READ FIRST BEFORE REQUESTING HOSPITALITY:
My husband (Fernando Reyero Noya on CS too!) and I both cherish hospitality as a core value. We will welcome you as a friend.

We ask our friends to have one reference at least. If you don't have any, attend a local Couchsurfing event. You will have a great time and you don't even need to be hosted. 😊

CURRENT MISSION

Live life abundantly, intentionally, sustainably and wholeheartedly. Tikkun Olam.

ABOUT ME

I'm an eclectic, easy-going traveler--I like to hear about alternative world views on my way to becoming a more compassionate and knowledgeable participant in society. My travels (often alone) have allowed me to meet the most amazing people.

I am passionate about this project, about playing a part in revitalizing the art of hospitality in the world. My broader vocation involves building communities that expect and honor internal difference among members, and reconciliation-- I'm serious about practicing reconciliation in my own life.

In all things, I try to be as courageous as possible. To live the intentional and examined life. To laugh at myself often...to speak mostly out of my failures so that I will avoid as much hypocrisy as possible.

PHILOSOPHY

I try to live my life intentionally and "spherically--in many directions."

"Tu m'as séduit, o Seigneur, et moi, je me suis laissé séduire."

"When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to accept vulnerability...to be alive is to be vulnerable." -Madeleine L'Engle

"The thing you're most resisting is the thing that carries your greatest growth." - Robin Sharma

An empty dance floor means more room to dance.

The glass is neither half empty nor half full, it's too big, silly.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Have a couch. See you soon! I also promote couchsurfing in all the places I go. I think this is an incredible project.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've hosted and surfed with many people all over the world and I'm looking forward to many more experiences.

Interests

learning to cook new cuisines with the best food available, hiking, rock climbing, raising bees and backyard chickens (my girls!), salsa/latin dancing, writing the killer sentence, apophatic spirituality, sailing (ynglings and sunfish right now--my goal is to sail across the Atlantic, solo if I must), singing harmony, living sustainably, the art of small gatherings, vulnerability, DIY culture, composting, perfecting my shot, Jungian and Gestalt psychology, book making, epistemology, mentoring, healing the psyche, raw milk, organic farming/gardening, knitting, working on engines (converted the ol' diesel Mercedes to run on veggie oil!), reading, wine, cheese, rubbing my hands in fragrant herbs, teaching, playing texas hold em or settlers of catan, roadtrips, infiltrating subcultures, train rides, playing guitar or recorder, eating good good food, sitting in a sunbaked car after eating too much (feels like you're back in the womb), anything mint (soaps, mojitos, etc), buying spices in other countries, simplicity, personality theory (I'm an INFP), growing miniature citrus trees, laughing when I make cross-cultural mistakes in other languages, watching movies, meeting strange people like myself in odd pockets of the world, far and wide and taking them into my heart of hearts

• chickens
• arts
• culture
• writing
• books
• singing
• diy
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• cheese
• running
• walking
• gardening
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• knitting
• guitar
• hiking
• sailing
• rock climbing
• languages
• psychology

Music, Movies, and Books

The Princess Bride. Ladyhawk. Sex and Lucia. The Waitress. A Room with a View. The Matrix. Once. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. O Brother Where Art Thou? Amalie. Goonies. Out of Africa. Away We Go. Amadeus. Willow. Shadowlands. The English Patient. The Game.

Some books I've enjoyed: The Marriage of Sense and Soul--Ken Wilber; West With the Night--Beryl Markham; Midnight's Children--Salman Rushdie; Bird by Bird--Anne Lamott; How (Not) to Speak of God--Peter Rollins; Women Who Run with the Wolves--Clarissa Pinkola Estes; The Cloister Walk--Kathleen Norris; The Little Prince--Antoine de Saint Exupery; Mere Christianity--C.S. Lewis; all of Edward Gorey's books; The Hawk and the Dove series--Penelope Wilcox; Celebration of Discipline--Richard Foster; Let Your Life Speak--Parker Palmer; The Fidelity of Betrayal--Peter Rollins; Man's Search for Meaning--Victor Frankl; The King Who Saved Himself from Being Saved--John Ciardi

Music--very eclectic so feel free to play whatever you like around me or better yet, bring me a mix CD of your favorites (yes, I used to make mixed tapes when I was a youngster and it's one of the best gifts)...if I'm alone I tend towards the acoustic, singer-songwriter. Also, since I teach Latin dance, I've always got some rhythm going in my head.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I have loved deeply and unconditionally and have been loved like this in return.

I've eaten everything...and I mean everything.

Played the gong in a Balinese orchestra outside Denpasar.

Survived a night sleeping outside on the floor of the jungle on the side of a cliff in the pouring rain. Also, a hijacking, various rebel uprisings, a civil war, a crazy man pointing a gun at my face, a couple of broken hearts, the Paris tube.

Hiked the Himalayas up to the snow line.

Attended the UN Genocide Tribunal in Cambodia.

Teach, Learn, Share

As a solo female traveler I find that after walking home alone at 3 am in Beijing, Mumbai, Paris, Dili, Bali, Jakarta, Bangkok, Barcelona, New York, Chicago, Calcutta, Hong Kong and Prague, it's how one holds oneself when walking that is vitally important.

Those from the States (like myself) should not be ashamed of being American (which is a damn fine country among many) but we must all work together to promote a better (less noisy and obnoxious) impression overseas, and a less consumptive, materialistic lifestyle at home. Yes we can, people! :)

I'm sadly learning the travel doesn't automatically make one wiser. Because of this, I strive to live intentionally wherever I am, so that I may grow in compassion.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, Scotland, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, Spain, Thailand, United States

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