CURRENT MISSION

To do something Good.

ABOUT ME

I am a master's student from the US currently studying at Bauhaus University in Weimar, Germany. I also have lived in Shanghai for three years, where I taught English and studied Mandarin Chinese.
I am from Minnesota and I love winter and spicy food and book stores.
I enjoy attempting to learn new languages and meeting new people.

PHILOSOPHY

the biggest influence on my personal philosophy has been Tolstoy's "The Death of Ivan Ilyich".

I do not want to live a life that is about what society and conventions dictates, but is about the things that matter to me most and the people I love.

Interests

My interests include such activities as rearranging the contents of my book shelves, taking portraits of interesting people, and staring into computer screens.

• dogs
• books
• dining
• freelancing
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

The Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel.

My favorite books are: Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters by J.D. Salinger, The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera, every publication from Jhumpa Lahiri, Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Bloomability by Sharon Creech, The Poison Wood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, The Hobbit by J.R. Tolkien, and The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy

When I made a list of my five favorite movies, I realized that the central theme of each film is freedom, and in each the romantic leads do not end up together.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Mush handling at the Iditarod sled dog race for Gary Paulsen was very seminal towards realizing that life is PFF.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Canada, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Kenya, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, Germany, Greece, United States

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