Hi CouchSurfers! I’m Essie (like the nail polish). I was Born and raised in NYC, went to high school in Michigan, and now I go to a university in Miami, Florida. I’ve been traveling since before I could walk. Here are three things I can’t do without: good ass food, music and travel experiences! I’ve performed all over the world on many stages, including Radio City and Carnegie Hall, with people such as Barbra Streisand, Il Volo, Mary-J Blige and NeYo. Can talk for hours about anything art related!———————————————————————————— [WHERE I WAS]: •Beijing 🇨🇳,• Tokyo 🇯🇵, • Chiangmai + Bangkok, Thailand 🇹🇭 (May 2019)
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[WHERE I AM ]: •Miami, FL ———————————————————————————— [WHERE I WILL BE] •Japan, 2020 Olympics 🇯🇵 ————————————————————————————

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

CouchSurfing is an awesome medium to meet people from all walks of life; sharing laughs and crazy travel experiences and life stories is such an enriching and enlightening experience. Since I’m a nomadic kid and I’m never in the same place as my friends, CouchSurfing presents an awesome opportunity to make connections from wherever you are in the world.

Interests

FOOD! But if I were being specific, I’d say authentic Mexican tacos, and a classic NYC pizza slice. Apart from that, I love food with robustness, like paella or a deep fried mozzarella sandwich from Rome, or even a tasting platter of cured spicy sausages. I will eat pretty much anything I can eat. Some of the “weirdest” foods I’ve had include curried warthog, steamed iguana and plenty of chicken feet, pig ears and cow’s heels.
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Other interests include outdoor excursions/activities; i really dislike being inside for a long time. I love volunteering to take care of animals in shelters; I adopted my bearded dragon, Tazo, from a shelter :)
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Something I prefer to do when I travel is spend my time with natives from the country/city. Ever since I was a kid, my parents and I would talk to some really nice people wherever we’d travel, and they’d invite us to stay with them in their homes (so, like CouchSurfing before CouchSurfing took off). This, to me, is the best way to truly understand where you are; through the people who live there.

• farm animals
• books
• literature
• meditation
• classical music
• jazz
• outdoor activities
• sports
• tennis
• science
• food
• countryside
• mindfulness
• gym
• english literature

Music, Movies, and Books

Music : I’m a classical and jazz music geek, but I love anything really. I’m currently into a relaxed, jazz/R&B sound, such as that of Hiatus Kaiyote and Esperanza Spalding. ———————————————————————————— Movies : I don’t know much about movies but always take recommendations from CouchSurfers and others alike, to add to my “Must Watch” list! However, I’d say my favorite movie so far is “Good Will Hunting”, which I watched a few years ago. ———————————————————————————— Books : 1. Favorite Books: • A Passage To India, by E.M. Forster, • Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, by James Joyce. //////// 2. Currently reading: • “The Art of Not Giving a F*ck”, by Mark Manson. •Pudd’nhead Wilson, by Mark Twain. //////// 3. My favorite authors (so far): •Steinbeck, •Hemingway (for his short stories and novels) •Maurice Halbwachs ———————————————————————————— ——I would love book recommendations!!!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

2019: Climbed the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China, with my uncle! :D

Teach, Learn, Share

I’m willing to learn literally anything. When I say it, I mean it - there isn’t one thing I would turn down an opportunity to do (except, maybe, deep-sea diving). Here are some things I think i could share with you: French/Italian, traveling tips, tips on movie/TV industry in NYC, the visual art world, classical/jazz music, Iranian and Lebanese cinema, boxing, getting over jet lag, lizard care! I’d love to share experiences and random stories and other knowledge amongst CouchSurfers.

What I Can Share with Hosts

A day (or days) filled with great talks, some laughter, and plenty of music and food. I really love to listen to people, truly listen, and hear what amazing things they have to say. I really like to stay positive and laugh a lot, I think it’s such a wonderful thing to share :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Canada, China, England, France, Grenada, Guyana, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Monaco, Morocco, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin (French part), Scotland, Sint Maarten (Dutch part), South Africa, Spain, Swaziland, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States, Virgin Islands, British

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Trinidad and Tobago, United States