I love languages, traveling, and learning, especially about other cultures, places, and/or time periods. Right now I'm a medieval literature PhD student at the University of Toronto studying literatures of the Middle Ages, mostly those in Anglo-Norman French and Old English.

Fairly new to this metropolis (August 2018), I grew up surrounded by books in an off-the grid community (we had to create our own electricity) in the woods on an island off the south coast of British Columbia. I'm from a musical family, and I play the piano and sing (and am learning to play the cello, in theory, although I've had to leave it behind in BC for now).

When I'm not studying I try to spend my time travelling as much as I can, collecting languages along the way. I've been an au pair (essentially a live-in nanny) in Spain and France, and I've backpacked my way around a couple of continents. I also love to dance and to go on nature excursions, although I'm equally enthusiastic about good food and drink.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

When I'm not traveling I love to try to stay connected to the rest of the world, through meeting people from other countries, studying other languages, reading international literatures, and eating various world cuisines. When I am traveling I like to meet locals.

Interests

My interests basically all revolve around art and culture, and frequently involve food.

• singing
• dancing
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• hiking
• art history
• history
• languages
• eating good food

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Some from almost any genre, excluding country and death metal. I particularly love classical Indian music, Cuban jazz, many kinds of world music, European classical music, old-school American jazz, house music, break beats (oh the nostalgia), some hip hop, Amy Winehouse, The Beatles, Jack Johnson, and so many other things.
Movies: The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Elizabeth, Little Miss Sunshine, Quills, The Truman Show, Belle Epoque...
Books: Atonement, The In-Between World of Vikram Lall, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, The Pillars of the Earth, The Enchantress of Florence, My Name is Red, The Kite Runner, Middlemarch, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Pride and Prejudice, Ella Enchanted, Born to Run, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck, Como agua para chocolate, La sombra del viento, Le petit prince, Micromégas, Candide...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Hiked to the top of an active volcano and peered into the stinking, gurgling crater.

Teach, Learn, Share

Piano/voice and music theory/history, Spanish and some French, and...medieval palaeography?

What I Can Share with Hosts

Hopefully some laughs, stories, and wine.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Bolivia, Chile, Cuba, Czech Republic, Ecuador, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Peru, Scotland, Spain, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, Spain