Hello! I am a Peace Corps volunteer posted in a town called Dassa of about 100,000 people in central Benin. I moved here in December of 2016 and will be here until December 2018. I love love love where I live and love showing it off! I enjoy hiking in the hills around my house, cooling off at the pool, drinking cold beer at places with views and as per the title, volunteering in my new community. My host organization is a women created, women run company that creates and sells moringa powder. Currently the powder is being sold just in Benin but it's part of my project to move exportation from a dream to a reality. Although life can be tricky in a developing country I have found the people, places and work that make the dry season, power outages, no running water, cultural barriers, etc. etc. all worth it.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

It is INCREDIBLY difficult to get an authentic look at life in a developing country. I have been living here for over a year and although I still think of myself as an outsider, I have become more integrated into life here than I had ever imagined. I know the best spots to eat, grab drinks and scramble up some collines. People know me, trust me and are happy to answer questions. Due to these reasons, I

Interests

I love to spend as much time as I can outside camping, hiking, biking, gardening, running, etc. I also love to cook- veggies stir frys are my specialty.

• beauty
• cooking
• beer
• running
• gardening
• traveling
• socializing
• cycling
• hiking
• camping
• surfing
• parks

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Solo cross country road in the U.S. before heading off to Benin.

What I Can Share with Hosts

An authentic experience of life in Benin.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, China, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Namibia, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Benin, Costa Rica