CURRENT MISSION

Live in the moment. (and) To thine own self be true.

ABOUT ME

(Please note: It may say I'm logging in from NY, but I'm in Chicago. I promise.)

I understand that life's really about the small things: taking walks through parks, blowing out birthday candles, and making breakfast on a Saturday morning. I wish on eyelashes and the first star I see in the sky at night. I like making friends with people in the checkout line. And I think old couples that still hold hands are cute.

I appreciate people who tell me the truth, even when I don't want to hear it. I think that scary movies are too scary and that people these days are already too cautious, so why make it worse? I find that news is sensationalized and, more often than not, it's not news.

I enjoy winning. A lot. It's probably a flaw of mine, and my suggestion to you is to not play any board games with me because I get really excited if I win. (You know what. F that. Let's play and have a good time anyway!)

I believe that the best conversations happen after midnight and leave you freakin' tired the next day, but somehow more real and raw than the day before.

Oh, and I'm a Taurus - a bull. My mom says I'm stubborn, but I like to think of it as "strong-willed." ;)

PHILOSOPHY

Don't just dare to dream. Dare to do.

Perché sono iscritto su Couchsurfing

I'm on CouchSurfing because it helps... "cultural exchange, traveling on the cheap, and charity. It is one of the few ideas from social networking that actually encourages people to do more, together, in person, than they would if they had not signed up. It builds bridges and confidence, improves social skills, and widens your horizons in unimaginable ways. It gives back more than you could ever put into it."

Interessi

~ Trying foods from all over the world
~ The meaning/history/etymology of a (new) word
~ Hiking volcanoes to watch the sunrise
~ Surfing in as many bodies of water as possible
~ Road trips on motorcycles
~ The idea of hitchhiking...
~ Comparative religion, including atheism
~ Rock climbing karst mountains
~ Forgiveness.

• books
• dancing
• cooking
• recipes
• breakfast
• partying
• clubbing
• motorcycles
• news
• movies
• board games
• traveling
• hiking
• surfing
• sports
• rock climbing
• volleyball
• kickball
• teaching
• etymology
• history
• religion
• hitchhiking
• road trips
• parks
• mountains

Musica, film e libri

Websites:
- TED.com
- Gapminder.com
- Seat61.com
- Futureme.org

Movies: Into the Wild, Annie Hall, Pay It Forward, Love Actually, Paris Je T'aime, Beautiful Losers (a must see for any artist), 180 Degrees North, Maiden Voyage, The Way...

Music: Brandi Carlile, Ray LaMontagne, Taylor Swift, Goo Goo Dolls, Duffy, Tom Petty, John Mayer

Books: Le Petit Prince, Scarlet Letter, Eat Pray Love, James Schuyler's selected poems, And Her Soul Out of Nothing... and the list gets longer.

Una cosa incredibile che ho fatto

A few amazing things I've done:

- asked a ten-year-old boy to teach me how to Skim-board. By the end of the day, I had bruises on both of my hips and huge scrapes on my knees, but I did it. The next day I was the only girl out there, and it felt great.
- ran 26.2 miles for AIDS in Maui after their worst flooding in 40 years, and I only walked away with four blisters.
- climbed Jiankou solo and camped on The Great Wall of China
- watched the sunrise on top of Mt. Batur
- taught myself how to ride a motorbike in Bali
- started book clubs and joined sports teams (kickball, volleyball) in Chicago
- rock climbed karst mountains in Yangshuo, China
- explored caves, kayaked and jumped off of party boats in Halong Bay, Vietnam
- volunteered as an English teacher at an orphanage in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Insegna, impara, condividi

I love to dance. I'm the girl that's usually getting everybody else to dance - always the first one on the dance floor and always the first to kick off my heels. So, I can help you find your blue suede shoes...if you'll let me :)

I can teach you the places that are worth seeing in Chicago, how to get there via public transit so it's cheaper, and the best off-the-beaten-path places to fall in love with the city... and really live in the moment.

I'd love it if you would cook for me! If you happen to know one of your grandmother's old, secret recipes and are willing to serve it up...your my kind of CS!

Cosa posso offrire ai padroni di casa

- a glowing review
- a recipe from home
- a little Chicago souvenir
- a big smile, a positive mood and a quick wit
- an open mind ready for deep conversations or banter
- a home (and a heart) that is left better than the way I found it =)
- a place to sleep when you visit Chicago!

Paesi che ho visitato

Cambodia, Canada, China, France, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, United States, Viet Nam, Virgin Islands, British

Paesi in cui ho vissuto

China, United States

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