CURRENT MISSION

...to count the number of seconds it takes for my Fargo accent to slip into our conversation...oh jah, ya betcha!

ABOUT ME

I am the greatest lover of questions, even those lacking answers.

I've lived and taught in Sweden, traveled through Europe with my brother, been to almost all 50 US states (missing Hawaii), and hiked 800 miles of the Appalachian Trail with my fiance Will Holland last summer between teaching terms. (He did all 2181 miles!)

I am currently finishing a round of the Insanity program and training for an upcoming John Muir Trail thruhike in CA. I am also a black belt in TKD and used to train kickboxing. It would be awesome to do fight sports again, but I've been living over a 3.5 hours' drive from the nearest gym. I just finished teaching 6th grade language arts for two years on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota and am in the middle of crazy DIY wedding plans and arrangements for moving to NYC in August to tackle my PhD. Phew! Busy year.

I am a total sucker for depressing movies. I collect some small-production company films. I grew up on the prairie of western Minnesota/North Dakota and so have been groomed to appreciate life's satirical pairing of the desolate with the beautiful. Things in/from Minnesota are just like that - cold on the outside, warm inside. With that, I am huge into art. I taught adult sketching and portraiture classes when I was only 15. I'd go on, but I'd like to leave some details up for fun, casual conversation. Otherwise, what would we talk about?
________________________

Hey, are you lonely?
Has summer gone so slowly?
We found the ground,
but that damage was done.
It's cold as you fade into the sun.
Where'd you go? To me?
But you're alive!
Well, it's only
fallen frames, they told me.
You stand out, it's so loud...
and so what if it is.
It's cold when you fade into the wind.
Where'd it go to?
- Remy Zero

LAST NOTE: CS is not a dating service, and I do not plan on using it as one. I am pretty satisfied with the romance in my life already (considering my wedding is this September...), and I would appreciate being respected when I travel alone. Perhaps what you are looking for is www.eharmony.com or http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ppp/ ...

PHILOSOPHY

I am a part of all that I have met. - Tennyson

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I surf and am looking forward to finally living in a community (Manhattan, NYC) where surfers might actually be interested in visiting!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

People I've stayed with:
Kristall -- Davenport, IA
Gabe -- Memphis, TN
Jake -- Macon, GA
Chris -- Bluffton, SC
Maya -- Durham, NC
Aubrey -- Philadelphia, PA
Christina -- South Bend, IN
Kara -- Madison, WI

Interests

Seinfeld fans, anyone?

fat cats, Tae Kwon Do, sea kayaking, expedition-style camping, muscle cars, flute, violin, trying out new bars with friends, spending time with my brother, Outward Bound, kickboxing/boxing, horse racing, sleep/naps, strange lighting and angles, being on the road, Stoicism, murals, bottled water (recycle!), Scarlett Johansson, philosophy of education, experiential education

• cats
• arts
• sketching
• diy
• education
• dining
• beer
• movies
• traveling
• cars
• violin
• kayaking
• camping
• sports
• boxing
• rock climbing
• horse racing
• teaching

Music, Movies, and Books

Oh my, don't get me started.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I started a library in Nepal.

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach: How to stand your ground against 25 squirming 6th graders. How to walk long distances and eat very little uncooked food.

Learn: How to do technical climbing. How to tell the differences between beers and wines.

Share: Life stories.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Slovenia, Switzerland, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Sweden, United States