CURRENT MISSION

To live in the moment... Be authentic.... Ask questions!

To live simply so that others may simply live.

To teach people (and to keep learning myself) how to express themselves and be creative even when the world has told you "you are not an artist."
In the end, what's important is not whether or not we call ourselves artists. The real question is whether we have the courage and the audacity to bring our own voice into the world.

ABOUT ME

I try to live by my values, and I love animals, so I do my best to cause as little harm to living creatures as possible by what I eat and what I buy. I believe we should each do our part to leave as light a footprint as possible on this world.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Because traveling is about the people we meet along the way and sharing what we have with the world.

Because many kind souls have helped me out on my travels - from Indonesia to Korea to New York City to Guatemala. I want to pay them back by paying it forward.

I have volunteered as an art therapist for a year in Guatemala and have been graced with so many lovely friends along my path and have had such good karma - I want to keep spreading that around!

I am a very positive person, but I feel (unfortunately) the necessity to leave the following notes as a single woman traveling ...

NOTE: I am NOT on here for the purpose of dating or hooking up. If we end up having a great connection and something happens, that's very different. My intent is to meet kind people and be kind, not explicitly for romance etc.

I've had one VERY bad experience couch surfing where the guy had no respect for boundaries, and seemed to expect sexual favors in return for hosting me. Luckily he was one bad apple and the majority of the people I've met through CS are so kind and generous and respectful.

Please be a good human being and host with no expectations of your guest other than the same respect you show them! (I should mention that I immediately called CS after this heinous experience and they IMMEDIATELY took action and removed this person from CS. His account is still blocked and this happened 2 years ago. This person had 10+ positive reviews and had been verified on CS, which is why I chose to stay with him. So please be careful out there folks, and please review accurately and honestly!)

NOTE: please have a decent level of cleanliness - while you are offering your place for free, it's not such a nice surprise for your guest to find your place is dirty and uncomfortable. I AM NOT EXPECTING A PALACE BY ANY MEANS! - I'd take a clean, cozy closet floor over the broken, mouldy bunk beds in big rooms full of junk that I've come across!
Just think: would you want your mother or father to stay there? If your answer is no, please take action :)

End of rant!

Interests

Art therapy, latin dancing and culture, second hand clothing and books, live music (folk, blues), travel, mental health, art, acts of kindness

• animals
• arts
• culture
• books
• clothing
• traveling
• music
• live music
• blues
• surfing

Music, Movies, and Books

Books:
Catcher in the Rye, Wild Swans, The Shadow of the Wind, any book about inspiring people....

Music:
Joni Mitchell, Spoon, Arrested Development, Mark Anthony, Ani DiFranco, Hey Rosetta!, John Lennon...... seriously it's too many to list but it's really eclectic!

Movies:
Amelie, Waitress, Joy, Stranger Than Fiction, It's a Wonderful Life, Baraka, ..... again too many to list

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

-Walked half of the Camino de Santiago (500+ km) with my father in Spain
-Spent a year of my life working with kids in Guatemala
-Took a bus across Canada to the Yukon.... ok that's more than one thing I know! Ask me! :)

Teach, Learn, Share

Ukelele, singing, laughter, art, Spanish, English

What I Can Share with Hosts

Ukelele, singing, laughter, art, Spanish, English

I like to do dishes! For real!

I am clean and can help you clean or set something up or put furniture together or take it apart!

I like beer and wine and can offer you some :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Bolivia, El Salvador, England, France, Guatemala, Hungary, Indonesia, Japan, Nicaragua, Peru, Portugal, Scotland, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, Guatemala, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey