Ciao ciao, I’m an American living in Soissons (Picardie, north of Paris) as part of an English teaching program called TAPIF. I am here for the whole academic year working as an assistant teacher and trying to better my French.

I grew up in Nashville, TN (my parents are musicians there!) and studied creative writing and French at a small liberal arts school outside of Boston. So I call Nashville and Boston home :)

This is my first time in France, and during my year abroad, I hope to see as much of France (and hopefully surrounding countries too!) as possible, and make some friends along the way.

I arrived in France in September 2017 and will be here through May 2018 (for now).
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Je viens des États Unis, et maintenant je suis prof assistant d’anglais au collège à Soissons (Picardie), avec une programme qui s’appelle TAPIF. Je viens de Nashville, mais j’ai fait mes études à Boston (j’ai étudié la littérature anglaise là, et aussi la langue française!). C’est ma première fois en France, et je reste à Soissons pendant 8 mois (jusqu’au le fin de mai). J’espère visiter autre régions de France (et bien des autre pays!). Soissons est charmant, mais très petit 😊

On voudrait bien pratiquer le français!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

While it’s exciting to move abroad, it can also be quite lonely when travelling and visiting foreign places. I am still new to Couchsurfing, but excited by the prospect of getting to meet people and have some new friends to show me around their towns.

Interests

• arts
• writing
• books
• poetry
• contemporary art
• photography
• lgbt rights
• coffee
• yoga
• running
• meditation
• music
• live music
• jazz
• hiking
• teaching
• environmental studies
• tea
• spirituality
• film
• feminism
• indie music
• museums
• vegan cooking
• indie films
• kombucha
• essential oils
• memoir

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Radiohead, Sufjan Stevens, Joanna Newsom, Perfume Genius, The National, Solange, Grizzly Bear, Kendrick Lamar, Fleet Foxes, St. Vincent, Laura Marling, Lianna La Havas, Tune-Yards, Frank Ocean, LCD Soundsystem

Favorite Film Directors: Paul Thomas Anderson (I think the Master is my all time favorite), Terrence Malick, Wes Anderson, Christopher Nolan, David Lynch

Favorite Writers: Toni Morrison, Marilynne Robinson, Italo Calvino, Annie Dillard, Jorge Luis Borges, Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, GC Waldrep, Jane Hirshfield, Audre Lorde, Lucille Clifton, Zadie Smith, Timothy Morton, Robin Wall Kimmerer

Favorite Contemporary Artists: Kehinde Wiley, Frances Stark, James Turrell, Helen Frankenthaler, Nick Cave

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I went to the Grammy’s once with my parents (my parents have 3 Grammy’s each).

Teach, Learn, Share

I love to talk art, in any medium, and would love to see anything you’re working on, as well as share my current endeavors. I’m ultimately hoping to teach writing as a career, so I specifically love working with other writers.

On voudrait bien pratiquer le français, ou même vous améliorer l’anglais.

I love to cook and would be happy to make a meal with you, and cultural practices in the kitchen interest me quite a bit so maybe you could teach me a thing or two :)

What I Can Share with Hosts

I love cooking with vegetables and herbs, and would be glad to share some of my favorite dishes. I also love sharing artwork, and could write you a poem as a thank you! I’m good at cleaning, organization, gardening....

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, France, Germany, Haiti, Italy, Spain, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Italy, United States