Not Verified
Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States
@kaitlyn-zittel
Member since 2019
Hi, I’m Kaitlyn! I started couch surfing back in 2019 and fell in love with the vision behind and community within Couchsurfing. I’m from MI originally and am currently living here in Grand Rapids. I work a lot right now but I have a pretty comfy couch and may be able to host for shorter stays if my two roommates are okay with it. We’d prefer to host female travelers, but are not completely against hosting others if we’re able to! A bit about me: I am an outgoing introvert, I need quite a bit of time to be alone, reflect, and recharge, but I thoroughly love conversing with strangers and getting to know new people. Humans are so intricate and complex and beautiful, I consider it a privilege to travel and meet more beautiful souls. I love being outside and moving; whether biking, playing soccer, skateboarding, hiking, running, climbing a tree, etc. I just like to move and have fresh air. I also love to make people laugh, and by default, end up making myself laugh a lot (especially at my puns and dad jokes). Music: I love sharing, playing and enjoying music with people! I started songwriting when I was 6, taught myself to play guitar when I was 14, and have been performing since I was 15. I have one full album out along with an acoustic EP I made in 2015. =) I love playing music and sharing stories with others, so if you want to jam together or just swap music recommendations I’m always down for that! Radom Facts: Water is my favorite thing to drink (though I do love tea and coffee as well). Sushi is my favorite food, followed by any kind of seafood, fruit, and Indian food. I want to live in Italy someday. I also want to sky dive, paraglide in Rio de Janeiro, hike in Hawaii, and live in Alaska for a summer. I'm pretty much always writing about something and have filled over 25 journals in my life (not to mention all of my notebooks...) I love swimming, but I hate being wet once I’m out of the water. It's weird. And I once spent the night in what use to be C.S. Lewis’ bedroom. Some Bucket List things: Dance with a friend under the northern lights See the Goo Goo Dolls live Meet Paul McCartney and discuss songwriting Learn another language fluently Learn to play the drums
Interested in Adventure Sports
Interested in Cycling
Fluent in English
Learning Spanish
Why I'm on Couchsurfing
I've never liked staying in hotels or inns because they feel so sterile and impersonal. I’d much rather stay with locals and see a glimpse into their life in a place I'm not from; it helps me understand the place and culture better. Couchsurfing is honestly such a brilliant idea! It makes sense for travelers to host one another and not only help keep costs of travel low, but the host can also share knowledge about the area and swap stories of their own adventures!
Music, Movies, and Books
These are in no particular order. Music: Simon and Garfunkel The Beatles The Killers Michael Jackson Mumford and Sons Ben Howard The Lumineers Goo Goo Dolls Eve 6 The Cranberries Counting Crows Eisley Chris Daughtry Daughter Of Monsters and Men Penny and Sparrow Ed Sheeran Connie Francis Aretha Franklin Pink Dermot Kennedy Lewis Capaldi Kaleo First Aid Kit The Head and The Heart I could go on forever but I'll just stop here. Movies: Newsies Lion King Braveheart A Quiet Place The Help Hairspray The Blindside Second Hand Lions The Proposal The Patriot Avatar 12 Years A Slave (hardest movie I've ever watched) The Avengers How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days Castaway GroundHogs Day P.S. I Love You Never Been Kissed Hacksaw Ridge Again, there are so many, but I'll stop there. Hmm... books. I have this thing where I read constantly but never remember what books I've read. If someone says the title, I'll remember what it was about, but I can't remember what books I read. That being said, here are some favorites I can remember: The Bible Writing Down The Bones Flames of Rome The Artisan Soul Love Does Oliver Twist The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn The Hiding Place Mere Christianity The entire Chronicles of Narnia series Anything by Dr. Suess
One Amazing Thing I've Done
Hmmm... these questions have so much pressure. Suddenly I question what really is "amazing." Here are a couple things that were amazing for me: 1. I hiked the Appalachian Trail alone in Virginia for a week. One day I got lost from the trail in a downpour and wound up surrounded by trees with posters saying "Danger! Bear Territory!" I spent two hours hiking up a waterfall (while it rained) to find my way back. This is actually a very long, humorous, and terrifying story, but I lived and that's what matters. 2. I did my first music tour in 2018 across the West Coast and got to meet so many wonderful humans, hike in all the National Parks I've been dreaming of, and play at the legendary "Whisky A Go Go" venue in LA only a week after Aerosmith played there! 3. I produced my entire debut album and got to see every detail through start to finish. 4. Spent 2 months traveling the UK, couchsurfing, and staying in hostels. Met a lot of amazing people and had many surprising experiences I loved!
Teach, Learn, Share
Everyone has something they can teach you if you are willing to learn from them.
What I Can Share With Hosts
I can share with you my music, my laughter, my peanut butter (if I really like you), my stories, and enjoy hearing yours as well. I've traveled a fair amount and have met a good amount of people. As a natural and eager learner, I’d like to believe I have acquired a pretty eclectic array of skills and hobbies. Whether that’s cooking you a meal, taking you out for a drink, finding a cool local coffee shop together, teaching you how to spin fire or swing dance, I’d love to get to know you!
