Hi! I'm Katherine, or Katya, a 19 year old New Yorker studying archaeology at Oxford. I love traveling (evidently, if I'm here) especially walking through old parts of cities just taking in the history of it all or visiting old ruins trying to imagine how people used to live there. I think that food is one of the best ways to interact with a culture, and love finding cheap good places to eat. I also love nature, hiking, and camping!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I think it's an amazing way to form new connections and find out people's stories, and I've always thought that the best way to experience a culture is to be a part of its everyday life (and also its cuisine). I've never traveled on my own for an extended period of time, but I'm super excited! Hopefully I get the chance to listen to your story!

Interests

• cooking
• cheese
• running
• walking
• hiking
• camping
• wrestling
• international relations
• philosophy
• nature
• lgbt
• archaeology
• exploring
• nature walks
• cultural heritage

Music, Movies, and Books

I love anything to do with Tolkien or Lord of the Rings. I've read the books more times than I can count and can practically recite the movies.

Other favorite books: The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, 1984

Movies/TV: Kill Bill, Shaun of the Dead, The Walking Dead, anything by Guy Ritchie

I love almost all music genres except country; currently one of my top bands is Gorillaz.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Traveled alone for almost 2 months this summer through Europe - I visited over 15 different cities, met tons of amazing people, ate delicious food, and couchsurfed for the first time. Notably I spent a night on the streets of Rome and while it wasn't the most pleasant experience it definitely makes for a good story.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I consider myself a fairly decent cook. I love watching cooking videos and then just trying out some recipes; my specialty is making one-pot family style meals. Recently I made some awesome mushroom lemon spaghetti in a hostel. Baking is also nice; I like to whip up a good batch of brownies or banana bread.

I can also always do chores around the house; I have three younger siblings so I know something about washing dishes or general tidying up.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

United Kingdom, United States