I'm a quiet, history-loving academic type, but I love traveling. I've volunteered for a few months in Uganda (water-projects) and Colombia (soup-kitchens). I've also traveled around parts of Africa, the Middle East, Central America, and Western Europe. I taught English in Spain for a year, and then traveled around Portugal and Italy. I love walking or biking around other cities, eating the local cuisine, going out to the theater, visiting museums, strolling through old churches and historical sites, and bumbling my way through other languages and cultures.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I want to travel more, and I like staying with locals. It gives me a better idea of the places I visit. Plus, I sometimes get to try traditional foods and practice other languages, which is fun. I also like to feel like I'm giving back, in a way - it's a cultural exchange. I've had really good experiences with hostels and homestays, so I thought I'd give couchsurfing a try.

Interests

• singing
• cooking
• traveling
• drawing
• hiking
• history
• reading books
• vegetarian cooking
• kickboxing
• walking tours
• creative writing

Music, Movies, and Books

I like Celtic music (especially fiddle medleys), rock-and-roll, and boys choirs. An odd mix, I know. I like most books - I read a ton. Lately, I've been reading a lot of biographies and books about religion and history. I like Shakespeare. I like cartoons like Calvin and Hobbes, Herman, and Asterix and Obelisk. I grew up reading fiction - Harry Potter, Roald Dahl's books, Enid Blyton, Lord of the Rings, etc.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I went on a hot-air balloon ride over Turkey, paragliding in Colombia, and I climbed an active volcano in Guatemala.

Teach, Learn, Share

I was born very lucky - my twin and best friend was born at the same time (well, I came out first, but that's another story)...

What I Can Share with Hosts

Respect, good conversations, and I love to cook! I'm very happy to help out around the house, and I like practicing Spanish - I could teach basic French and Spanish.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Netherlands, Scotland, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, Uganda, United States, Vatican City State, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, Spain