Professional (high school teacher) based in OKC • Graduate student at University of Notre Dame • World Traveler (23 countries) • Outdoors: hiking, biking, camping • Politics, movies, live music, nature, the mountains, road trips, coffee, craft beer, wine, food, good books

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I travel often, taking long road trips across the U.S. and also visiting various countries around the world. I have not yet surfed or hosted, but I would like to because meeting new friends makes travel so much more meaningful.

Music, Movies, and Books

So many to list!

Music: One Republic, Mumford & Sons, Avett Brothers, Trampled by Turtles, John Mayer, Bastille, Coldplay, Avicii, Goo Goo Dolls, Imagine Dragons, Lumineers, Nickel Creek, among others...

Movies: Motorcycle Diaries, Into the Wild, Bourne series, James Bond films, and so many others, especially spy thrillers and emotional, inspirational movies

Books: Desert Solitaire, Lord of the Rings series, Walking the Nile, Jupiter's Travels, and many other travel monologues, adventure memoirs, and non-fiction books relating to U.S. politics, international relations, travel, history, and wilderness adventure

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I'm in the Hall of Fame of my alma mater,
I represented the State of Oklahoma as a delegate to the Governor of Kyoto, Japan,
I survived an encounter with a mountain lion who charged me while hiking in a remote canyon in the Navajo reservation,
I backpacked nine countries in Central and Eastern Europe alone,
I backpacked Russia alone for 2 weeks in the middle of winter, was suspected and interrogated on suspicion of being a spy, but survived and had a truly amazing experience,
I stayed one week in a refugee camp with Ukrainian refugees in the midst of winter,
I have worked for the National Geographic Society,
I once took a road trip lasting several weeks, starting in Oklahoma City, visiting Zion National Park, Salt Lake City, Glacier National Park, and then Banff and Jasper national parks in the Canadian Rockies, my longest road trip thus far!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Most people find my life story and experiences fascinating. My story is rare: growing up on a farm in rural Oklahoma, becoming the first in my family to graduate with a university degree, have traveled to a couple dozen countries, have taught at a private high school for several years, and now am working on my Masters at the University of Notre Dame--I would LOVE to share my stories and adventures with you and look forward to hearing YOUR experiences!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Bahrain, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States