Hello friends!
I'm a lover of the outdoors, continuous learner, bookworm, and I have always been excited to travel the world. I have so many interests and things that I want to learn that it makes it really hard for me to figure out what I want to do with my life! My philosophy is to just soak it all in and to keep trying new things. There is no better time than the present.

I'm a college student born and raised in the lovely state of Minnesota! I am 100% a lake girl who loves spending as much time as possible outside running, hiking, biking, paddleboarding, golfing, skiing, or gardening. Something on my bucket list of things to try is rock climbing, but so far I have not gotten the chance to check that one off.

While I love MN, I attend St. Louis University in Missouri, and I am studying public health and Spanish. I hope to work internationally one day either in the medical, nonprofit, or social entrepreneurship world. But who knows what will happen! One of my passions is learning about and advocating for the water crisis. Currently 1 in 10 people do not have access to clean water. Much of my time at home and school is spent learning more about this issue and what my role can be in making a difference. The goal is to somehow combine my studies with this passion.

The next adventure coming up for me is heading off to backpack a bit in Europe and study in Madrid for the fall semester to help improve my Spanish. I am looking forward to gaining a more global perspective from my travels and the people I meet along the way.

In my free time when I'm not outdoors, you'll find me reading, experimenting in the kitchen, dreaming of the places I want to visit, playing piano, or hanging out with the family.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I joined Couchsurfing because I am looking for a more authentic travel experience and the fact that people are pretty awesome! I think it is the coolest thing that there is a community centered on people getting the chance to know each other and share in different cultures. I will be backpacking through parts Europe this summer and then studying abroad in Madrid, Spain during the fall semester. During my time abroad, I am hoping to make new friends and soak up new cultures through Couchsurfing. When I return home, I would love to participate by hosting.

Interests

• cooking
• baking
• gardening
• reading
• traveling
• piano
• hiking
• biking
• conversation
• listening
• faith
• hammocking
• paddleboarding

Music, Movies, and Books

Music:
When it comes to music I am pretty go with the flow and will listen to anything (except for rap-not a big fan of that). I think my lack of strong feelings stems from my appreciation of the silence, especially when outdoors. Also, if I have a choice, I'll always pick reading over listening to music. That means I rely on those around me for music suggestions! If I had to pick a few, I enjoy Ben Rector, Jack Johnson, Adele, Ingrid Michaelson, Rascal Flatts, and Coldplay.

Movies:
The Breakfast Club, Sound of Music, It's a Wonderful Life, Up, anything with Lucille Ball

Books: Books are 100% my favorite way to spend any free time. I love historical fiction, nonfiction, memoirs, books about incredible people and how they are working to make the world a better place, and pretty much anything realistic. Some of my favorites are Anne of Green Gables, Laura Ingalls Wilder series, Room, The Kite Runner, The Glass Castle, Quiet, The Help, The Alchemist, Wild, Mountains Beyond Mountains, Kisses from Katie, Love Does, and Tattoos on the Heart. I could go on forever. My childhood dream job was to be a librarian. That's changed a bit since then, but I still love my books!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Swam with whales in Hawaii
Crawled through a bat cave by the light of a burning piece of tire in Ethiopia
This is a little different than other things that are usually written here, but I consider it an amazing part of my life. I find great joy in hanging out with kids, and one of the coolest things I think I have gotten to do is work at a camp for children with autism. It required a lot of patience, but I have learned some of my most important life lessons through that job.

Teach, Learn, Share

I am open to learning whatever you are willing to teach-especially when it comes to languages, cooking, things to do outdoors, or just some good life tips. I have been told my dance moves could use a little professional help, so feel free to take on that challenge!

What I Can Share with Hosts

A listening ear, cooking, book suggestions, maybe a little piano, stories. My hidden talent is being able to jump on a pogo stick exceptionally well. So if you have a pogo stick lying around, I could share my pogo stick expertise.

Countries I’ve Visited

Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Israel, Kenya

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States