CURRENT MISSION

To learn as much from as many people as I can.

ABOUT ME

I'm a Canadian who has been traveling the globe - for work and pleasure - on and off for the past 33 years.

Some of the places I've lived/worked: Canada, US, Brazil, England, Austria, India, East, West, and South Africa.

My favourite cities that I've spent time/lived in thus far include: Los Angeles (It's taken New York's #1 favourite city spot! Even I can't believe it!), New York, Cape Town, Paris, Berlin, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Salvador, Marrakesh, Montreal, Toronto...

I thrive on experiencing new cultures and the challenge of getting over my own ethnocentricity, and have worked across borders and cultures, through international human rights organizations, to raise awareness about critical issues that women and girls face globally.

When I'm not hopping planes, trains, or automobiles, I spend my 'down' time cooking, running, singing, volunteering, writing, keeping up on current events (or trying to...), and partaking in anything fashion-related.

If you're *burning* to know more, feel free to check out my website/blog: www.theculturalcurator.com.

Or follow my adventures (near and far) in 140 characters or less: https://twitter.com/CulturalCurator

***PLEASE NOTE***

If you want to hang out and/or stay at my place, please personalize your message. I get *a lot* of requests and, as you can probably tell, my response rate is low. If your message feels automated in any way, I won't respond. I also take the time to read each person's profile who reaches out to me. I love meeting new people, but I'll typically only respond if I feel we have things in common (not to be confused with different experiences, which are fine and expected!) that could be a good jumping off point for conversation.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I've always felt strongly that there's a difference between being a "tourist" and a "traveler", and I believe Couchsurfing appeals to the latter. I've been fortunate to travel frequently, and some of my most memorable experiences have been a result of connecting - and exploring - with locals. Plus, it's always cool when someone (myself included) gets to see their city through a visitor's eyes!

Interests

• arts
• writing
• singing
• performing arts
• fashion
• photography
• concerts
• dancing
• human rights
• womens rights
• cooking
• running
• walking
• traveling
• blogging
• hiking
• volunteering
• museums
• getting lost

Music, Movies, and Books

I grew up surrounded by music, so my taste is varied, but you might have to do some serious convincing to get me to listen to country or heavy metal. ;) Those two genres aside, I'm always up for a live band.

RE: films and books, my preference is for foreign and independent (sorry, Hollywood), and most documentaries, and you'll probably find a book or two about current affairs/human rights on my nightstand.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

SO MANY! But one of my favourite travel experiences was road-tripping through North Africa with two friends, a map, a rented car, and some bottles of water in-hand.

Now that I think about it, most of my fondest travel memories involve some sort of road trip...

Teach, Learn, Share

I educate through sharing: stories, recipes, songs, etc...

I learn by listening to others, and I would love to improve upon my photography skills.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Malawi, Malta, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

Austria, Canada, United Kingdom, United States, Zambia