crossover from being strangers to becoming friends.

I realize more and more that traveling is far more than just visiting amazing places and witnessing new cultures, languages, food, etc. When you get to the root of it all, you realize that it's about connecting. I've been so, so lucky in life to meet the *most amazing* humans whilst on the road. You know the kind- the ones that restore your faith in humanity when shit is rough and you start to question things. I learn more and more that these amazing beings are out there- are everywhere. You've just gotta look for 'em. This is me searching.

Interests

There are so, so many things in this world that make my heart smile. Some of them include:

nature, yoga, hiking, MUSIC, travel, meditation, star-gazing, psychology, philosophy, making things with my hands, crafternoons, people watching, tea time, skipping the small talk, mountains, laughing, plant medicine, cat doodles, camping, singing around the fire, discovering new perspectives by picking the brains of others

• writing
• singing
• festivals
• dancing
• cooking
• yoga
• meditation
• traveling
• music
• guitar
• hiking
• backpacking
• camping
• swimming
• languages
• medicine
• psychology
• volunteering
• mountains
• playing guitar
• whiskey
• vegetarian cooking
• philosphy

Music, Movies, and Books

MUSIC
I've always been so overwhelmed by this question! If I listed everything, it would be forever ongoing. There's so many different genres that sway my soul one way or another. Ultimately, it all boils down to my mood at the time. Music is medicine. Undoubtedly.

Some examples of artists I quite enjoy that come to my mind in this moment are:
Mothers, Daughter, Shakey Graves, Alabama Shakes, The Beatles (obviously), Fiona Apple, Hozier, Fruit Bats, Modest Mouse, Wild Child, Villagers, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down.......

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Life Has been too kind to me to pick just one! Some favorites include:

Swimming beside giant, huge, massive (did I say big?) whale sharks, chillin' with little blue penguins in an old whiskey house (and watching them waddle slowly across a railroad!), smoking a joint in a cave with a seal while trying to escape a brutal sandstorm, being able to survive working on a puppy farm without my heart melting to nothing, standing in amazement as three million bats tornadoed out of a cave all at once, singing "Hey Jude" with 80,000 compadres as Paul McCartney serenaded us live, getting laced with what I can only assume was pcp naked in a forrest and managing to make it out alive, wandering in awe around the very ancient temples of Tikal while being in the middle of a wild monkey fight. So. Many. Other. Things.

Teach, Learn, Share

I WANT TO LEARN SO MANY THINGS! Some specifics that have sparked my interest lately include: how to improve my guitar skills, anything music related, how to better record music, massage, anything about the medicinal use of herbs and plants (tinctures, teas, etc), vegetarian cooking, ayervedic medicine, little ways to bring even more happiness and awareness and gratitude into my every day life

What I Can Share with Hosts

Welp, to start, I'm a certified yoga instructor. So hopefully I can share with you some techniques and poses to relax your body and calm that crazy, monkey mind of yours or to work on a specific problem you may or may not be having.

If you are a musician, I can lend you my vocal chords (and my very basic guitar skills) and we can make sweet, sweet music together!

I can make a mean tiny dream catcher.

If you have any jewlery (or small metal object) that needs repairing, I can help! I studied metalsmithing in college. I don't get to use these skills as much nowadays and love being presented with little challenges.

I can pet your cat or puppy and give them lots of luvin'.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belize, Canada, Colombia, Guatemala, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Thailand, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Colombia, Mexico, Thailand, United States