CURRENT MISSION

To have a friend in every time zone, and a story to fit any time!

ABOUT ME

I don't know how to get angry. Believe me I've tried, but can't. So I guess that means I'm very laid back and easy to converse with. Some might describe me as a bit quiet, which can be true in large groups, but I'm not a shy person and I love talking and listening to anyone. I love books. And music. And food. Hmmmm...I've studied a confusing hodgepodge of things, Fiction Writing, the Arabic Language, pre-med related courses, and have for the past year really gotten into computers, technology, programming. I'm still not sure where I'll be or what kind of workplace attire I'll be wearing in 5 years, but I'm okay with that as long as I'm alive and not regretting large parts of my past. Meet me in person, and hopefully we'll get to know each other better!

PHILOSOPHY

I like challenging my own often narrow interpretation of people. I try to incorporate things from other cultures, present and past, into my life, without losing a sense of where I essentially come from (a pretty suburb outside of Buffalo).

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I think couchsurfing is great for many social reasons beyond just hosting and surfing, though I've mainly participated by hosting.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Many memorable couchsurfing memories. There was a period of about one year in which I hosted many international and domestic travelers in my apartment, shared some good times with these guests. I've participated in some local CS potlucks and get-togethers here in Pittsburgh, and a couple in Cairo when I lived there. I've traveled with fellow surfers in Iceland, and been a guest in Columbus Ohio, but overall I have hosted much more than I've surfed.

Interests

So many things draw my interest that I am beginning to wonder if I am truly interested in anything at all. But a few of them are jazz, especially from the 40's and 50's, the sounds and shades of meaning of any language, cooking (though I wish I knew how to make more time for it), piano-playing, and eating large amounts and varieties of food. Basically, I love to learn, so I will read anything and try to explore anything that seems worth some exploration. Of course, like everyone here, I value the things I can learn when traveling.

• writing
• books
• dining
• cooking
• indian food
• technology
• traveling
• drawing
• music
• jazz
• piano

Music, Movies, and Books

Just ask if you really care.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I travelled up the Nile from Cairo to Aswan by microbuses. This was a long journey that allowed me to see parts and people of Egypt that westerners never see. I think I did it so I could tell people I did it! (But maybe also I truly wanted to see Egypt from this angle.) I also scaled jebel moosa with a good friend, the mountain on the sinai peninsula reputed to be the place where Moses received the ten commandments. My trip to Yellowstone with my mom was also amazing.

Teach, Learn, Share

I speak Egyptian Arabic pretty well, so I suppose I could share my experience as a language learner, and not just of Arabic. I've traveled to some pretty strange places in strange circumstances, so I might be a good person for travel advice. I've started to cook Indian food, though not very well yet. I'm an amateur piano player, and I love sharing music, even though I'm usually afraid to play freely to anyone but myself!

Countries I’ve Visited

Belarus, Canada, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Iceland, Israel, Jordan, Mexico, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Egypt, United States