I'm from Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. I'm 24 years old and I love placing myself in new environments. I try to live a simple life, getting by on as little as possible and spending what I have on experiences instead of things. I love being in a new place and waking up extra early just to go out and explore the city before it wakes up. That is possibly my favourite thing to do. I have spent the last year in Australia, mostly working in Melbourne and then travelling about a bit in the last few months. I have had an amazing time and met some extraordinary people along the way.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

At the moment I am couch surfing because I have spent the last year in Australia, working and travelling and I am now in the final months before going home. I have one month left in Melbourne so I am trying to get by on as little as possible. Thank goodness I have such beautiful friends in this city. It would be great to make a few more before departing!

Interests

I am very interested in developing my culinary skills. I love being around different people of different culinary backgrounds because I find that in many cases, people have such rich food traditions to share, which I find incredibly inspirational. I love cycling through any city I visit. My favourite to cycle in so far has been Melbourne. Amsterdam is another great one, for obvious reasons! I love learning new things. I am constantly overwhelming myself with a profusion of topics that I want to study all at the same time. I suppose I could learn a thing or two about time management and organisation. I love listening to music and singing. I am always attempting to learn to play an instrument, but with always being on the move, I find it difficult to be disciplined. I enjoy gardening, and all aspects surrounding it, particularly permaculture and organic farming. I also love sailing. It is a dream of mine to one day work on a sailboat- perhaps I could even be lucky enough to get into yacht relocation!

• singing
• dining
• yoga
• instructor
• gardening
• yachting
• traveling
• music
• cycling
• surfing
• sailing
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

At the minute I am really getting into latin themed music. Bands such as Onda Vaga, Adrian Berra, Buena Vista Social Club, etc. are some of my favourites lately. I tend to gravitate between folksy, independent, low-key type music and fast-paced, politically charged punk bands. However, I am extremely open to new music and I love meeting people who share bands that I have never listened to before. It is probably one of my favourite elements of getting to know someone.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

For six weeks of my year in Australia, I worked on an island resort in between Cairns and Townsville. The island and resort share the same name- Bedarra and it is accessible off a little, sleepy beach town called Mission Beach. During my time there, I learned a lot about myself and what I want to do in life, thanks to the incredibly inspirational people I was able to spend time with. Before I arrived, I was filled with trepidation and constant anxiety about what I should do in the upcoming years. After speaking with such wise and experienced people on the island, I left feeling sure and stable about following my heart instead of doing what my upbringing and western cultural background says I should. They put my worries at ease. This is also where my love for the ocean and being on the water was strengthened and I feel so lucky to have been afforded this experience.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I am a casual, introductory yogi and I have been taught one on one by a very good instructor. From her I learned many of the introductory poses of Iyengar yoga, which is one of the more holistic and traditional types of yoga. I learned a lot through that experience and thankfully, I can now pass this on to others. Another thing I have to offer is a personal tour of all of the highlights of the television show Breaking Bad if ever you and I are in Albuquerque at the same time. I feel a bit silly mentioning this, but I find that people are genuinely interested!

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, France, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, England