CURRENT MISSION

Have a net positive impact on the planet and in our immediate surroundings. Be good to each other.

ABOUT ME

Hi. My name is Jen. I'm 42 years old and live with Elliot, my husband, and his 15 year old daughter (half-time). During the week I manage public health projects throughout the State of California. Mainly I help improve public mental health programs, but I also work on other human service projects. On weekends, we go hiking or walking around the city; cook sustainably with fresh veggies from a community supported agriculture project; garden; read; hang out with friends, etc. Elliot is a librarian and a musician; plays bass in a couple of experimental rock bands. Lydia, our kid, is really into music and acting. We are pretty talkative about politics, literature, art, etc., mainly coming from a progressive/leftist position, but not doctrinaire, I hope. And lately, we have been active participants with the Occupy/99% Movement and would love to share these experiences with interested couchsurfers.

PHILOSOPHY

Be fair. Be generous. Be honest, when possible.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Just decided to host some folks. Looking forward to seeing how this all works out.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

The best experience i've had was in Guatemala. we were on a bus passing through a remote village and a family of three invited us crash on the floor with them. they were migrants looking for work. we bought them beans and we made tortillas--they were vegetarians!--they made manzanilla tea (chamomile) and we sang folk songs on their little guitar. I'll never forget their version of "Gracias a la Vida"--haunting memory. Makes me want to give back to some traveler looking for a different perspective on the world

Interests

Cooking; gardening; hiking; reading; listening/playing music

• arts
• literature
• acting
• cooking
• yoga
• pilates
• walking
• gardening
• politics
• reading
• pottery
• knitting
• drawing
• music
• guitar
• trumpet
• drums
• hiking
• hunting
• agriculture
• history
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Favorite books in the last few years:
Wind up Bird Chronicle--Haruki Murakami
Corelli's Mandolin--Louis de Bernieres
White Tiger--Aravind Adiga
Confederates in the Attic-Toni Horowitz
A Fraction of the Whole-Steve Toltz
The Sparrow-Mary Doria Russel
Minister of Special Cases-Nathan Englander
Dishwasher-Pete Jordan
Petropolis-Anya Ulinich

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Spent 13 summers living in a tent in the mountains of Northern California. Moved to Las Vegas to organize casino workers into a union. Lived in a Mexican anarchist commune.

Teach, Learn, Share

Would like to learn sewing, advanced knitting, massage, makeup artistry, natural history, drawing, harmonica, drums, cheesemaking, beermaking, mushroom hunting, basic carpentry, pottery, history, literature, pilates and yoga.
Can teach guitar, bass, trumpet, cooking, knitting (basic), local wildflowers.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Private room in house one block from BART and 1 mile from downtown Berkeley

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Guatemala, Italy, Mexico, Turkey

Countries I’ve Lived In

Mexico, United States