CURRENT MISSION

Going home to America and Couch Surfing across the USA!!

ABOUT ME

I have a sick obsession with mountains. If you read my travel notes you will see that most of my traveling (unintentionally) revolves around them.

I grew up in a very small town in Idaho, USA. We had 900 inhabitants and probably 80% of them were my cousins; the place has 3 black people, 3 catholic churches, and 3 bars. Perhaps you can imagine how small and narrow this world was! In my gut, I always knew I had to get out, but the issue was "How?" With no money for plane tickets and no desire for student debt I was stuck until a family in Switzerland asked me to come and live with them as an Au Pair!

After 20 years in small town Idaho, I moved to a whole new country where I didn't know anyone, or the language, or the culture. I loved it! Luckily, I have 4 day weekends every week so I immediately started traveling on my own as soon as I could. I have seen so many things that I couldn't have imagined, and met so many interesting people who keep inspiring me in unexpected ways. I am addicted to this thing called "travel" and I don't know if I can (or want) to stop it! It's started, the more I travel, the more I NEED to travel, and now it is a part of my blood stream.

Before my life as a wanderer began, I was going to school for graphic design. You see that I'm artistic and ambitious. It took a lot of guts to go against my parents and go for the art degree, but after 2 wasted years of college, I couldn't deny my destiny any more. When you figure out what to do with your life, you realize that its because it's already who you are. I'm not "going to be a Graphic Designer when I grow up," I already am one, I just need to get to work!

For all of this flowery writing, I'm really a no bull-shit kind of girl. I love people who are full of shit and know how to give it.

I have too much energy to contain and it usually comes out in big, cheeky smiles. I'm not afraid of anything and I will try anything (almost, don't get any ideas, pervert!) at least twice. My favorite thing is spontaneous ideas; for example I decided to move to Switzerland in 2 days' time.

I am proud of my ability to pack light and mobilize quickly. When traveling, the happiness of the people I am traveling with is my top priority. Allaina says I'm intensely patient (probably from working with kids) and I can supply ideas, no problem, if I'm traveling with a follower, and I can also follow if the other person feels the need to lead.

PHILOSOPHY

Aim for optimism. Take chances. Do as much as possible.

EXPLORE!!!!

I'm getting exhausted with writing.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm a new member so I haven't really participated yet. I am excited to meet people traveling through Zürich! Talking to people who are traveling is the best part of traveling, even when I'm not traveling!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I know a lot of people who couch surf, and it seems to me to be the best thing that has ever happened to traveling. The people aspect is the key to good traveling. When one couch surfs, they are securing that they make connections and share ideas with someone interesting. Fellow travelers know the needs (financially and socially) of other travelers and so we gladly share our couch and cup of tea with one another.

Interests

I love active traveling, and lengthy traveling. A weekend in a city here or there is no way to get to know a place! You have to get into the rhythm, and you have to explore!!

Exploration. Exploration in the a) hiking around the mountains, or wandering the coastline, or getting lost in a maze of streets kind of way, b) going into a situation with what little knowledge I have of it and not planning what it will bring to me, taking opportunities and adventures that reveal themselves to me, meeting people I don't expect to meet and sharing everything with them, kind of way.

I don't consider myself an artist, but I am working towards a graphic design degree. I've drawn since I can remember, taken pictures since I was old enough to afford a disposable, and painted since I took a class in college. Art is so much more than these, though. Artisticness is the way you see the world and its events. In this way, I am an artist. I am an artist through and through. Climbing mountains and meeting people in hostels are one of my mediums.

Family is number one, however. I have more cousins than stars in the sky. I have a very close relationship with my parents and siblings. My family has a very strong feeling of community and a culture all their own. We are musical, simple, laugh-prone, and loving. Being away from them is the hardest part of traveling the way I do, but we stay close every way we can.

• arts
• culture
• writing
• design
• graphic design
• cooking
• baking
• clubbing
• traveling
• socializing
• hiking
• surfing
• rock climbing
• art history
• history
• au-pair
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

I just read Mr. Pip and loved it. I am reading a book by Ken Follett which is addictive, but I hate it at the same time. :P My favorite book was A Woman Alone, short stories written by women who, well, traveled alone! I like non-fiction. I like biographies. I like books that get me pumped.

I know a lot about music. I play some, sing some, and listen to a lot of it! My tastes range from classic to classic rock, including old jazz, adult alternative, and early 90's country (for nostalgic reasons). I have to say, I'm not into Top 40 music or Broadway. For every genre, there is a mood, however, and its too hard to generalize what one is into musically!!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I will fill this in on another night. I'm getting pooped!!

Teach, Learn, Share

I know a lot about Western United States and the Swiss Alps.

I grew up on a farm, so if you have any need to know something (I can't imagine why!) I can tell you anything about cows, wheat fields, and cowboys. ;)

As an Au Pair I'm in charge of cooking, here, and I know a lot about cooking with fresh ingredients, mainly in a light Mediterranean style. My mama taught me to be good at baking, and down-home country cooking.

Art history is my first passion academically, and I took 1 year of graphic design classes so far; curious about the history of typography??

I am excellent at teaching kids. I've been doing it for a long time, in various programs, and in various styles. I don't plan on having any of my own for at least.... 10 or 20 years or more.

I started a lot of clubs in high school. I can give advice on getting small organizations started! Where to look for (and how to ask for) money and places to meet, gathering support, spreading the word, connecting to leaders in the community.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Switzerland, United States