Hey y'all! I'm Jill, and I'm all about trying new things, seeing new places, having new experiences, and meeting new people! I consider myself friendly, outgoing, and laid back. I'm American and 26 years old. In the spring if 2018, I studied abroad in Lyon, France and traveled as often as I possibly could. I've met many amazing people through Couchsurfing, people that I am so incredibly grateful for and will always remember fondly. Thanks to CS, I have friends all over the world! As a guest, I'm polite, clean and organized, and able to mind my own business if need be. I love to laugh, talk, eat good food, hike, and dance. On the subject of dancing - I really enjoy going out! In my opinion, going out is one of the best ways to meet people. So let me know if you'd like to go to a bar or club together! I apologize if I request a place to stay last minute. I'm usually pretty good about planning, but some things can't help but be impromptu. Thank you in advance!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To connect with all different sorts of people :) Also, to save money!

Interests

I'm curious by nature, and don't dislike many things. So if you like something (i.e. an activity or hobby) and want to share it with me, go right on ahead!

• street art
• dancing
• drinking
• traveling
• music
• hiking
• sports
• anatomy
• anthropology
• psychology
• adventure travel
• learning languages
• archaeology
• happiness
• foreign films
• pathology

Music, Movies, and Books

I like all sorts of music: pop, alternative, indie, rap, r&b, hip hop, rock, oldies, soul/gospel, jazz, classical, instrumental....the only kind of music I don't like is heavy metal or screamo. To me, it's just stressful to listen to. In terms of books, I've read many of the classics and never pick books from the "top sellers" lists. My favorite genre is historical fiction and my favorite author is Zora Neale Hurston. When it comes to films, I just love watching movies in general! Good, bad, long, old, foreign, whatever - I simply find it an enjoyable and relaxing activity. I must admit, out of all the genres of film, I do love documentaries. Some of my favorite movies include Across the Universe (a story created from the music of the Beatles), Shawshank Redemption (I grew up not far from the prison in the movie!), Dead Poets Society, Juno, Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain, Les Divines, and Lion.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I personally feel I've done many amazing things! I've snorkeled the reefs of Sicily, perused the souks of Morocco, accidentally climbed to the top of Arthur's Seat in Scotland, snuck on top of the Hôtel de Ville in Lyon, attended Carnival in Berlin, gotten lost in the mountains of the French side of St. Martin and ended up coming out on the Dutch side, worked with the St. Martin Rastafarian community farming every day for two weeks, hiked the Yosemite (California) and Arcadia (Maine) national parks in the United States...
I spent the summer of 2018 living in Bordeaux and teaching English. One of my best memories there was attending the annual Fête le Vin (wine festival)! When I was doing research and archaeological excavations in Peru in the summer of 2017, I took my last week there to travel. I went to Cusco and stayed in the best hostel ever. I took day trips to the Sacred Valley (Pisac and Ollantaytambo) and Machu Picchu. I climbed to the top of Machu Picchu, just like my mother did 30 years earlier, at 5am and watched the sun rise. Later that day, I climbed Machu Picchu Mountain. Toughest hike of my life (thousands of steep stairs), but well worth it!
On my bucket list still is skydiving, hiking the Golden Circle in Iceland and indulging in its famous Blue Lagoon, and visiting Australia (the only continent I haven't stepped foot on!), Thailand, and Japan!

Teach, Learn, Share

I can try to teach you everything I learned about wine while I was in France, the Inca cosmological universe, every bone, muscle, and organ in the human body and where it is, how to play field hockey, and all about the culture of New Orleans (where I currently live and go to school)..... ask me anything, I'm an open book!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'm pretty easy-going when it comes to arrangements. Whatever you have -- a bed, a couch, a chair, a sleeping bag on the floor -- I'll take it! I do like to shower every morning, but I don't have to. I'm respectful of others' property and wont eat your food unless it's offered. I tend to stay up late (2 or 3am), but I don't like to sleep in when I'm travelling. I'm just grateful to have a place to sleep!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Morocco, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Peru, Saint Martin (French part), Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Peru, United States