I’m a Master’s student at the University of Cambridge, but I’m trying to travel around and meet as many people as possible while I’m in Europe. I grew up in the United States in Colorado, and I'm in love with the outdoors. My hobbies include hiking, biking, fishing, skiing, and horseback riding. I love new adventures and meeting new people from all over the world. I enjoy the rush and the hustle of a big city, but also find peace and enjoyment in a long hike and the solitude of a mountain. I love being spontaneous and finding hidden jewels wherever I go. I truly believe that life is about the journey, not the destination.

I'm a chemical engineer by training, but I've been looking for a new direction, thus I am at the University of Cambridge for a Master's in Engineering for Sustainable Development. Some of my favorite things to study are sustainability (obviously), third-world development, charities and non-profits, technology, and entrepreneurship.

I still debate all kinds of career possibilities ranging from energy to consulting to policy to non-profit work, but I'd love to be an entrepreneur. My philosophy is that I'll try a little bit of everything and enjoy every step of the way. When the time is right to commit to one decision or another, I trust that I'll know. For now, I'm putting one foot in front of the other and making adventures as I go!

This is the link to my Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jacquelyn.lane24

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I've used CS quite a bit from a month-long backpacking trip through the UK and Ireland to a cross-country road trip with a friend. I love the CS community and have learned so much from so many people. I still keep in touch with many of the people that I've met on CS through events and through hosting.

I hope to continue meeting people through CS, as these relationships have colored so much of journey in the past 3 years. I've hosted several of my friends, and one guy officially through CS. Even if I can't host/be hosted by someone, I love to meet up if at all possible.

Interests

My interests include hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, biking, skiing, horseback riding, engineering, math and science, museums, local entertainment, music, other cultures, cooking, photography, and reading. I'm perfectly happy hanging out for a long talk in a cafe to hitting up a busy pub or from walking down the streets of a crowded city to sitting alone on a mountaintop.

I love having deep, meaningful conversations with people. I want to know what other people are passionate about and try to see the world through their eyes. There is wisdom to be gained from everyone.

• singing
• photography
• dancing
• cooking
• marathon
• walking
• pub crawls
• technology
• reading
• socializing
• music
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• equestrian
• fishing
• hiking
• backpacking
• camping
• skiing
• rock climbing
• teaching
• engineering
• entrepreneurship
• law
• mathematics
• medicine
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

I absolutely love classic literature. Charles Dickens is my favorite author of all time. Shakespeare, Dante, Chaucer, Cervantes, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. , Flannery O'Conner, and Donald Miller are some of my other favorites. Reading is one of my favorite things to do. It provides a new way of seeing the world and is full of lessons. One can never be lonely as long as one has a book.

My favorite books:

Great Expectations
David Copperfield
Nicholas Nickleby
Christmas Carol
Oliver Twist
Paradise lost
Dracula
Moby Dick
Sherlock Holmes
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Prussian Nights
A day in the life of Evan Denisovich
The Idiot
Crime and Punishment
The Brothers Karamazov
The Wasteland
Scarlet Letter
Where the Red Fern Grows
The Kite Runner
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Road to Manzanola
The Things They Carried
Finding Cacciato
The Divine Comedy
Don Quixote
Canterbury Tales
Red Badge of Courage
Secret Garden
Little Women
Treasure Island
Old Man and the Sea
Pilgrim's Progress
As I Lay Dying
Tom Sawyer
Huckleberry Finn
Animal Farm
Lord of the Rings
The Hobbit
Chronicles of Narnia
Leisure, the Basis of Society
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Wild
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Won't Stop Talking
Toxic Charity
When Helping Hurts
Dead Aid
Love Does
Scary Close
Moonwalking with Einstein
Every Good Endeavor
Mountains Beyond Mountains
How Will You Measure Your Life?
Outliers: A Story of Success
David and Goliath
Man's Search for Meaning

Next on my reading list:

Bleak House
Atlas Shrugged
The World is Flat
Blue Like Jazz
I am Malala
The Next 100 Years
Fahrenheit 451
Portrait of a Lady
Washington Square
The Wings of the Dove
The Importance of Being Earnest
Pickwick Papers
Jane Eyre
Pride and Prejudice
Relentless

I love movies, though I don't have time to watch very many in college. I enjoy action movies, comedies, animated movies, and romantic comedies most.

I love almost all kinds of music, but NEEDTOBREATHE is my favorite.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

After my freshman year of college, I flew to South Africa and volunteered at a non-profit organization called Ubuntu Youth. Ubuntu Youth is an after-school program for promising high school students that emphasizes mentorship, tutoring, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and empowerment. I worked as a tutor specifically for math and science. This was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life and has a lot to do with why I’m doing my Master’s in Engineering for Sustainable Development.

Teach, Learn, Share

I love to dance! I can teach some basic two-step, swing dance, and salsa moves. Two-step and swing dance are vitally important if you ever want to come have a night out on the town with me in the midwestern United States.

I also love to cook and would be more than happy to whip up some of my signature dishes.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share pictures from my travels and my home state of Colorado. I can share a great attitude and love of meeting new people and hearing stories. I would love to be a help I can in any way; please don't hesitate to ask!

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, Canada, China, Dominican Republic, England, France, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Monaco, Northern Ireland, Senegal, South Africa, Spain, Vatican City State, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

United Kingdom, United States