I'm an occupational therapist getting specialized training in neurological rehabilitation in Tampa.

I taught music for 10 years previous to my career as an OT (started when I was 14) and have also scored a number of short films and composed music for choir.

INFJ, Virgo, queer, quiet in large groups (I'll probably be looking for the household pet. Unless it's a dance party!) but an inquisitive conversationalist in smaller groups.

My Facebook profile can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/jamsemaj

I'm currently renting a room in a condo with no space of my own to host people in but I would like to share space when I am able to.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I hope to be traveling more and I've always heard great things about the couchsurfing community. I really love to meet new people, particularly when traveling. Meeting locals gives me a much richer sense of a region. I really appreciate getting to hear the stories and perspectives of the lives that live and pass through different places.

I'm awful at sticking with it but I'm also interested in learning new languages/language exchange.

Interests

I enjoy museums, art exhibits, stand-up comedy, various workshops, used bookstores/reading, street musicians, jazz trios, choral or orchestral music concerts, small-venue concerts (particularly of folk musicians), playing music with friends, tours, walks, board/card games, flea markets, movies, lectures, open mics (especially if they have a piano), dancing (clubbing, salsa, west coast swing, country dancing, zumba), painting, exercising, meditating, and yoga. I typically cook more out of necessity than pleasure but cooking with or for friends can be fun.

I love exchanging life stories and discussing Eastern philosophy, psychology, science, visions for a better future and alternative approaches to living on this pale blue dot.

• arts
• books
• salsa dancing
• lgbt rights
• chocolate
• meditation
• movies
• board games
• podcasts
• live music
• folk music
• jazz
• psychology
• language exchange
• lgbt
• dance
• buddhism
• queer
• museums
• comedy
• healthy lifestyle
• futurism
• west coast swing
• gayfriendly
• polyamory
• line dancing

Music, Movies, and Books

These books have had a very profound impact on me:
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
More Than Two by Franklin Veaux and Eve Rickert
Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg
The Social Animal by David Brooks

I also really enjoy books by David Sedaris, Rhoda Janzen and A. Lee Martinez for fun.

Movies: Her, Lady Bird, Stranger Than Fiction, and Blue is the Warmest Color are my favorite films. I have a penchant for the tragic and contemplative but I love a good marital arts flick (Kill Bill or House of Flying Daggers anyone?) and/or comedy (Runaway Bride is my jam. Also love Easy A, Trainwreck, Clueless and The Heat). Barely Lethal is the perfect blend of these last two genres in my opinion, though Rotten Tomatoes demonstrates that opinion is not widely shared! Haha.

TV: Favorites include Grace and Frankie, Bob’s Burgers, Saturday Night Live and Gilmore Girls.

I love music. Large choir concerts are a thing to behold, I also love the intimacy of a folk street musician or home concert and the aliveness of being encompassed by music at a dance venue. My favorite choral composition is “The Lamb” by John Tavener and my favorite song is “Birds” by The Sam Chase.

Favorite Musicals: Avenue Q, Chicago, Sweeney Todd, and Into The Woods

Favorite Comedians: Myq Kaplan & Margaret Cho

Favorite Animals: Pugs & unicorns

Podcasts: Tara Brach, Secular Buddhism, Tangentially Speaking, Risk!, Science Vs, You're The Expert, Put Your Hands Together, Lore, & You Are Not So Smart.

Also a TED talk and NPR fan.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

It's been a great privilege to work with people as an occupational therapist and them cope with crises and work towards achieving their goals in moving forward.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can give piano and violin lessons, basic tips for singing, lessons on music reading, and I know a fair amount about nutrition, ergonomics, massage and healthy living skills. I can also teach basic social dance (latin, ballroom, country), (chair) yoga, qigong, and mindfulness meditation techniques.

Happy to exchange practice in language, although my Spanish and Korean is limited to just a handful of words. I'm hoping to work on Spanish until I gain fluency and then turn my focus to Korean.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Not entirely sure how this category differs from "teach, learn, share" but all the above and I am happy to practice English with English learners and/or cook.

My cooking is pretty amateur and my recipe repertoire is a bit limited but I'm happy to do it. I was raised vegetarian and even vegan for a time so I'm pretty familiar with adapting dietary needs. I can cook a variety style of eggs, simple pancakes, kimchi fried rice (김치볶음밥), kimchi jjigae (김치찌개), Korean savory pancakes (파전), sauteed kale with chicken (can sub cashews for vegetarians), and zoodles or pasta with ground turkey.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Cambodia, France, Guatemala, Italy, Japan, Nicaragua, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States