Hi there!

My name is Erin and I am a 23 year old from Frederick, MD, USA. I love outdoor activities like hiking, biking, rock climbing, and exploring. I also love to travel! My boyfriend and I are taking a two week long vacation around Europe this summer (2019) in celebration of my graduation from college and starting a brand new job! Although I am new to the couchsurfing app, I have traveled a lot and have stayed in many warm-welcoming homes of people I have never met before. I spent a year traveling around America only living out of a suitcase and staying in strangers homes every night. It was so fun getting to know so many different people and seeing so much of the country. I have also traveled in numerous foreign countries such as Kenya, Africa and Nicaragua, Central America, and have also stayed in homes of the native people.

I will also say, for being a traveler, coming into your home, I am very neat and clean. My boyfriend and I do not need much space and we will not make a mess. We will also be respectful of any and all rules you have for your home and know that we are strangers stepping into your comfort zone, so we will not take advantage of your graciousness. We look forward to meeting you and getting to know some of your story!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Both my boyfriend and I have been looking into Air BnB's for this trip as well as hotels. Unfortunately we have had a difficult time finding stays that we have been so in love with to make paying for the stay worth it. Being newly out of college and just starting a new job, we cannot afford the luxuries of paying hundreds of dollars a night to stay in a hotel for two weeks.

We are also interested in the idea of getting to know our hosts. That part of the Couchsurfing experience is like none other, and we look forward to that change of pace. We also know that we can experience Europe in a much more authentic way when seeing it from the eyes of a local rather than the eyes of a hotel window.

Interests

Before I landed this full time job where I will be a Sales Representative for a large International company, I was bartending for a craft brewery in my small town Frederick, Maryland, USA. I love craft beer and learning about it. My boyfriend, dad and I have even home brewed some of our own beer before too!

I also love outdoor activities: hiking, biking, swimming, rock climbing. I try to do as much of that as I can! Friends of mine have similar interests so I go on hikes and go camping often with friends and family.

A few months ago my boyfriend and large group of friends traveled to Los Angeles, California for a friends wedding. While we were there four of us visited Joshua Tree National Park. Whether you are from America or not you should visit this National Park at some point, it is beautiful!

• traveling
• painting
• hiking
• camping
• swimming
• biking
• learning new languages
• eating new foods
• traveling and meeting new people
• exploring different cultures

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: I love all kinds- hip hop, jazz, folk, blue grass and indie music. One of my favorite bands is Red Hot Chili Peppers and I also love Kanye West (even being so different).

Movies: I love a good classic movie. No Country for Old Men and Sicario are both great movies and suspenseful. I love romance and comedy movies along with thrillers but I do not like horror films.

Books: I read the book “Mountains Beyond Mountains” recently by Tracey Kidder. It is a fantastic book about modernizing medicine in poor countries. I commonly read non fiction books about business and finances because I’m nerdy and like reading books to learn. However for fun I do of course like the Harry Potter series and used to only read romance novels like “The Notebook”.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I have traveled to Kenya, Africa with my boyfriend, and parents and we went on a 3 day safari around the Maasi Mara Conservancy. We got to see lions, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, and all kinds of different animals. One day while walking out of my tent there was a baboon standing 5 feet from me, when I tried to get a picture the baboon ran away. I could also see herds of elephants from my tent as well.

Teach, Learn, Share

I am young, only 23, so I know there is so much out there for me to learn. I would say for as young as I am, I am well traveled. I have lived out of a suitcase for a year traveling around the United States with three other people in a large van. I have also stayed in homes of some of the poorest people in the world in Kenya, Nicaragua and Mexico. When I was younger I got to celebrate my 16th birthday traveling around Italy, Greece, and Turkey with my mom and some friends. Santorini, Greece and Capri, Italy were my two favorite places.

I just finished college, graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration and a focus in Entrepreneurship. I also landed an amazing job that I was surprised to receive less than 3 months after graduating. I am very blessed in many parts of my life but I am always interested in the stories of others and learning from people, especially around the world. We all have an amazing story to tell and I cannot wait to share of a little of mine and learn a little about yours!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share my love of travel and genuine interest in sharing new experiences together. It is so fun to meet new people, especially in different countries and who speak different languages.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Nicaragua, Portugal, Spain, Turkey

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States