I am an environmentalist and tree hugger who loves the outdoors, pushing my physical limits, getting to know people, trying new things and working to help humanity decrease our impact on the environment.

I'm a resident of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, a US territory in the western Pacific, on the island of Saipan, where I moved right after college to do environmental work for research programs and the local government. I left in 2015 to pursue my Master's and PhD degrees at the University of Colorado in environmental engineering, with a focus in engineering for developing communities. I live in Anchorage, Alaska where I am doing my fieldwork for my PhD program at the University of Colorado, Boulder. I'll probably be traveling and moving around for field work associated with my graduate program for the next several years. I grew up in Maryland where most of my family still lives.

I love trying new things and I learn best from other people, so one of my favorite things is to meet people and share hobbies and activities. I like to be active outdoors in just about every way. Especially on bikes!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I've been informally hosting friends of friends and tourists on Guam and Saipan for many years and have had the good fortune to know people who have hosted me all over the place. After meeting some amazing couch-surfers near Homer, Alaska, I decided to make it official and put up a profile!

I love small world connections and talking story with interesting people. I have also had so many wonderful friends and strangers help me out in new places, so I have a lot to pay back to the karmic universe!

Interests

• singing
• environment
• triathlon
• running
• music
• karaoke
• hiking
• swimming
• volunteering
• adventure travel
• budget travel
• nature
• biking
• ocean
• water sports
• cello
• trees

Music, Movies, and Books

I love new types of music or rediscovering oldies. I used to play cello and am learning ukulele, and I love to sing! I listen to a lot of 50s-90s rock and pop, classical, blues, latin, modern pop, African and whatever else I can find.

I don't pay much attention to movies but I usually like whatever someone sits me down in front of! Since starting grad school I mostly read textbooks, but I like historical fiction and most adventure novels or memoirs.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I competed in the Xterra World Championships in Maui, Hawaii in 2014 (off road triathlon race).

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm an elementary musician, but I love listening to or joining jam sessions and will always sing along. I can cook moderately well and enjoy sharing recipes. I'm a pretty solid hiker and am always interested in exploring new areas or sharing my favorite trails. I also love checking out bars, restaurants, breweries and music venues wherever I am living. It would be fun to explore some places in and around town with some new friends.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I would love to cook for my hosts, and would be happy to clean or help with other household projects. I'm always willing to pet-sit or walk dogs or assist with childcare as well.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Costa Rica, Guam, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Micronesia, Federated States of, Nicaragua, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, United States