I'm a mom, a physician, a social activist, and a traveller. I love travel that helps me connect with local people.....seeing off the beaten path sights.....meeting new people and sharing new ideas.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I have been couch surfing since long before there was an app and long before there was an Internet..... The joy of hospitality, sharing ideas, experiencing new things, creating relationships with others who share my love of travel.....these experiences are valuable to me. So being able to 'couchsurf' with a little less randomness, be a little more selective of my connections, be more purposeful about the process is like a new twist on an old familiar idea.

I travel a lot. I love to travel. Even just weekend road trips revitalize me. I have a wanderlust and I love seeing a spark of recognition when I meet like minded people.

I have cultivated jobs/hobbies (jobbies!) that allow me to travel with a focus and connect with people of similar interest....this includes healthcare, public speaking, refereeing woman's lacrosse, and various service projects.... All excuses to travel and see places from the perspective of a local.

I am equally content on a bed, a couch, or camped out in a backyard. I love the experience of travel and making new friends.....

Interests

EVERYTHING! I have a passion to learn new things from others.....language, culture, geography, almost anything.....

I am interested in social issues, especially relating to basic needs and healthcare.....practiced rural/low income healthcare for 25 years in the Mountain West.

Interested in anything outside, love to hike, backpack, boat, camp.... Love sports and activity.....

Plants, ethnobotany, traditional healthcare from around he world, medical sociology ( subject of my dissertation in undergrad).

Tiny houses, small footprints with great purpose, everything organic ( from chemistry to food), local things, sustainability.....

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I once had a job where I rode an elephant to work, floated down a tropical River in an ancient dugout, and snuck through the jungle at night to watch Tigers feed..... It was pretty amazing!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I have a love for nurturing others with food, active listening, support. I am a roll up your sleeves and help out kinda gal. I don't mind manual labor..... I have baled hay, sewn costumes for a play, babysat for date night, and put in an organic garden or two for people who have shared their home with me as I passed through..... I believe in exchange and showing gratitude for hospitality.

What I do NOT expect is to be waited on. I usually travel with food, which I am happy to share. There is usually a sleeping bag and pad tucked away in my belongings.... And a tent. I have lived in extremely primitive conditions for long periods of time.... My needs are simple..... I'm here for kindness and connection.

Countries I’ve Visited

Cayman Islands, China, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Ireland, Jamaica, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, Scotland, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden

Countries I’ve Lived In

England, India, Nepal