In my 65-years of an amazing life as a single mom, grandmother and professional nurse, I can honestly say that solo travel is what most inspires me. I love visiting places off of the beaten path, making my own discoveries in little towns rather than following the tour guide books. I like to stay in small communities and mingle with the locals for an authentic cultural exchange. Traveling solo has offered me those intimate opportunities that promote genuine experiences. I've also been blessed to live in an amazing place and would like to share my home and its beauty with those who want to experience it!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

While I have never been couch surfing myself, I love the idea of it and hope to do some when I go to Japan someday after I retire. But I have been blessed with informal invitations for meals and adventures for decades with people whom I've met along my travels. Those have been some of my best experiences and travel memories and I realize that I can provide that for others now as well.

Interests

I am interested in healthy and mindful living, cooking, soulful travel, outdoor adventures, meditation and yogic practices. I enjoy meeting people from other places who are open to share cultural, life and travel experiences. I am a very open-minded person who is accepting of all people.

• animals
• reading
• traveling
• hiking
• spirituality
• ceramics
• food and wine
• nature lover
• arts and crafts
• yoga and meditation
• outdoor adventures
• people and their stories
• pilgrimage
• ocean lover

Music, Movies, and Books

I love all genres of music, including alternative/folk, classic rock, bluegrass, reggae, classical, international and anything I can dance to. I love to read most anything, but really enjoy reading existential novels that take place in different times and cultures. My most recent favorite read is "The Covenant of Water" by Abraham Verghese and my favorite film is "The Sheltering Sky" (1990) directed by the late great Bernardo Bertolucci (novel by Paul Bowles).

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've lived long enough to share many amazing things I've seen and done. But for me, what tells you the most about me is that I completed a bachelor's degree in nursing at the age of 30 while raising a young daughter as a single mom, holding down two jobs, going through a divorce and never taking out a student loan! My greatest accomplishment is raising an amazing daughter who now owns and runs her own successful fashion PR firm in Los Angeles and is the Director of Global Communications for a major Italian design house while she and her partner raise my young grandson!

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you English and Spanish, how to prepare clean and healthy meals, or how to do yoga and meditate. I also love to learn whatever you have to share with me. I can also share many stories of my travels and how my family emigrated to the U.S. from Mexico and Guatemala.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can cook, teach you to meditate or do yoga, provide spiritual counseling, teach English or Spanish, and share travel adventures. I've lived in Los Angeles my whole life, so I know it well and can give you tips on what to check out that's off the beaten path!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominican Republic, England, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Palestine, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States