I am a 23 year old graduate student studying at Virginia Tech. I'm currently doing research in mitochondrial bioenergetics.

I have lots of pets (they don't travel with me), and am an active caver and hiker. You can always bet I'll be outside getting my hands in the dirt. When I'm traveling in cities, I try to visit all the holes-in-the wall.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm on a college budget and usually am short on time leading up to a trip which means a lot of bookings and decisions are last-minute. Couch surfing is an emergency backup, and when you're traveling abroad it's nice to visit a local who knows the in's and out's of the area.

After surfing through Ireland I'm also interested in hosting. I had such a great time being a guest that I thought it'd be fun to host! I like showing people around my town and I spend a lot of time going to live music, dance venues, hikes, etc.

Interests

• animals
• dancing
• cooking
• baking
• gardening
• movies
• video games
• music
• hiking
• science
• exploring
• caving

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Oh boy. I can't be put on the spot, I suddenly forget every song I've ever heard in my life.

I like most genres, with love for some niche groups. I like Irish traditional music, rock, alternative, lofi, folk, bluegrass, hip hop, swing, everything you could think of. Just to rattle off some groups from different genres, Gorillaz, Bon Iver, Elbow, Boston, Billy Joel, Hosier, Fleet Foxes, Old Crow Medicine Show, Guy Forsyth, Alt J, Arctic Monkeys, Black Keys, etc etc.

I live somewhere with a lot of live music. We have Appalachian folk music and blues available at different places every week. Even if it's not your thing, watching someone who's really proficient with their instrument is a pleasure to watch.

Movies; I'm a huge fan of fantasy, sci-fi, thrillers, pyschological horrors, and the occasional comedy. As well as serious dramas. Lords of the Rings, Hot Fuzz, Ace Ventura, Labyrinth, general Marvel movies, Guillermo Del Toro movies, Studio Ghibli movies, etc. Those are just off the top of my head. I like good movies, easy enough. Movies that are so bad they're good are also enjoyable for me.

Books: I'm actually pretty bad about reading books. I'm slightly dyslexic and struggle to stay focused for a book. I either binge and read a book all the way through in 48 hours or I drop it entirely.

With that said, I enjoyed Calvin and Hobbes, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Steven King novels, Harry Potter. I really enjoy skill books and science books. I had giant encyclopedia's of animals when I was a kid and I spent hours flipping through those pages. If you looked on my bookshelf you would find books about cooking and making sushi, some horror, some graphic novels, identification guides for native plants and birds, and some..oddities I've collected over the years.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I'm with the VPI Cave Club, and we do a lot of incredible and sometimes scary things. While my experiences caving are not impressive relative to other cavers, I do like to share the stories I have. With that said, I think that even our "normal" caves are still amazing.

Underground I have descended and climbed a 250ft rope in a giant pit (again, cool but nothing compared to other cavers.) I've swam out of a cave through an underground river, I've crawled through tubes not much bigger than my head, and have made some really chilling maneuvers that have taken my breath away.

Also, I'm happy to take guests caving! I promise I won't make you do any of the things I listed above.

Teach, Learn, Share

There is a lot of amazing hikes and culture in the area I live. I try to immerse myself in it as much as possible. If you want great food, music, art, dancing, etc- I can get you hooked up to it in the community.

If you want to go hiking I can give you directions or even go with you depending on my availability. Caving is also a possibility for those who are interested!

I would enjoy spending time with my guests but obviously is depends on my availability and the guests' interests. We can hang out, share music and stories, go out for a drink. Or not, it's up to my schedule and your desire to do so. Either way, I enjoy people and their stories.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can bring you snacks from the United States. If there are any trinkets or souvenirs from the US I'd happy to bring those as well. We have pretty good snacks.

I'm opening to sharing anything if it's communicated ahead of time! I'd share dinner, a drink, or stories with my host.

Countries I’ve Visited

Aruba, Austria, England, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Scotland, Switzerland, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States