Instagram: @antsywanderer

Hello/Hola/Ciao! I am a Latina + Hawaiian scientist/engineer/teacher and was a former backpacker! The small island that is Puerto Rico was my childhood home then I moved to the states to study.

I graduated from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles where I studied Planetary Science and Environmental Engineering while working part-time for NASA (huge space geek). I then embarked on a solo backpacking trip for 15 months and throughout 24 countries. I ended up in Singapore for a few years and am now in northern Italy to further my education.

What drives my love for traveling is seeing new landscapes, delving into a different culture, and most importantly, meeting unique individuals each with their own stories and perspectives. I consider myself to be very open-minded and am always wanting to learn new things!

I am fairly new to Couchsurfing and am excited to use this platform to meet locals and fellow travelers! So far I have been to many CS events around Asia and have made tons of news friends from all over the world :) Once I settle down more in life, I would love to host!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I want to delve into the community I’m traveling to and meet locals who can share their insight and more importantly, their stories. I want to laugh with others and embrace the excitement of being in a new place.

So much of my happiness stems from the beautiful individuals I meet throughout my journey. I genuinely love meeting new people and creating memories!

Interests

• animals
• dogs
• photography
• humanitarian relief
• wine
• live music
• hiking
• surfing
• teaching
• languages
• science
• volunteering
• beach
• diving
• climbing
• environmentalism
• diversity
• space exploration
• dogs and cats
• bad singing
• whistling

Music, Movies, and Books

I listen to mostly alternative, folk, and indie rock but definitely have some late 90's and early 2000's hip-hop and the occasional pop song. Being Latina, specifically Puerto Rican, I also am guilty of listening to reggaeton ;p and love dancing to it! Love live music as well and always try to find good spots for it in almost every city I visit!

I am not a big movie person but am always down for a night in with some popcorn and other treats to enjoy a film (I like any genre except horror). I read more science, humanitarian, and travel articles than I do books! But some books that I have enjoyed are: the Alchemist, Brave New World, and the Anthem.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

- Hitchhiked throughout Cambodia

- Bungee jumping in New Zealand

- Spent a month in the Peruvian Amazon rainforest

- Got my scientific diving certification

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you how to cook some Puerto Rican food! I would love to learn how to play the guitar and get better at photography. I can share with you some banana bread and why I am crazy about outer space, the environment and teaching!

But most importantly, let's share a few laughs and good company together :)

What I Can Share with Hosts

My love for beer and story telling. I also love to dance!

Also, I am a huge fan of ordering multiple plates of food and sharing it so that we can try new things together!

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominican Republic, England, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Palestine, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United States, Viet Nam, Virgin Islands, U.S.

Countries I’ve Lived In

Greece, Italy, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, United States