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Overview

13 references 4 Confirmed & Positive
Fluent in English, French; learning Spanish, Wolof
36, Female
Member since 2009

English Language Instructor
St. Cloud State University (MA), Michigan State Universit...
From Waterford, MI, USA
Profile 100% complete

About Me

CURRENT MISSION

To keep on growing in all the ways.

ABOUT ME

Hello, my name's Katie. I am a nature-loving & directionally challenged 26-year-old American misfit who loves to travel (made slightly difficult by direction-challengedness).

I love good conversation & people who challenge me, who make me question things I thought I knew about. I enjoy the company of those who make me reflect & push me to think. I love stories in every shape and size.

I love movement, the outdoors, discovering things. I love being where I haven't been before. I love to read & write.

Besides nature (hiking, biking, rock-climbing, kayaking, camping, mountains, rivers, hills, anything outside) I love old cities, the more medieval, the better. I LOVE castles. I love ruins. I love exploring the nooks and crannies of any place though. I love Couchsurfing because all the things I love can be combined in some way with the people on here.

After more than a couple years away from Couchsurfing due to graduate school and then my first job in Saudi Arabia, I'm finally "settling" down in Livonia, Michigan and working at different universities/colleges teaching English language courses to difficult groups of students (international, immigrant, refugee).

PHILOSOPHY

"Own only what you can carry with you; know language, know countries, know people. Let your memory be your travel bag." -Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I've couchsurfed several times and would love to continue, as well as host in the future. Right now I can only really meet up with people for a drink or meal or show them around.

When I do/can couchsurf though, I really like to be active with the people who host me, everything from simply sharing a drink or meal to going biking or hiking when possible, though I understand that it's not always convenient due to work and other life committments.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

2010

December: first couchsurf with Daniel in Heidelberg (Germany)

December: couchsurfed with Steffi in Heidelberg (Germany)

2011

Dec - January: couchsurfed with the Klose family in Westheim and then with Carolin in Konstanz (Germany)

April

couchsurfed with:
John (London)
The Martians (London)
Zhuozhi (Edinburgh)
Mike (Fort William)
Martin (Glasgow)

Interests

good conversation, nature, travel, warm beverages, reflection, books, movies, writing, black and white photography, adventure, stories, chocolate, wine, HOT wine, acoustic guitar, camping, campfires, rock climbing, road trips! good beer (stout please), feeling cozy.

writing
books
photography
chocolate
wine
beer
drinking
movies
traveling
blogging
guitar
outdoor activities
cycling
hiking
kayaking
camping
rock climbing
road trips
rivers
mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

BOOKS

The Poisionwood Bible, White Oleander, Chocolat, She's Come Undone, The Hobbit, All the Harry Potter books, Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Secret Garden, Graphic novels (Tout Seule, Habibi, Mélodie au Crépuscule, Blankets...)

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, The Eragon Series (I want a dragon...), Une Si Longue Lettre, The Road, The Graveyard Book, Push, Slumdog Millionaire, Zel (I have a soft spot for fairy tales)...

MUSIC

Jeff Buckley, Ray La Montagne, Nick Drake, Eisley, A Fine Frenzy, Mogwai, Regina Spektor, Iron and Wine, Earl Klugh, Eddie Vedder, Ingrid Michaelson, Jack Johnson, Keane, Kiko Veneno, Mecano, Norah Jones, OAR, Sigur Ros, Explosions in the Sky, Birdy...

MOVIES

A Single Man, American Beauty, La Merditude des Choses, Forrest Gump, Almost Famous, Into the Wild, Leon, Jeux d'Enfants, Slumdog Millionaire, Avatar, The Hurt Locker, Amelie, La Chute, 180 Degrees South, The Hobbit...