CURRENT MISSION

to meet people who share the blessing of an open mind.

ABOUT ME

i'm a wonderer by nature. i love to sit and listen to people's stories - i especially love hearing someone talk about what they are truly passionate about. like so many wonderful people in this community, i also love to travel, more than i can express. seeing new places, especially ones i've studied in school or read about in stories, gives me a sense of connection and belonging in the world, like everything fits together just perfectly. i think everyone in the world can identify with that.

i get really nerdy about languages, which explains why i studied three different ones in college.. i love to play scrabble/bananagrams in french or spanish. having two extra sets of vocabulary is pretty convenient. few things make me happy like a good linguistic connection.

i used to be very shy, but i'm getting better! i love to talk to people one on one. groups can still sometimes make me uncomfortable. i love a good whiskey, or a glass of chocolate milk. i can do a rubix cube! i also love guacamole.

PHILOSOPHY

i live my life to discover.

couchsurfing philosophy:
be not inhospitable to strangers, lest they be angels in disguise.

my current mantra is 1 thessalonians 5:16-18 - "always be joyful. never stop praying. be thankful in all circumstances..."

when i'm homesick, i remember this:
"twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. so throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. catch the trade winds in your sails. explore. dream. discover." - mark twain

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

my experience with CS so far has been mostly surfing - i spent 2011 hopping around europe, making friends and exploring. when i came home to finish university, i hosted a few times in nashville and met up with travelers in the city when i couldn't offer them a place to stay. after graduation, i got back on the surfboard for another european stint - teaching english for a school year, and then interning for the fall. i have been traveling off and on for several years, so now i'm looking forward to settling down for a bit and welcoming some travelers into my home!!

i also do my best to convince people that CS is safe - not a venue for creepers and murder.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

does sleeping on friends' couches count? :) i attended a few CS parties in france/england, and have "officially" surfed (so far!) in england, france, spain, belgium and luxembourg, switzerland, italy, scotland, ireland, morocco, and turkey!

surfing:
2011:
26/02 - 03/03 - london, england
03/03 - 04/03 - nottingham, england
18/03 - 20/03 - brest, france
01/04 - 03/04 - bordeaux, france
27/04 - 03/05 - barcelona, spain
03/05 - 04/05 - lyon, france
04/05 - 06/05 - nice, france
02/06 - 04/06 - caen, france
08/06 - 10/06 - brussels, belgium
10/06 - 12/06 - luxembourg, luxembourg
16/06 - 18/06 - st. gallen, switzerland
18/06 - 20/06 - luzern, switzerland
26/06 - 30/06 - florence, italy
30/06 - 01/07 - siena, italy
06/07 - 08/07 - paris, france
08/07 - 11/07 - london, england 2.0
11/07 - 13/07 - paris, france 2.0

2013:
11/9 - 15/9 - edinburgh, scotland
15/9 - 18/9 - stirling, scotland
22/9 - 24/9 - aberdeen, scotland
25/9 - edinburgh, scotland 2.0
27/12 - 29/12 - cork, ireland

2014:
22/2 - 25/2 - fes, morocco
23/4 - 26/4 - istanbul, turkey

hosting:
clara from vancouver, bc
robert from england

the first CS experience i ever had was three days after my arrival in france, at a language-exchange party in downtown angers. we talked late into the night, only to realize that the buses back to campus had stopped running. one sweet CSer offered to drive us back to school, saving us from a 45 minute, middle of the night trek! thanks stef!

Interests

languages, learning, traveling, taking pictures, blogging, talking to people, listening, laughing, driving, reading, eating, playing with puppies, napping, making (and completing) to-do lists, listening to music, looking at maps, architectural marvels...

• cooking
• recipes
• chocolate
• running
• partying
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• blogging
• music
• surfing
• sailing
• cartography
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

books: the poisonwood bible by barbara kingsolver; the alchemist by paolo coelho; the harry potter series by jk rowling. home by marilynne robinson. the great divorce by c.s. lewis. but really, i'm a librarian by trade.. i love books.
music: whatever fits the mood, as long as it's good! particular loves include radiohead, the civil wars, etc.. new obsessions include matt&kim and daft punk.
movies: beauty and the beast, amelie, v for vendetta, anchorman.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

the first time i visited paris, i got to climb to the top of notre dame. as it happens, i was up there at noon - and the bells started ringing. it was surreal. i was hundreds of feet above the ground, looking out onto one of the most beautiful cities in the world, engulfed in the rich tones of the cathedral bells.

Teach, Learn, Share

i have been known to teach people how to solve a rubix cube. i would love to learn to say new phrases in any and all foreign languages. i love to cook, and enjoy sharing new recipes.

What I Can Share with Hosts

i am happy to share life stories with anyone and everyone. i love to bake and will happily share some treats with my host! i can also share my love of languages.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, United States

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