CURRENT MISSION

A change in one's heart can transform everything. -Daisaku Ikeda

ABOUT ME

"I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list" -Susan Strong

I'm a very active and positive person. I graduated from UC Irvine in June 2010, and am teaching English in Japan to elementary schoolers and junior high. In September 2012 I'll go back to the US to start my studies again to be a speech therapist!

Some of my goals in life:

Be happy. Then spread that happiness to others.

Save the world...or at least contribute as much as I can in a lifetime. :)

Learn as many languages as I can, up next are American Sign Language, Italian, and Hawaiian.

Travel around the world (using the languages!) and learn about different cultures and making friends around the world.

PHILOSOPHY

You can achieve anything if you put your mind to it. Everyone is born with an inner potential for greatness and happiness, and all they need to do is unleash it.

I live to be happy. I love my friends. I love learning. I want to be a contributing factor in the world, through my travels, smiles, and spirit.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I love to host whenever I can, and surf when I travel! It's the best way to get to know a new city or country, and make wonderful friends along the way!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I met some truly amazing people during my time in Chile, many great friends through CS, and I look forward to paying it forward and being the best host I can be here wherever I'm living.

One of my favorite experiences with a CSer was running a 5k race with them! I never would have decided to run if they hadn't messaged me about staying on my couch!

Interests

cooking, salsa casino, ukulele, kendo, knitting, crocheting, crafts, watching old movies, biology, linguistics, Soka Gakkai International (buddhism), dance (hula, Irish, tap, African, salsa, etc), traveling, indigenous cultures

• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• running
• crafts
• movies
• traveling
• crochet
• knitting
• buddhist
• biology
• languages
• sign language

Music, Movies, and Books

MUSIC:
K.T. Tunstall, The Aquabats, Beatles, Rufus Wainwright, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Queen, musicals, Weird Al, Flogging Molly, The Proclaimers, Illapu, Carlos Vives

MOVIES:
Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Some Like it Hot, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, The Producers, Court Jester, Down With Love, The Music Man, Thank You for Smoking, Singin' in the Rain, When Harry Met Sally, Roman Holiday, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Love Actually, Bend it Like Beckham, The Princess Bride, Amelie, The Blues Brothers, Hook, Maverick

BOOKS:
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, anything Dave Barry, Tale of Two Cities, Rebecca, Lord of the Flies, Brave New World, 1984, Cyrano de Bergerac, Harry Potter, Pride and Prejudice, Like Water for Chocolate, Ella Enchanted, Dragonsong series

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Traveled for 8 days solo in southern Chile. An awesome experience.

Attended a Mapuche healing ceremony while in Chile.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm great at cooking, and can share my knowledge in different dishes, as well as partake of the food itself. :)

I knit and crochet.

I enjoy dancing and have taken classes in Irish dance, some African dances, tap, salsa, and swing.

I'm Buddhist and a member of the Soka Gakkai International (www.sgi.org) and can tell you about Buddhism and what it's all about, only if you're interested. :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, China, Finland, Guam, Peru, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan

Countries I’ve Lived In

Chile, Japan, United States

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