Hi! My name is Leah Ashebir. I'm a student at Indiana University Bloomington studying Finance and Business Analytics. I'm also pursuing a certificate in Business German and am fluent in German. I grew up in Indianapolis, but my family is from Ethiopia, so I speak a little Amharic as well.

I am very passionate about Ancient Middle Eastern and Persian art history, so I love museums and the like. I also love food and want to be very intentional about experimenting with new foods and restaurants this summer. I also love dancing salsa and cha-cha-cha, although I'm not very experienced with it.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

For this coming summer, I will be interning in Times Square, New York, so I am looking for a place to stay during this time. While it doesn't necessarily need to be in Manhattan, it cannot be more than an hour and a half commute from Times Square. It doesn't have to be especially large, but I'd like to have a kitchen.

Interests

• art history
• latin dances
• ethiopian food

Music, Movies, and Books

I love most music in the world. I'm currently listening to a lot Ariana Grande, Rico Nasty, The Mountain Goats, Michael Jackson, and general Latin jazz.

My favorite movie is Dirty Dancing. It's classic and lovely. I also really like Beauty and the Beast.

I really enjoy reading auto-biographies. I'm currently reading "How Should a Person Be?". One of my favorites is "The Arrogant Years" by Lucette Lagnado.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I got to meet President Obama when I was 11 or 12, before he was elected! I was at a Democratic rally with my parents and sister when we heard a whisper that Obama was leaving the field. It was my goal to meet him, so I bolted from my family and followed the crowd. My mom was the only one who followed me to the gates that were in place for his departure. I pushed past the people, getting as close to the gate as I could. Before I knew it, the soon-to-be President was walking by with his security personnel. He must have seen me pushing other people, because when he finally shook my and my moms' hands, he gave me a serious look and said "Don't push people!". My dad and sister are still jealous!

Teach, Learn, Share

I can bring a lot of amazing stories from my time as a student in places from Indiana to Austria to Germany. Also, if you need someone to explain art to you in museums, you won't need a tour guide if I'm around, as I am familiar with a great amount of both Western and Eastern art and art history. Also, I am available to challenge your ideas on Africa and Ethiopia, as I've grown up within the culture and have traveled there. I'm also a great resource for writing papers, resumes, cover letters, etc. so I'd be happy to consult! I'd also be happy to tutor German.

I'd really like to learn more Latin dances, since I love the music. Also, I want to try new foods and get to know different neighborhoods in New York!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can bring a router, if need be.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Ethiopia, Germany, Italy

Countries I’ve Lived In

Austria, United States