Recently, I decided to take a break from college in order to pursue a greater purpose for myself. Traveling and immersing myself in other cultures has always brought the very best out of me and given clearer insight of who I want to be. This past August, I bought a one way ticket to Europe with the intention of diving head first into the unknown and seeing what comes of it. While this is overwhelming and scary at times, I cannot wait to see what the world has in store for me.

I have an adventurous spirit and love trying new things. I would say I am a bit on an adrenaline junkie and am always looking for another great thrill. While I still get freaked out by spiders and other creeper crawlers, I have been more than willing to jump out of a plane to feel the sky rushing by me.

Adventure isn't the only thing I seek when traveling, however. Deep connection with others and being able to make a difference in someone else's life is even more rewarding. While attending Penn State University for Engineering Science, I devoted much time to my minor which focused on humanitarian engineering and creating products to help those in low resource settings. So far, I have traveled to several countries in Africa to bring machines that are continuing to help locals harvest fruit and create a variety of food products. I hope to someday move to Africa so that I may fully dedicate my time to learning about the cultures there and work on projects to further impact communities.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing immediately seemed like an amazing opportunity when I begun planning a trip abroad. As a solo traveler, I would love to connect with locals in the communities I will be traveling to. I hope this experience will truly show me the cultures and give me an idea of how people from around the world live.

Music, Movies, and Books

Firm believer that there is a time and place for every type of music. All forms of music have a purpose and can be appreciated. Some of my favorites, though, are Alt J, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billy Joel, A Day to Remember, and (with his last album) Justin Bieber. For those of you who still can't stand the Biebs, no worries, I'll refrain from blasting his music around you :)

My all time favorite movie is Miracle, the story of the 1980 Olympic Men's Hockey team. Other favorites include Shawshank Redemption, Remember the Titans, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Good Will Hunting. Always down for a movie night where people can show me theirs!

The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon is by far the best collection of books I have ever read. Now that I have gotten into reading more often again, I am always looking for recommendations and willing to give any book a shot.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

The most meaningful and amazing thing I have been able to accomplish is pulling myself out of a deep depression when I was in my teens. While this might be an unexpected answer for this type of question, it is the single most defining moment in my life. So many people suffer throughout their entire lives and never reach their greatest potential because of mental health issues. It has become a sort of taboo within cultures to discuss issues of this nature and many feel so ashamed that they bury it deep within them. For this reason, I have dedicated much time to being vulnerable by speaking about what I have gone through. I strive to create safe spaces for others so that they too can work on bettering themselves and can go move towards making their biggest dreams a reality.

What I Can Share with Hosts

While my cooking skills have never been that great, what I can offer hosts is great conversation and an energetic spirit. I also can be very handy and love getting my hands dirty so always willing to help out with home projects.

Countries I’ve Visited

Aruba, Austria, Benin, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Malawi, Mexico, Montenegro, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Togo, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States