Hi!

We are Shelby and Elise, a couple in our late twenties. Shelby's originally from Atlanta, GA, and Elise is from Rockville, Maryland.

Our first foray into couchsurfing was in 2016 during our 7-month adventure through WWOOF (WorldWide Opportunities on Organic Farms) up the west coast starting in San Diego. We wanted to learn a diverse set of farming skills and sustainable living practices as well as a whole lot about ourselves. It turned out that connecting with our farm hosts, fellow WWOOFers, and couchsurf hosts we met with in between farm stays was one of the best parts of that trip.

Not long after, we ended up moving to Denver. Today, Shelby works at a nonprofit that focuses on child development and supporting parents and Elise is in graduate school for a Masters in counseling (after several years of working in environmental advocacy in Washington, DC). Life changes have been converging a lot lately, so Denver marks a time of settling into adulthood for us. We are considering the possibility of someday starting our own venture in expanding sustainable practices and urban farms and green space, or owning and running a homestead ourselves.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

We are so grateful for a forum that encourages travel and learning through human connection, giving an alternative to a system that otherwise mostly favors the wealthy.

Interests

• cooking
• homesteading
• live music
• hiking
• communications
• psychology
• wwoof
• counseling
• climate change
• environmentalism
• personality theory

Music, Movies, and Books

While on the road, podcasts reign supreme. Frequent choices include TED Radio Hour, This American Life, The Moth, On Being, Savage Lovecast, Working, On Point, Dear Sugars, among others.

Music: A smattering -- Lucius, Jenny Lewis, Vulfpeck, Guster, Thievery Corporation...so, so much more

What I Can Share with Hosts

Besides good-humored company with open hearts, please allow us to treat you to dinner and/or drinks. We especially love to cook for hosts if there's time.

We want to make sure you have a stress-free hosting experience so we carry a leave-no-trace philosophy to our couchsurfing expeditions, leaving the space you've generously offered us as clean as, or cleaner than we found it. The only thing we intend to leave behind is good, loving energy.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, China, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa

Countries I’ve Lived In

England, United States