CURRENT MISSION

To experience Europe together

ABOUT ME

We are both 28, Louie will turn 29 when we are on our trip! Louie is passionate about teaching has a license to teach K-8 grades in science and social studies. Because of the instability in the field of education in the U.S. he is in business and helps companies create their fiberoptic infrastructure to increase communication and internet capabilities. I married him because he makes every day life fun and his curiosity keeps us learning. He has always wanted to travel and meet people from other countries, hear their stories and with any luck, help prepare and share their regional food with them.

I'm Kelsey and I got my first college degree in retail management. After working in business for a short time I realized it wasn't where my heart is. I went back to school to be a nurse and have been practicing for 3 years now. My passion lies in health care reform and the role nurses will play when millions of Americans gain access to health care soon!I enjoy traveling and have been to Europe (Paris,Rome, Venice, Interlaken, Copenhagen, Nice), Thailand, New Zealand, Australia (studied abroad), Guatemala, Mexico, Canada and many places in the US. There is nothing better than exploring new worlds!
Louie and I went to highschool together but didn't start dating until we were 19. We've been married 2 and half years and are excited for our 2 week trip to Europe. I've been to parts of Europe before but Louie has never been. We are excited to experience the culture and lives of people in all of the places we will visit.

PHILOSOPHY

Louie says:
My personal philosophy is, assume nothing and look forward to suprises.

I live my life the way I do, because I believe what we choose to do in this world, relatively good or bad, matters.

Kelsey says:
Love. Live. Challenge yourself. Challenge others. Create. Innovate. Fail. Inspire. Dream.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

We are looking to couch surf in Madrid, Barcelona, Zermatt, Paris, London, Amsterdam. We would love to stay with people who want to share the culture with us but would also be happy with just a place to sleep!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

We have never couch surfed before. For Louie, it is his first time crossing the pond. I've stayed in hostels and also with friends overseas. The experience of staying with someone while traveling is so beneficial I'm hoping we can take advantage of this during our trip.

Interests

Louie states:
The things that grab my attention can be broken up into 2 main categories. I love to learn about the world and I love adventure.

First off, I love to learn about the way the universe works. I love seeing the pieces of each area in science, mathematics, history, geography, art and philosophy swirl together in some sort of fabric of truth that I tell myself I have some sort of grasp on. While in reality, I do not. The other area of knowledge I enjoy is the nature of people in different socital structures. Whether economic or cultural, geopolitical or generational, I never get tired of what I percieve to be, patterns in human behavior.

Second is my love of adventure. This can be anything from trying to make art or some sort of deliciously complicated food, to captaining a large sailboat. I love the challenge of something I have never done before and if there is a little risk,(for myself) involved, all the better. I am an adrenaline junkie. This doesn't mean I strap on a parachute and leap off a sky scraper, but I love to snowboard down large mountains and attempt lame aerial tricks off of jumps. I have always wanted to skydive and bungee jump somewhere cool. I love fishing for big fish or hunting big game too. I love to golf though it's too expensive in the U.S.

I love movies and everything about them.

I Love to play the guitar too. Though I am not ronnie riff rocker. I can hold a tune and I can play chords.

I also want to experience as much of the culinary world as I can. No food is too adventurous......maybe :D

Kelsey Says:
My interests and passions are people, health and learning. I am a hungry learner. I love getting to know people, getting out of my comfort zone, and biting off more than I can chew. Like Louie, I enjoy music and I love eating the food he cooks (because I'm AWFUL in the kitchen).

• fish
• arts
• culture
• coloring
• education
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• beer
• walking
• drinking
• boating
• movies
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• guitar
• fishing
• camping
• hunting
• scuba diving
• sailing
• bungee jumping
• skydiving
• snowboarding
• rock climbing
• soccer
• golf
• business
• teaching
• geography
• history
• mathematics
• nursing
• science
• beaches
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Louie says:
Movies are too many to count. Though they are quite different generes Quentin Tarantino , Christopher Nolan films are probably tops when it comes to ORIGINAL and insightful storytelling.

Alchemist by Paolo Cohelo has always been a personal favorite.

Music:
I can't think of which description best describes my current favorite music, the American group, "Bon Iver", in my opinion, is either the most beautifully haunting or hauntingly beautiful music I have ever heard.

Kelsey says:
I love live music. Any type of live music. Some of my favorite bands/artists include some of the classics; Beatles, Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles. My favorite movie is The Royal Tenenbaums- I like dark humor. I also love Juno and American Beauty. Books- I wish I had more time to read! I enjoy reading/learning about the Holocaust and Mount Everest among many other things. I just finished the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series and I thought it was a good read.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Louie says:
Camping in the U.S. Arizona Desert, and seeing the stars blanket the sky from one horizon to another.

Walking out of the jungle path onto Honeymoon Beach on St. Johns Island in the US Virgin islands.

Staring down towards the bottom of the first mountain "bowl" I'd ever seen and was about to snowboard on, in Vail CO U.S.

Ok this is the last one, climbing to the right of a viewing platform overlooking moose mountain in Lutsen Minnesota U.S. during peak fall color of northern hemisphere in september. See picture.

Kelsey says:
Ah, where to start. I feel like I see and experience amazing things every day---but as far as travel goes... I've snorkeled in the Great Barrier Reef, been sky diving over the Swiss Alps, camped on the beach of the Australia coast, seen young kids dying from AIDS in hospices in Thailand. Life is humbling and I'm so grateful to have been able to experience these things and I can't wait to learn more about the world and myself!

Teach, Learn, Share

Louie says:
I could teach someone how to sail a boat.

I could teach someone how to play the guitar.

I want to learn about your culture.

Specifically, I want to learn how to cook traditional regional meals.

I want to go to a Football match.

Kelsey says:
I can teach about health care disparities in the U.S., about health, and about being fun =)
I want to learn everything I can about the places we visit, experience the culture and maybe learn about the healthcare infrastructure too!
I love sharing the experienc of food and I love a mug of a good beer or a glass of wine. Eating and drinking with old friends and new is the best!

Countries I’ve Visited

Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Mexico, United States, Virgin Islands, U.S.

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States