Hi there!

My name is Melanie, and I'm an American currently traveling in South America. I just finished up my undergraduate studies in history and gender studies, and with the help of a post-grad fellowship, decided to take to the road for a year to travel, learn and write.

I'm from a suburban town just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. I went to college about thirty minutes from my childhood home, so this is very much my first time living abroad. However, multiculturalism has always been a part of my life - my family is Chinese-American, and I grew up speaking Mandarin in our home and teaching my school friends about Chinese culture and food. Those experiences taught me that the world is both incredibly diverse, and incredibly small. You never know what you'll have in common with someone, or where you'll find differences.

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¡Hola a todos!

Me llamo Melanie, y estoy viajando en America del Sur. Soy de los Estados Unidos y he terminado la universidad en mayo pasado. Después de universidad, decidí de viajar, estudiar, y escribir para un año.

Soy de una ciudad suburbana en las afueras de Boston, Massachusetts, y que esto es mi primera vez vivo en el extranjero. Sin embargo, el multiculturalismo ha sido siempre una parte de mi vida - mi familia es de origen chino, y creció hablando mandarín en nuestra casa y enseñar a mis amigos de la escuela acerca de la cultura y la comida china.

Esas experiencias me enseñaron que el mundo es increíblemente diversa, e increíblemente pequeña. Nunca se sabe lo que va a tener en común con alguien, o donde encontrará diferencias.

¡Por favor, perdóname para los errores de español! El internet ayudame mucho, especialmente el Google Traductor, pero estudio todavía.

Warum ich bei Couchsurfing bin

I'm on Couchsurfing mostly to meet friendly folks with diverse perspectives. Traveling alone is lovely, but it's good to have company every once in a while. I'm on the lookout for native Spanish speakers who don't mind helping me practice my conversation skills while we hang out - and of course, I'm willing to return the favor in English or even Mandarin!

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Estoy en Couchsurfing principalmente para encontrar personas amable y con diversas perspectivas. Viajar sola es agradable, pero desearía unos amigos para salir o explorar. Busco tambien hablantes nativos de español que pueden ayudarme a practicar mis habilidades de conversación, mientras que pasar el rato - ¡y, por supuesto, estoy dispuesto a devolver el favor en inglés o mandarín!

Interessen

Languages, history, and politics. At home, I'm a spoken word poet, an essayist, and a would-be journalist. I'm trying to pick up enough Spanish to be able to read a bit more widely! I once co-wrote and co-directed an original spoken word play, and I can explain what that means... sort of. My only other theater credit is the Evil Stepmother in a 5th grade rendition of Cinderella.

I like hiking and camping, and I've done plenty of both in my native New England. I like to cook, and I love to eat. My preferred method of getting to know a city is to walk around as much as possible. Thus, I also really love sensible shoes.

• culture
• theater
• dining
• cooking
• politics
• traveling
• spoken word
• hiking
• camping
• gender studies
• history
• journalism
• languages

Musik, Filme und Bücher

Books --
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
The Red Mars series by Kim Stanley Robinson
The MaddAddam series by Margaret Atwood
Nature's Metropolis: Chicago and the Great West by William Cronon
me, Aunt Jemima and the Nail Gun by Aziza Barnes
Borderlands/La Frontera by Gloria Anzaldua
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
No Telephone to Heaven by Michelle Cliff

Music-wise, I love Frank Ocean, Chance the Rapper, and the Alabama Shakes. I grew up playing alto saxophone, so I also have a very amateur interest in the jazz greats. My Spanish teacher here in Quito has gotten me into a number of latin artists, including the '80s Argentine rock band, Soda Stereo - best name ever.

I have terrible taste in movies, please help!

Eine tolle Erfahrung, die ich gemacht habe

I worked as a labor organizer in South Side of Chicago one summer, supporting Walmart employees who were fighting for their rights as workers. The experience gave me a close and terrifying perspective on how the policies and practices of an enormous global corporation can shape the lives of individuals.

Länder, die ich besucht habe

Argentina, Chile, China, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Israel, United Kingdom

Länder, in denen ich gelebt habe

United States