I am currently living in Madrid on a Fulbright Scholarship, and in August I will begin graduate school in International Relations in the U.S. In Madrid, I sing in a Broadway choir, dance flamenco, eat, and do a lot of hiking! I love tea and coffee, am a vegetarian, and love a good book and thick wool socks. After I finish my Scholarship in Madrid, I will be traveling in Europe for the month of July trying to eat as much cheese and go to as many museums as possible, but am on a budget. It helps that my favorite way to travel is to talk to people, and hear about their experiences randomly- I even went on a five day backpacking trip once with a group of people I met on a bus in Argentina! I love learning about culture, history, food, languages, and nature and I love sharing these experiences with locals. Even though this California gal does not know how to actually surf, I would love to surf on your couch, prepare a meal together, take a long stroll in your city and see the sights, or have a chat!

Likes:
Food, cooking and bread-making, good (and bad) comedy, Fleetwood Mac and other bands your parents like, musical theater, trekking, camping, wine, languages, a good joke, social justice, meditation, art, pottery on the wheel and ceramics-making, political science

Dislikes: People who play music without headphones on the Metro- just plug it in!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To meet people, share languages and culture, learn about the real side of some amazing European places, eat a good meal together, and travel more authentically

I am not interested in hook ups! If this is why you accept my request, please do not accept! I am in a happily committed relationship but would love some good old fashioned friendship.

Interests

• arts
• culture
• theater
• performing arts
• salsa dancing
• flamenco
• tango
• bachata
• cooking
• yoga
• meditation
• reading
• traveling
• pottery
• hiking
• art history
• languages
• volunteering
• nature
• dance
• ceramics
• vegetarian cooking
• vegan cooking
• musical theater

Music, Movies, and Books

Anna Karenina (I know, so dark)
100 Years of Solitude (and all Marquez)
Ms. Dalloway
The Awakening

The Young Victoria
Amelie
Dirty Dancing (I won't apologize for this, I also love Footloose and all John Hughes movies)

Belle and Sebastian, Father John Misty, The Smiths, The Ronettes, Ella Fitzgerald, The Bird and the Bee, Lord Huron, Bon Iver, Camaron de la Isla, Niña Pastori, Lila Downs, Ana Tijoux, Stephen Sondheim, Fleet Foxes, Fleetwood Mac, Carole King, etc.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I unexpectedly became a yoga teacher for an NGO in Madrid that helps to resettle and integrate at-risk refugee women and LGBTQ+ people, to create a safe and secure women's space. I also had a chance to work with women and young people while volunteering at a refugee camp in Greece before my grant began.

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach: Mindfulness, Spanish, Cooking esp. Baking
Learn: French, Culture, Any Art, Or Really Anything
Share: New Experiences, a Long Hike!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Vegetarian recipes, Spanish language and culture or U.S. culture, bad jokes and puns, random historical trivia, yoga class, mindfulness workshops, lots of gratitude and smiles

Countries I’ve Visited

Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Cambodia, Chile, China, England, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, Spain, Thailand, United States, Uruguay

Countries I’ve Lived In

Argentina, Spain, United States