CURRENT MISSION

CARPE DIEM...quam minime credula postero!

ABOUT ME

An adventurous, altruistic, and joy-filled life is what I strive to live. I absolutely thrive on playing in the great outdoors, immersing myself in new cultures, and discussing ideas with friends - new and old. Some extroverted 5-year-old insight I shared with my stepmother that sums me up to a T: after hearing her vent about not wanting to go to a party where she would have to make small talk with strangers, I gave her some sound advice - "C'mon Mary! Do what I do...just walk up to them and say, 'Hi! I'm Nessa! Wanna play?"

A second and equally strong passion is to open the door to travel and exploration for at-risk youth. I am concocting a travel-education program for high school dropouts that, if all goes as planned, involves a hippie bus, several communities in Maine, farmstays, and life-changing experiences for many young wanderers seeking their paths.

PHILOSOPHY

Quotes from sages that resonate most with me:

"Be the change you wish to see in the world" - Gandhi

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." (St. Augustine)

And, my mission statement: "Carpe diem quam minime credula postero." Translation - "Pluck the day when it is ripe, trusting as little as possible in the future" - Horace, Roman lyric poet

And my own, "I just love to love!"

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

My husband Jeff and I really enjoy hosting fellow travelers in our home. We so love the Mid-coast Maine area, and are excited to share it with others!

Personally, I feel more at ease hosting than asking to surf. But I have surfed myself a handful of times, and so love making instant new friendships and sharing tips with fellow globetrotters!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

References tell the stories...

Interests

I love many outdoor activities: whitewater rafting, kayaking (sea and river), hiking, cycling, scuba diving and snorkeling, x-country skiing are the faves that first come to mind. Recently met and fell in love with sky diving, spelunking, and paddle boarding!

• books
• education
• partying
• traveling
• eating out
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• kayaking
• spelunking
• whitewater rafting
• scuba diving
• snorkeling
• skiing
• biology
• teaching
• mathematics
• tourism

Music, Movies, and Books

Mostly nonfiction books

Almost all music - not too picky!

Some good movies that come to mind: Dances with Wolves, Little Miss Sunshine, Gladiator, Happy Gilmore, Avatar, Dirty Dancing (Jeff jokes by combining the last with the first - "Dirty Dancing with Wolves")

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Survived a cancerous brain tumor at the age of 15-16. Then, quickly lost the youthful feeling of invincibility when 3 of my high school classmates (from a graduation class size of 27 students!) did not survive cancer after me. That explains my mission statement. In other words, LIFE IS SHORT...PLAY HARD! So glad I found the preciousness of life and health in my teens!

Teach, Learn, Share

Knowledge/wisdom I have to contribute: fearlessness, joyfulness, and confidence in oneself. Academic stuff: I teach math and biology to adults. I love to coordinate and guide trips. Have done them to to Ireland, Great Britain, and Alaska - upcoming in 2015 is Australia and New Zealand. As mentioned before, sea kayaking and white water rafting are regular hobbies of mine. My husband Jeff is a self-taught bike mechanic (he's helped a few CSers bring their bikes up to snuff!).

What I'd like to learn: many many things, but in particular, how other people/cultures live and thrive!

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Canada, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Saint Lucia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Ireland, United States

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