Hello from a musician and explorer who loves nature, new places, friendly people, and adventure! I am a singer-songwriter dabbling on a variety of instruments and I hope to (continue to) travel the world studying, playing, and teaching about music, especially as it relates to conflict and resolution, creating community, and making marginalized voices heard. I'm back in school studying ethnomusicology to make this dream a reality, focusing my studies in the Balkans/former Jugoslavija and on the roles of music in activist communities (esp. feminist, queer, anti-fascist) and in ethnically segregated or marginalized communities.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I've had amazing experiences surfing in Bulgaria, Estonia, and Italy, and hosting in Paris. I've met so many fantastic people, some of whom have become close friends.

Interests

music, travel, film, trees, books, people, animals, alternative social and economic structures, wandering around

• animals
• arts
• books
• singing
• dining
• cooking
• vegetarian
• drinking
• movies
• traveling
• music
• folk music
• surfing
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

I love all good music, but some favorite artists: Joanna Newsom, Akron/Family, Fleet Foxes, Mariee Sioux, Andrew Bird, Sufjan Stevens, Devendra Banhart, Kate Bush, Sigur Ros, Beirut, Anais Mitchell, Iron & Wine, Shearwater, Caetano Veloso, Johnny Flynn, Tori Amos, folk music from anywhere and everywhere

I also am lucky enough to know lots of amazing musicians personally who are well worth checking out: We Avalanche (folky trio of dashing gents), Holiday Mountain (electroreggaepop), Emily Peal (darkly whimsical songstress), Koala (instrumental postrock), Emily Fehler (beautiful folk songwriter), Mighty Tiny ("circus rock"), PONCHOS (various projects by my amazing producer, check out his blog bedroomsingles.com)

Movies: everything directed by Jean-Luc Godard (especially Pierrot le Fou and Alphaville) or Jean-Pierre Jeunet (especially Amelie), Hiroshima Mon Amour, Goodbye Lenin, Breakfast on Pluto, I'm Not There, Into the Wild, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Breakfast Club, Duck Season, Requiem for a Dream

Authors: Salman Rushdie, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Kurt Vonnegut, Jack Kerouac, Aldous Huxley, Isabel Allende, Milan Kundera, Daniel Quinn, Allen Ginsberg, Edward Abbey, academic stuff related to ethnomusicology, gender studies and queer theory, and SE European history

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

music is almost always the root of the most incredible experiences

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach singing, a little accordion or frame drum, and help with English, some French, or basic Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian

Share music, drinks, films, wanders, art, thoughts

I want to learn more languages, folk music from everywhere, how you have fun, your ideas about the world, and how to make your favorite (vegetarian) food - as long as it's fairly easy, I'm not a great cook ;)

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Greece, United States