Since leaving high school, it seems I have not been able to stop moving. I lived and taught in Japan and Korea, wrote textbooks for junior high school English in Taiwan, worked teaching English/academic writing in the UK, Iraqi Kurdistan and Oman... and am now back in Canada as a doctoral student (international education and issues of social justice: I hate how English teaching can feel like a colonial endeavour). I am passionate about social dancing (salsa, bachata and kizomba mostly, but will try any form of dancing). I read postcolonial novels and speculative fiction in my free time and enjoy yoga, cycling, zumba (because of dance element) and discovering new ingredients to cook with (not that I'm any good - but am an adventurous eater).

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I have hosted many people informally and unofficially.... friends of acquaintances in many of those places... and yet, am only now joining Couchsurfing. I joined Couchsurfing as being a doctoral student makes me less mobile than I have been in the past and I miss travelling and my international communities abroad.

Interests

• salsa dancing
• education
• wine tasting
• yoga
• reading
• cycling
• art
• social justice
• craft beer
• language learning
• eating new foods
• kizomba dancing

Music, Movies, and Books

I am always discovering new things to read. White Teeth by Zadie Smith, Shame by Salman Rushdie, Hard Boiled Wonderland... by Haruki Murakami and Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriela Garcia Marquez remain among my classic favourites, but Wu Ming-Yi's The Man with the Compound Eyes is waiting for me to read it... and Jokha Alharthi's Celestial Bodies is on order.

I enjoy international film with great cinematography, but watch just about anything but horror. I also like film that makes me uncomfortable (like any film by Almodovar), but also indulge on occasion in binge-watching less intense entertainment on Netflix.

I mostly listen to Latin music and/or anything I can dance to on my headphones when on the move, but enjoy everything from classical to punk. I can't pick any favourites as I end up listening to tracks I really love until they are no longer favourites!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I kayaked the 2,000 km of the Murray River in Australia in 2016. It took 2 months, during which I lived in a tent - setting up and taking down camp each day and often going 3-4 days in between towns (where stocks could be replenished). This is amazing for me as, while not particularly high maintenance, I do like small luxuries (hot showers, laundry facilities, wine that doesn't come from a box). Early mornings (when the kookaburras are singing and the baby kangaroos drink from the river's edge) were most amazing.

Teach, Learn, Share

I am a language teacher and learned three Asian languages, so I would hope that I could be helpful to those who are interested in learning a language... particularly one I speak. I can also help with learning the basics of salsa. for those who would like to try their hand (feet) at social dancing.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I think my experiences living in different parts of the world have enabled me to pick up some different kinds of skills. Aside from travel stories, I also have a love of food. If there is anything my host has been dying to try and wants a partner to accompany them... I am the one. If it is a food I have eaten, but never made, I am also great at reading recipes and selecting the one that will most match my experience. I am not afraid to try/cook anything.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, China, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, England, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Macao, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, Oman, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Scotland, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, England, Iraq, Japan, Oman, South Korea, Taiwan