CURRENT MISSION = Find the perfect cup of coffee

ABOUT ME = Perspicacious peripatetic polyglot! (possibly pedantic)
But seriously, I am an unabashed dork who loves playing tour guide and showing people the fun and unique things my town has to offer!

PHILOSOPHY = If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right.

THE BASICS:
• non-smoker
• vegetarian (eggs and dairy okay)
• social drinker (I know my limit!)
• always bring gifts ;-)

THE LONG STORY:
I moved to Tromsø, Norway in May 2018 to pursue a PhD in Political Science (I study human security issues related to indigenous peoples and extractive industries in the Russian Arctic). My goal is to become a professor -- getting paid to talk all day and sound smart?? Yes, please!

Yes, I'm an American, but I like to think of myself as an ambassador of the "good side" of being American, not the Ugly American of legend. I grew up in Colorado, but have also lived in Alaska, Florida, Tennessee, and Indiana. I have moved around quite a bit, which I see as only a good thing!

Growing up, I was always curious about the world - I had many pen pals and collected postcards as a way of travelling vicariously (I still collect postcards).

I began learning Russian in 9th grade, so I've been speaking it for over a quarter of a century! Dabbled in other languages - Mandarin Chinese, Finish, Turkish, Spanish, Portuguese, Ukrainian..., but can't speak any others yet as well as I do English and Russian.

A humanist and an optimist, I think that there's something special in every one of us -- and I'm honored whenever people choose to share their gifts and talents with me.

Cats or dogs? BOTH! And rabbits, birds, horses, pigs, turtles, snakes, ...I love all animals!

I'm not exceptional in sports or arts, but I'm willing to try almost anything at least once!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING = Surfer when traveling and guide when home
(Sorry, my living situation at the moment doesn't allow me to accept guests)

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE :
1) Surfed my first couch in Rovaniemi, Finland in summer 2009
2) met up with some fascinating locals in Ufa, Russia
3) met and stayed with one of my now-best friends in Moscow in 2013 :-)
4) stayed with one of the most inspiring hosts in Umea, Sweden in 2017

Interests

traveling
reading
drinking coffee
dancing
deltiology
intellectual stimulation
beer and wine tasting
yoga
hiking

• dancing
• wine
• beer
• coffee
• wine tasting
• drinking
• reading
• traveling
• tourism

Music, Movies, and Books

Music:
Music is my preferred medium for learning about/understanding other places in the world -- if it's from some place I've never been, chances are - I'll love it!
Upbeat! -- I'm not the biggest fan of hip hop, country music, or whiney ballads, but there are exceptions even to that...

Movies & TV:
I like the funny stuff. I have most recently been turned on to the fabulousness of "Community" and "Little Mosque on the Prairie."

Books:
I could go on forever! But I'll never turn down a good mystery novel - they're my favorite 'junk food' reading :-)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I attended President Obama's inauguration. It was the finest, most pleasant misery of my life!

Teach, Learn, Share

I know a lot of stuff about Alaska and I'm only too happy to share.

I have traveled to many places and try to share my impressions with whomever may be interested. Check out my travel experiences and tips on my Virtual Tourist page: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/1434a3/

Countries I’ve Visited

Brazil, Canada, Finland, Russian Federation, Ukraine

Countries I’ve Lived In

Russian Federation, United States