I'm extremely creative and curious about life, I give a lot of myself to others and I’m passionate about my work. I can resist anything but an adventure and I’m not one to sit around and wait for things to happen to me - I tend to go out and happen to things. I always gave up on comfort to follow my dreams. I do my best to learn from everything and step beyond my own fears.

I love connecting with people and just hearing what tales they have to tell. I think life is a lot about the moments we share with others. In general I love stories, both the ones I hear and the ones I write and direct. I do a lot of work as a freelancer, mainly doing writing and marketing and I’m launching my first business, which is a ride! It also means I'm going back and forth between Cape Town and L.A. I am also the spokesperson and board member for a charity in Cape Town, where I teach the youth acting and life skills and I foster a pair of twins from the township.

Happy to provide LinkedIn and Facebook links for verification. You can read my published articles too :) In fact - here's a blog I wrote for LinkedIn that sums up why I believe in helping travelers: http://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-people-changed-my-life-networking-101-maria-montgomery

I spend 50% of my time in the US and I am currently renting a small apartment in Cape Town and am very busy with my business and my work in the township and with the twins, so can't accept guests at the moment. If I have the time I'm always happy to meet up though and even if I'm not in Cape Town, I'm still happy to connect you to people in the township if you want an experience to remember though - visiting the community center where I work has been the highlight of the trip for many of my friends who have come to Cape Town :) You will be blown away by the heart of the teachers who work to help underprivileged kids whilst living in poverty themselves. www.littleangelsincapetown.wordpress.com

Por qué estoy en Couchsurfing

You could say that my lifestyle has been that of traveling and I have slept on many couches and been helped by many strangers and friends alike. As a result I help fellow travelers whenever I can. As it says outside Shakespeare and Co. in Paris: 'Be not inhospitable to strangers lest they be angels in disguise.' They let struggling artists stay there, so why would't we all do the same?

Intereses

I love writing, directing, photography, entrepreneurialism, working with kids and teenagers, food, baking, sailing, ninjutsu and dancing. I also love spending time in nature.

• writing
• photography
• acting
• dancing
• dining
• chocolate
• baking
• movies
• traveling
• blogging
• magic
• sailing
• business
• freelancing
• volunteering

Música, películas y libros

Linklater, Scorsese, Hallstrom & Clooney for movie directors.

Reading...Elizabeth Peters, John Steinbeck, Isabel Allende, Sarah Addison Allen, Julia Golding, Richard Branson, Don Miguel Ruiz, Walter Isaacson.

Algo increíble que he hecho

Working with charity in SA has to top the list - I just got a call the other day thanking me for helping someone in the township with their drug recovery and someone else with their cancer recovery. Right now that's right up there.

Enseña, aprende, comparte

I have taught a lot of drama as a volunteer, as well as life skills/personal development.

Qué puedo ofrecer a los anfitriones

I can bake...my chocolate cake is magic ;)

Tales from around the world and anything to do with movies, writing, marketing and photography and I'm happy to share!

Países que he visitado

Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Spain

Países en los que he vivido

Canada, France, South Africa, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States