CURRENT MISSION

Be real.

ABOUT ME

Grew up in Indiana, but I have also lived in Denver and Orlando and visited many other cities in the USA.

I lived in South America for seven years, participating in a mobile, non-profit social and cultural project called La Caravana Arcoiris por la Paz.

I am a single mother of one bright young girl. We are in this mission together.

PHILOSOPHY

...is the talk on a cereal box.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Generally, I am the one seeking a couch.

Sometimes I am able to offer one.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have very little surfing under my belt given the length of time I have been a member.

Interests

I am interested in learning about people's stories and how we reflect each other.

Nature, bicycles, swimming, reading, music, creating, exploring are all things that give me pleasure.

I have become increasingly boring over the last couple of years, so I'm in dire need of shaking things up a bit in the form of new and challenging experiences.

• flying
• reading
• music
• surfing
• boxing
• swimming

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: I tend to read reference books or truth-is-stranger-than-fiction auto-biographies like Planet of the Blind by Stephen Kuusisto.

Music: Patricia Polayne, Orixango, Uakti, Blonde Redhead, Built to Spill, White Stripes

Movies: Documentaries

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

lived among tarantulas and quatis in the Brazilian amazon
seen an eagle fly together with a condor in Peru
participated in Santo Daime ceremonies in Brazil
rode a horse in the cloud forests of Ecuador
Had surgery in the hospital of Iquique, Chile
Stayed in a homeless shelter in Uruguay
Watched baby sea turtles enter the sea for the first time in their lives in Brazil

Teach, Learn, Share

In my travels, I have learned:
Onions can be used as band-aids.
Papaya seeds can be used as birth control or an anti-parasitic.
The bark of certain trees can be used for dental hygiene.
In the case that you really need to reduce a fever (which is kind of a last resort anyway), you can soak some socks in vinegar and wear them for an hour or so.
I was also schooled (by an ophthalmologist) in the Bates Method for better eyesight without glasses, and I am always happy to share what I know.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Germany, Paraguay, Peru, Ukraine, Uruguay

Countries I’ve Lived In

Brazil, Chile, United States

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