CURRENT MISSION

To make friends wherever I go

ABOUT ME

I'd like to point out that as much as I would like to verify my identity on CS, I cannot as I do not have a credit card that is acceptable. So please take me at my word, I am an honest person, and I do really exist!

I never quite know what tone to adopt in these 'about me' boxes. Wacky, serious? In terms of facts, I read Religious Studies at Aberdeen University, and was active in the student life there. Then there was a bit of to-ing and fro-ing between Edinburgh and Aberdeen, before settling in Edinburgh for the last year for a bit of graduate studies in Information Systems Development. I'm now taking a couple of evening classes, volunteering at some festivals and looking for some paid work (aren't we all).
I am deaf, with a small 'd', having been raised completely in mainstream education, I talk to people normally thanks to my hearing aids. At the age of 15 I decided to learn British Sign Language, so I do know a bit of that as well, but I never use it in my day to day life. I am very proud of being deaf though, and couldn't imagine being any other way.

PHILOSOPHY

I live my life because tomorrow has to be better than today. Spiritually, I'm a Unitarian, which is a broad liberal church that is as much about community as it is about finding God.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm looking to surf again the future, once I have some time and spare money on my hands. The CS movement is really good for the 'personal touch', as you meet some real live residents who take you to things you wouldn't see otherwise, and that rocks!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've surfed one couch now, and it was great! Looking forward to doing it again in the future. I hosted 3 lots of folks in Aberdeen, and I've help my mum host at her house in Edinburgh.

Interests

religion, politics, deafness and disability in general, welfare, dvd boxsets, finding out things about 'on the fringe' religions like mormonism and amish.

• singing
• festivals
• education
• politics
• teaching
• religion
• sign language
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

I am a telly addict. West Wing is like an old friend to me. I also have a thing for hospital set dramas like Casualty, Holby City, Grey's Anatomy, and E.R.
I like some sci-fi as well, including Doctor Who and Torchwood. It's the kind of thing that if it's on TV, I'm likely to watch for the hell of it.
Also some sit-coms as well, like Black Books, The I.T. Crowd, Father Ted, My Family, Outnumbered.
These are basically all British programmes, which makes sense considering I've been born and raised here, so I'm just pointing that out in case you have no idea what most these programs are.

Books wise, I haven't read much lately, but I always like Danny Wallace, he writes humourous books.
Music wise, I like a bit of most stuff!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

The sunset at Forsay on the west coast of Scotland. I've seen this numerous times actually, having spent tons of family holidays there, but when the weather is good, and the sky is fairly clear, nothing beats it.

Eating with 11 different nationalities round the table, and singing with them all (these did not happen at the same time) whilst volunteering during the Edinburgh Festival 2012.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can do you a burns supper if you have the right ingredients, but haggis is illegal in America, so I won't be able to do it there. I can explain it though, and the address to it by Robert Burns.
Obviously as a religious studies student I know a bit about that, and can also teach about Scotland in general.
As for learning, the more the better!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, China, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Nepal, Poland, Sweden, Turkey, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United Kingdom