CURRENT MISSION

New job in Omaha; exploring these great 50 states and the rest of the world as opportunities arise

ABOUT ME

I'm passionate about discussing new ideas with people and I'm constantly learning! I work for a software/tech small business and was part of a microfinance non-profit (SEGrinnell.org). I try to be polite, respectful, and outgoing in general, and I think this helps me get along well with all kinds of people :)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Offering a couch when I have it, following group boards & exploring my local scene with other travelers, surfing and meeting new people when I go to other cities.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Before I even had a Couchsurfing account, I was on my way to Montreal. On the plane I sat next to a woman also from a small town in Iowa. We talked for hours, when she heard I was planning to stay overnight in the airport, she would not have it and helped me find a couch to sleep on. She couldn't personally host me b/c her husband was sick, but her friend was kind enough to do so! Thus I also got to meet her friend, who showed me around the neighborhood (ate Montreal bagels together, talked about the education system in a cafe, visited an old church), gave me a ride, so helpful!
The experience brought home for me how kind and generous people can be and how wonderful sharing your experience can be as well. I am planning to send both of them a Christmas card this year.

Interests

I love learning and exploring. Exploring, whether it be hiking the Sandhills of Nebraska or mountains in Morocco, exploring murals and monuments of a new city, or discussing new ideas! I like to read, I've started surfing, and enjoy good food.
I'm from a farm and that has defined my life quite a bit. I appreciate the slow times in life, from enjoying a beer with friends, to more adventurous times.

• dogs
• singing
• education
• dining
• cooking
• beer
• gardening
• technology
• hiking
• canoeing
• surfing
• business
• teaching
• software
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: 12 Angry Men, Westside Story, Indiana Jones, Before Sunrise, The Godfather, The Maltese Falcon, Men In Black, True Grit

Books: Tale of Two Cities, Le silence de la mer, For Whom the Bell Tolls

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

In the summer of 2008, I got to cross from Mont Blanc to Italy in a suspended cable car over a giant glacier. Took less than an hour, but I'll never forget this ride suspended above the vast white landscape.

Watching the sunrise from a dune in the Sahara with the sounds of wild dogs and sheep, mountains of Algeria in the distance.

Canoeing down the Niobrara river in Nebraska, still one of the most beautiful, relaxing places I've seen.

Teach, Learn, Share

I always love to learn new songs to sing.
I know how to weld and do stained glass, to garden, and to cook/bake

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, Nicaragua, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Morocco, United States