CURRENT MISSION

Learn. Teach. Volunteer. Travel. Work online.

ABOUT ME

I love all things 'education', both from the teaching and studying perspective. As such, in the past, I have been the only Brit at many a language school in Spain and Italy. I keep abreast of teaching English techniques through regular Cambridge University webinars. And used to keep my finger on the Beijing pulse by volunteering with local community groups. Now I am back in the UK after 6 years in China setting myself up as an online teacherpreneur!

I love cycling, and you can find me on my bike even through the harshest winter temperatures (-20 degrees if you are wondering!) when I lived in China. However, now that I am back in England, I am always on the lookout for a cheap flight to a hot destination during the cold months.

I relax by watching art-house films and reading books. I have also started to attend creative writing workshops and have written a few poems, a short story and the outline of a short play!

PHILOSOPHY

Michael Jackson said it best "If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, and make the change".

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I was a relative newbie to CS, having only surfed in the summer of 2013 over in America. Unfortunately I didn't extend that experience and start surfing again, while I was here in China. But now I am in England I am dusting my profile off again in the hopes of riding those couch waves again.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have not yet hosted a CSer but I did surf twice in the States, two and half years ago. Excellent experiences in Philadelphia and Virginia Beach. I have attended CS meet-up's in Beijing though, and I have met a gaggle of hosts and surfers. They all seemed quite normal, or at least gave that impression, so that propelled me to try out the real thing myself!

Looking to kickstart CS again!

Interests

I am interested in languages, the teaching and study of. My IT skills are quite basic, but I would like to improve them in order to bring technology into the classroom. As well as being to benefit myself, from the wealth of online tools that exist for language learning. I have set up a couple of blogs and enjoy learning as I go.

I am interested in films, but don't have time to watch as many as I would like. I am interested in keeping fit. I used to cycle daily, and top that up with aerobics and running while I was in China. Back in London I have joined PureGym for the gym classes. I love Spin! And I have a typical love for food, which unfortunately does not extend to any proficiency in cooking at all!

Finally, I really like listening to music. And manage to stay up to date with the comings and goings in my home town by regularly tuning in to French Radio London. A friend just recommended KLVE, a Spanish-language radio station based in LA, so dont be surprised to hear that playing in the background when you first land on my couch.

• arts
• books
• education
• dining
• cooking
• running
• technology
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• blogging
• music
• cycling
• surfing
• olympics
• teaching
• languages
• software
• volunteering
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

I like independent and art-house movies, such as Django Unchained. I also like big blockbusters such as James Bond. TV series I enjoy include Black Mirror (very subversive and futuristic), The Sopranos, Modern Family and Game of Thrones.

In terms of music, I am a big fan of the Brits (Adele, Florence & The Machine, Dizzee Rascal, Jessie J, Emeli Sande etc.) as well as general commercial dance tracks (Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Rihanna, etc.). Loving Grime right now.

Last books I have read, include: The Good Women of China (Xue Xinran)The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini), A Thousand Splendid Suns (Khaled Hosseini), Wild Swans (Jung Chang), Mao's Great Famine (Frank Dikotter), Wolf Totem (Jiang Rong) and Brothers (Yu Hua). Currently reading On Writing (Stephen King).

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

The most beautiful place I have laid my eyes on is the island of Tobago. I can only describe it as paradise. It's tiny, the sand is white, the water is turquoise blue and, as the population is so small, many time, the gorgeous beaches are deserted. There is calypso music playing in the background, the sound of the waves lashing against the rocks. If you ever travel to Trinidad, then, make the short trip to it's baby sister island Tobago. It's worth it.

One of the most amazing things I have done in the past few years was to volunteer at the London 2012 Olympics. As a Brit, you can only imagine how proud I felt. The shifts were long hours, and I was on my feet the whole time, but it was amazing. My job involved welcoming visitors into one of the stadiums. How refreshing to meet a constant flow of smiles, and flags and cheering!

I "did it all again", for the next Olympics in Brazil. It was VERY VERY exciting. I was in the heart of it in Rio, travelling by tube and bus every day to the arena. I mostly worked at the entrance (inside) welcome spectators, pointing them in the right direction, and checking tickets. Obviously I have pencilled Tokyo 2020 in the diary!

Teach, Learn, Share

I feel I am somewhat an expert in language learning. Well, the process of, anyway! Any questions about courses, books, online software, language partners, etc. I'm your girl. Feel free to browse my learning and teaching blog:

http://learnexperienceteach.com/

I have also co-moderated a free, online professional development course for language teachers in mid-January 2015. It was for native or near-native English speaking language teachers wanting to learn about integrating technology into your classroom. Feel free to check out my Teachers as Designers course info here:

http://teachersasdesigners.edublogs.org/

I love to show people, so I can recommend or even take CSers around London if I am free. I work online so have quite a flexible schedule to be a side-tourist guide.

What I Can Share with Hosts

An open heart. Local knowledge. Insatiable curiosity.

Countries I’ve Visited

Cameroon, Cuba, France, Italy, Jamaica, Malaysia, Morocco, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, France, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom