Hello, my name is Frances and I am from Hamilton, New Zealand.

I am living in France to become fluent in French as the fluency level I am aiming for was not able to be reached by attending University in New Zealand alone. I have a French Working Holiday visa for one year and would like to spend my year getting to know France, Luxembourg, Germany, Czec Republic, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Slovenia, Croatia and Finland.

I studied French and Mandarin Chinese at the University of Auckland in New Zealand and speak them proficiently, however I would like to become completely fluent and be immersed in French for most of the time that I am in France. I used to work in Hamilton, New Zealand for the Ministry of Justice as a Deputy Registrar of the Family Court.

I have over ten years of experience working with children as I was a part time nanny during university. I love cats and dogs, language practice, art projects (acrylic and oil painting on canvases), piano, violin and most sports. I am very clean and tidy and excellent with cooking and baking.

Although I have celiac disease and must eat a gluten free diet, I am happy to cook myself separate meals or alternatively make delicious gluten free meals for my hosts. I can cook a range of meals including roast dinners, pasta dishes, stuffed roasted capsicums, Thai food, Mexican food, Indian food, Italian dishes, New Zealand dishes, katsu chicken, teriyaki chicken, crêpes and a few others. I can bake almost anything and am happy to show off my cake decorating skills!

I am happy to provide character references, pet sitting references, and house sitting references. I am also happy to send a copy of my New Zealand Police Certificate if needed.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love traveling, meeting new people and learning about other cultures. I am only interested in friendships, I am not interested in dating anyone as I am in a committed relationship (long distance but still committed) with my partner of 6 and a half years. If you want to date someone please find someone else on Tinder, Bumble or Grindr.

Interests

• photography
• cooking
• baking
• piano
• violin
• sewing
• oil painting
• dog training
• acrylic painting
• cake decorating

Music, Movies, and Books

I enjoy most music but I love Lindsey Stirling, John Legend, Rachel Platten, The Chainsmokers, Hailee Steinfield and Zedd. I do not read as much as I would like to as I have always been out of the house hiking, traveling or catching up with friends and family. Most of my reading is for learning rather than leisure. However I have a soft spot for the Harry Potter books, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Chinese Cinderella and The Glass Castle.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

While working at the Hamilton Family Court I helped a mother take the steps needed to prevent her two children from being removed/abducted from New Zealand illegally as the father was threatening to take them overseas and to never allow them to come back.

Teach, Learn, Share

I am happy to teach English, practice French, Chinese, Spanish and Italian. I am happy to learn whichever language is presented to me. I love to learn how to communicate in other langauges as you learn so much about other cultures.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I am happy to help with cooking meals, cleaning dishes, baking, dog training, pet walking, pet feeding, household chores and babysitting if needed.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Belgium, China, Croatia, Fiji, France, Germany, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, New Zealand