Muli shani mukwai! I'm a Peace Corps volunteer currently serving in Zambia. My local language is ciBemba, which I speak at the level of a 5 year old. I originally was serving in a mud hut in a rural village doing community health work but I just recently moved out of my mud hut and into a new position as a PC Volunteer Leader. Not sure about the responsibility and I miss my village like crazy but I am definitely enjoying being able to bathe more often and cooking with a stove instead of a brazier.

I've been described by friends as a little person with a big personality. I love meeting new people and talking to them, because everyone has a story and its always fun to hear them. People think I'm lame because I prefer a good pub with excellent draft beer over a club, but again, I do actually like to talk to people so there's that (not opposed to dancing tho!). I really like any chance I get to go hiking or hit the beach which is one place I miss in particular being that I live in a landlocked country now.

I studied food in school and it's what I consider the most important cultural aspect. I love learning about what foods are available in a country, their traditional dishes and how to prepare them. I also like getting together with friends or family and cooking and eating together.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

My friend and I plan on doing a decent trip upon our COS next year, and we'd like to get to see more of and learn more about the places we go to by staying with local people.

Because of this position I am restricted from hosting anyone (sorry, sorry) but I would like to host in the future once I get settled somewhere else. In the mean time, I am down to meet up or give you Zambian travel tips.

Interests

riding my bike to and fro
camping and hiking
reading and drawing with the local kids
reading on my own
making jewelry
cooking and eating
freaking my neighbors out by picking up chameleons (they're juju here)
being with friends, sharing stories and having a good time.

• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• beer
• clubbing
• pub crawls
• reading
• traveling
• drawing
• cycling
• hiking
• camping
• skydiving
• history
• volunteering
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

I really enjoy reading, and my tastes are all over the place. To name a few:
Bourne Identity series (first two were the best, all six were great)
Astronaut Wives Club
Number One Ladies Detective Agency
The Book Thief
And the Mountains Echoed
A Thousand Splendid Suns
John Dies at the End
Odd Thomas
pretty much all of Stephen King's books
I've been getting a bunch of magazines from home that are awesome: NatGeo, Scientific American, Popular Science

Music: I can listen to pretty much anything by my favorites are Jack Johnson, Regina Spektor, A Perfect Circle, Flogging Molly, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Dead Weather, Macklemore, and so on.

I'm not a huge tv or movie person, I tend to just watch what other people suggest to me.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

for others, I organized a volunteer bike tour that reached some villages in the bush to teach about malaria prevention.

for myself, white water rafting on the Zambezi, skydiving in Lompoc.

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach: I have a thorough command of random useless knowledge
Learn: I want to keep adding to that knowledge, anything I can. I particularly love to learn about the history of places. It's amazing to see how things change over time. I also like to learn words, slang, little funny cultural tidbits that make you feel like your really learning about the world your exploring.
Share: I can share with you stories and pictures from my time living in Zambia, as well as from back home in the US or growing up as a Navy brat.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I really enjoy cooking and I am totally down to help out in the kitchen or even take over if you want to split a meal. I can also share a nice beer and a good laugh, a fun hike somewhere, anything really. I always like trying new things so if there's something you want to show me I would be willing to share that new experience too.

Countries I’ve Visited

Dominican Republic, Malawi, Puerto Rico

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States, Zambia