I’m originally from the Chicago area, but I’ve been in San Diego for seven years now. In between, I’ve lived in Boston, Spain, Uganda, Bolivia, Colombia, Thailand, and Los Angeles.

I studied International Relations and Peace and Justice Studies in college and worked in international education/educational nonprofits before switching over to the administrative side of healthcare about a year and a half into the pandemic. Peace, justice, education, health, and being a global citizen are all important to me.

I’m generally a calm and lighthearted person. I try to make the most of life and spread good energy ✨

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love meeting people from all over the world! I appreciate getting to spend time with locals when I travel, and hosting is a cool way to bring the world to me and give back to this community.

Interests

I enjoy doing things outdoors, eating good food*, photography, exercise (hiking, running, swimming, yoga, boxing), art, music, dancing, and teaching. Also going new places, trying new things, and meeting new people (of course)!

*I have to avoid gluten, dairy, and almonds now, but I still love enjoying food as much as I’m able to!

• arts
• photography
• dancing
• dining
• exercise
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• healthy food
• good conversation

Music, Movies, and Books

I listen to a variety of music. The Strokes were my all-time favorite for the longest time, but I don’t have just one favorite anymore. Lately, I’ve been listening to Taylor Swift, Connor Price, ¿Téo?, LÉON, Latin music, and what's popular/playing on the radio. When I’m traveling, I'm always curious to listen to the local music and learn how to dance to it.

I love movies and may write more about them another day. For now, I’ll say that My Brother is an Only Child, Hot Rod, and Shang-Chi are three movies that I’ve intentionally watched more than once as an adult (it’s pretty rare for me to want to rewatch a movie).

I like the kinds of books that are hard to put down, make me feel, or make me think. The Little Prince and The Alchemist are two of my favorites.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

The Salar de Uyuni and Machu Picchu are two of the coolest places I've ever been. Moving to Colombia without a job to probar suerte (test my luck) was fairly gutsy, and I think anything that takes courage is amazing 💫

Teach, Learn, Share

I'd be happy to exchange languages! I also love sharing different types of food and always like learning how to make something new. In San Diego, I can show people around and offer tips for places to see, things to do, and foods to eat.

Other than that, I love learning and am almost always working on learning something new. I like learning different types of dancing and languages. I finished my certificate in Human Resource Management in February 2023 and got certified in sound healing (like sound baths) in July 2023. Since then, my learning has been more informal (from the internet, books, and life 🌱), but I’m thinking about starting to work on getting another certification soon.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can cook for you, treat you to a meal, or bring you something from San Diego. Time, experiences, stories, conversations, a listening ear, my perspective.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Belgium, Bolivia, Cambodia, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Thailand, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Bolivia, Colombia, Spain, Thailand, Uganda, United States