CURRENT MISSION

Do vet med on every continent (except maybe Antarctica)

ABOUT ME

I am currently a veterinary student, and I will be graduating in May 2017. Before, I spent three years as a high school science teacher in North Carolina. I love the teaching part of teaching, and eventually I plan to return at the college level.

My interests in vet med are mixed animal practice, wildlife/zoological medicine, and conservation.

PHILOSOPHY

Have you ever looked at someone, and then all of sudden really seen them? Realized they have hopes, dreams, fears, strengths...And then realized that you love them, even if you don't know them, just for being themselves and being alive?

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage.

The less routine, the more life.

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Right now I'm not able to host anyone at my house. However, I would love to meet up and meet new people!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Still getting started, I've surfed in New York and met up with some great people in South Africa.

Interests

hiking, dogs, swimming, biking (in the Netherlands, anyway), walking around in a new city, horseback riding, swing dancing, rock climbing, reading (when I have time, which isn't often!), and, recently, crocheting

• animals
• dogs
• wildlife
• horses
• dancing
• swing dancing
• education
• walking
• reading
• cycling
• equestrian
• hiking
• rock climbing
• swimming
• teaching
• medicine
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

Music = upbeat happy tunes to which I can dance and/or sing along, which I consider to be country music, swing music, and a fair number of whatever's popular on the radio; my most-listened to artist is probably Adam Young

Movies = I'm terrible at knowing movies and actors, sorry if this is your thing

Books = fantasy and science fiction, lately I've been reading a lot of Barbara Kingsolver

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I don't want to pick just one.

I spent a week in villages outside Veracruz, Mexico working in free clinics for working horses. Not only did a get an intense week of focused practice in veterinary medicine, but I also made incredible friends and took a jump off a ledge into a movie-worthy swimming hole that will stay with me forever!

During summer 2014, I lived in Utrecht, The Netherlands and did research with the veterinary school there. This was my first time studying abroad and I learned lots about myself and the world.

In December 2014, I traveled with the International Veterinary Students Association to the UK and had one of the best weeks of my life with incredible people from dozens of countries around the world.

During summer 2015, I spent 5 weeks in South Africa on a zoo internship and got to monitor anesthesia for 10 different species including African buffalo, a cheetah, a puma, and a sable antelope.

Teach, Learn, Share

Veterinary medicine - sometimes you have to remind me that not everyone's ok with discussing surgery over dinner.

I can also teach about the state of the American education system, but really that's more of a rant.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, China, England, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa

Countries I’ve Lived In

Netherlands, South Africa, United States