CURRENT MISSION

Visiting my son Skyler who's doing an internship in Vancouver (Skyler and I CouchSurfed in Europe in 2011).

ABOUT ME

Laila: 58

Skyler: is still on this profile since we may travel together again in the future. He and I CouchSurfed in Europe in 2011. I am a warm and bubbly woman whose three sons are now all grown up, so I'm ready for some adventures of my own. My first language is Finnish. My parents moved to Canada while my mother was pregnant with me. Didn't learn to speak English till I started school. I went to Finland in 1974 after I finished high school, as an English tutor. Met umpteen relatives and planned to return every 5 years. Got busy raising my three awesome sons. I am a retired educational assistant.

PHILOSOPHY

Laila: Making a positive difference in the world, if only by brightening the lives of others I meet day-to-day: hey, if you're nice to someone, it's bound to rub off on them, so maybe they'll be nice to someone else and create a domino effect of friendliness. Great to be open, accepting, tolerant of others. I've worked for many years with children who have physical and mental challenges, plus one or more other exceptionalities. My daughter passed away many years ago. Don't take your loved ones for granted. Cherish every day you have with those you care about and love. Show and tell those close to you how you feel about them. Give lots of hugs!

Skyler: Well this is a funny section to talk about after reading The Grand Design haha. I am not religious. I too believe in the importance of meeting people, exploring culture and experiencing things directly because I love learning and understanding new things.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Laila: My oldest son Dustin Freeman recommended that I join Couchsurfing since his youngest brother Skyler and I were planning to travel through Europe in the summer of 2011. I'd like to eventually be a CouchSurfing host but for now, I'm occasionally going to CouchSurf myself when I visit my three sons, all of whom live in different cities in North American.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Laila: Skyler and I had a Phenomenal time CouchSurfing in the summer of 2011 when we traveled to Finland, Germany and Switzerland. We met many very interesting people, having a Phenomenal time with all of them!

Interests

Laila: Dancing, incl. swing dance. Live music, esp. classic rock. Live theatre, incl. improv. The outdoors, hiking, walking, enjoying nature. Reading a wide variety of books from biographies to novels such as "Dawn of the Dreadfuls". Movies (The Notebook; Bridesmaids -- which I saw with my three sons; Super 8, to name a few). Animals (we used to have 9 pets at one point!). Singing.

Skyler: I am really interested in the sciences--particularly theoretical physics--and I thoroughly enjoyed Stephen Hawking's recent book The Grand Design and I am going through the Feynman Lectures on Physics as I don't think I'm going to be able to take physics next year in University. I find the Japanese culture quite intriguing and I have been studying the Japanese language for the past year so I could possibly live there during my University years on a co-op term. I also enjoy badminton, biking, hiking, mountain climbing, I love playing Dance Dance Revolution--I have become quite intense at DDR in the past 6 years--and I hope to go bungee jumping in a super awesome way on the trip (such as from a hot air balloon or a helicopter). I have also recently discovered Go and I really enjoy playing even though I'm not that great at it.

• animals
• pets
• wildlife
• fish
• culture
• books
• singing
• design
• dancing
• walking
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• live music
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• fishing
• hiking
• bungee jumping
• rock climbing
• badminton
• teaching
• forestry
• physics

Music, Movies, and Books

Laila: Nickleback, Shania Twain, Theory of a Deadman, Adele, Hinder, Daughtry, and many more, in no particular order. For movies: Dr. Zhivago, Mamma Mia (the live musical, too), The Notebook, Time Traveler's Wife,....
For books: You Say Tomato, I say Shut Up; Pride and Prejudice and Zombies; autobiographies; biographies.....

Skyler: The Grand Design, Contact, Frankenstein, The Hobbit, Scott Pilgrim are a couple ones I can think of right now. I also read a lot of manga including Berserk (best manga ever!), Zetman, Monster, Dorohedoro, Death Note, 20th Century Boys, Vagabond and I used to read One Piece and Naruto but I think they're becoming silly now so I'm not so current on those series. Samurai Jack, Arrested Development, MXC, Whose Line Is It Anyway, Code Geass, Kenny vs Spenny and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace are a couple shows I like. I enjoy Fight Club, The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, Inception, Inglorious Basterds, Pulp Fiction, Memento, Some Like It Hot, Toy Story and many of the Studio Ghibli movies--I frequently listen to the soundtracks and other compilations by Joe Hisaishi. I also like biking to Opeth, K-OS, Daft Punk and classical music.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Laila: The most amazing thing that I have done is gone on a 15 year journey to have my children: many ups and downs, lots of struggles through 11 pregnancies with three wonderful children surviving. Lots of hard work, but absolutely worth it!

Teach, Learn, Share

Laila: Don't be afraid to take a chance if you want to embark on something. Don't feel limited by your age or anything else that might restrict how fully you can enjoy life! Be open, tolerant and accepting of others. Widen your horizons and dive right into LIVING! Life can take many unexpected twists and turns, as it has for me the past few years so learn to adapt, broaden your horizons if you're ever unable to do things that you were able to do in the past. For me, I need to clone myself, have far too many interests to do everything I want to do!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Whatever they'd like to hear! I've had some atypical job experiences as a forestry technician, fish and wildlife technologist, dairy herdsperson and single mother!

My sons are going to be spending the Easter weekend together, one of the few times that we can get together. Unfortunately my middle son is not able to join us.

**** PLEASE NOTE: Skyler's living in a house in Vancouver with other students so doesn't need accommodation. Dustin, my oldest son, is staying with a friend. One or both of my sons will come to wherever I'm staying to carry in my luggage and later pick it up when I leave since I am unable to lift more than 2 lbs and walk with a cane (awaiting spinal surgery). Both of them have their own CS profiles (Skyler Freeman; Dustin Freeman).

Countries I’ve Visited

Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada

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