CURRENT MISSION

To never lose my wanderlust.

ABOUT ME

I'm a recent graduate from the University of Washington, where I studied English and German. I'm currently working and living in beautiful Seattle!

Things I'd like to do within the next year:
Learn to surf, bake the perfect chocolate soufflé, grow my own vegetables, travel to the East coast.

PHILOSOPHY

"A man is a method, a progressive arrangement; a selecting principle, gathering his like to him; wherever he goes. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better." --Emerson

I feel most inspired and fulfilled when I'm experiencing new places, people and things. I like to challenge myself-- breaking through personal barriers is one of the best ways to grow.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I currently don't have a couch that I can offer to surfers, however I do plan to have space available in the future! For now, I'm hoping to meet with travelers for coffee/drinks and possibly crash on others' couches during my travels.

Interests

Tennis. Running. Live music. Bourbon. Street style fashion. Dancing. Going to a museum on a rainy day. Biking. Cooking. Baking. Boating. Bookstores. The smell of old books. Scandinavian design. Architecture. Hiking. Yoga. French food. Botanic gardens. Succulent plants. Exploring new/foreign cities. Swimming in the ocean. Vintage motorcycles. Farmer's markets. Playing music. Photography. Drawing.

• books
• architecture
• design
• fashion
• photography
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• chocolate
• coffee
• baking
• yoga
• running
• drinking
• motorcycles
• boating
• traveling
• drawing
• music
• live music
• cycling
• hiking
• sailing
• tennis
• swimming
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

Music:
http://www.last.fm/user/kylaistelling

Movies:
Grey Gardens, The Illusionist, Lars and the Real Girl, The September Issue, The Pianist, The Virgin Suicides, I <3 Huckabees, Jeux d'enfants, L'Auberge Espagnole, Goodbye Lenin, Harold and Maude, The Sea Inside, Somewhere, Midnight in Paris

Books:
Candide, History of Knowledge, House of Leaves, all Rick Steve's travel books (I love his shows/movies too- every time he says "ambiance", I faint), Sirens of Titan, Hemingway, Emerson and most of Joan Didion's essays/books.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Sailing through the Whitsunday Islands in Australia for two weeks. Dropping anchor in the little bays and inlets for lunch and a swim everyday was amazing. The beaches and islands were so idyllic and gorgeous.

Another beautiful experience would have to be biking through the French and German countrysides (on farm roads lined with tall grass and wildflowers) nearly everyday while I was living in Saarland.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Germany, United States