CURRENT MISSION

Live a full life. Love every minute of it.

ABOUT ME

I'm a pretty chill person, and very friendly. When I lived in Portland, some of the best nights I had were drinking a bottle of wine on the rooftop of my friend Jen's place or going out to see some live music at a local venue. I don't really get worked up about much, and would spend all day traveling, studying, or watching movies with friends if I could.

I'm an English teacher here in Japan, and taught social studies for a year in the states. Teaching has always been what I loved to do, and the students in Japan are for the most part interested in learning. I am hard working and energetic naturally, and seem to have found a job that suits me well.

I am very empathetic in general, and go out of my way to be accommodating and thoughtful. I want to both travel and to host travelers. I am excited to meet new and interesting people, but also to share whatever I can with those just passing through. It never hurts to build up a little good karma either! I have only lived in Japan since June 2012, but I have really enjoyed my experience so far. I am happy and lucky to have this opportunity to teach and travel.

PHILOSOPHY

I believe that you should share what you can whomever you can - good things are only made better when they're passed along.

I believe you should live with purpose, but never too seriously - you should know what direction you want your life to take, but make sure you fully appreciate the journey, don't just live for the destination.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am ready to host travelers, and to also travel myself!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have hosted a lot of great people, and have surfed a few times myself. It has been been fun and interesting so far!

Interests

I love to meet new people, visit new places, and learn new things, and if I can do all of this over a beer, I am a very happy woman! I spend a lot of my time in Hikone biking by the lake, learning about the historical traditions of Japan, and I have recently taken up martial arts and dance here in town. I am a pretty active person when left to my own devices, but I also try to balance that energy with some real critical thought. I enjoy reading literature and journal articles about history and science. I am no expert on anything, but well-versed in a pretty wide variety of subjects. I am also very social, so I also love going out with friends or new acquaintances to local pubs and interesting sites.

• arts
• culture
• literature
• dancing
• wine
• beer
• drinking
• pub crawls
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• music
• live music
• cycling
• martial arts
• teaching
• history
• science
• tourism

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies - I typically enjoy a strong variety from classics (The Sting and Cassablanca), animation (Disney/Pixar, Miazaki, and Avatar), TV (most HBO series, the Big Bang, and Community), and lots of action, comedy and drama, with favorites by the Cohen brothers, Quentin Tarantino, David Fincher, Joss Whedon, and Edgar Wright.

Books - Reading through classics right now, or anything I can get free on my kindle. So far I have enjoyed Conrad and Hemingway.

Music - I love all kinds!

Teach, Learn, Share

I am a decent guide of the little town of Hikone, and am studying some traditional culture while I'm here. I have also gone cross country across the US and am pretty knowledgeable if you're ever interested in visiting. I will share what I know!

I hope to learn about other people, places, and culture. Anything you can share in terms of stories, experiences, or if you're just starting out, about you and what you want to do. Everyone has a story.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Japan, United States