CURRENT MISSION

Being the best person I can be.

ABOUT ME

I was born in New Zealand but grew up in BC Canada. I returned to my birth country in June 2007. I consider myself a Canadian and a Kiwi-in-training.
I teach Spanish, French, and English. I love foreign languages and culture. I speak French and Spanish fluently as well as a fair amount of Mandarin Chinese. I am an environmentalist and an aspiring health nut. I love cooking, international films, and reading everything from magazines to Spanish literature to random internet sites. My family is incredibly important to me. I have the best mom in the whole world. I have many friends that I also consider to be part of my family. The whole world is my home.

PHILOSOPHY

Karma. What goes around, comes around.
Treat others as you would have them treat you.
Observe. Participate. Learn. Don't judge.
Be a part of the solution. Be the change you wish to see in the world.

Warum ich bei Couchsurfing bin

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am officially a CS evangelist. I have been hosted by so many fantastic people through this site. I have made life-long friends. If the whole world did this we wouldn't be in the mess that we are in. I think it is beautiful and necessary to put your faith in the kindness of strangers.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Outside of this program and through friends' of friends, I have benefitted from amazing hopsitality over the years. My first experience was as a Rotary Exchange student to Mexico in 1992-3. I spent 5 weeks in Chile staying with a family that I met on a chance encounter in Vancouver (Nov-Dec 2006). Thanks to CS I lived in Beijing, China (Mar to June 2007) and really made a home for myself there with new friends I like to call my "Beijing family".

Interessen

I love learning foreign languages. Along with this interest in language comes a passion for culture in all its forms. I am currently working on my Mandarin Chinese. In addition to my interest in Chinese culture I love to pick up bits of language and cultural knowledge from everyone I meet.

• culture
• literature
• dining
• cooking
• vegetarian
• vegan
• flying
• movies
• reading
• hiking
• teaching
• languages
• hitchhiking

Musik, Filme und Bücher

Variety is the spice of life. I am not good with the details like names, dates, titles. I am great with concepts and big ideas. I like to read in French and Spanish to keep up my skills. I love all kinds of music, generally the kind I can sing or dance to. I am not a fan of big budget Hollywood films.

Eine tolle Erfahrung, die ich gemacht habe

There are so many! Here are just a few: (July 2002) Hitch-hiking around Taiwan with my brother. (Nov-Dec 2006)being kissed on the cheek by hundreds of Chilean school children. Giving a workshop to Chilean educators on Multiple Intelligences Theory. Napping on the edge of a Machu Picchu terrace. Stunt flying over the Nazca desert in Peru. (Mar-June 2007) Living in Beijing, China; not as a tourist, not as an Enlgish teacher, just "being". Staying in a tiny Chinese vilage and being the first foreigner to visit since the last one burnt it down a few 100 years ago (or so they told me). (April 2008)Communing with Tibetan monks while staying in a yurt in New Zealand. (June 2007 to present) Falling in love with a kind, funny, smart, wonderful British boy on the Internet.

Lehren, lernen, teilen

I am a language teacher and learner. Are you interested in learning English, Spanish, French, or some Mandarin (that's a tough one to teach)? I am also quite a good cook, specializing in healthy vegetarian dishes. I've been learning a lot about the healing power of food. I am also an environmentalist with lots of practical tips on treading lightly on this precious planet. What can you teach me?

Was ich mit Gastgebern teilen kann

I love to cook some vegan dishes for you. I want to show people how yummy vegan food can be.

Länder, die ich besucht habe

Australia, Chile, China, Cuba, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Netherlands, Peru, Samoa, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States

Länder, in denen ich gelebt habe

Canada, China, Mexico, New Zealand, Taiwan

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