CURRENT MISSION

Travel begins with wonder.

ABOUT ME

My favorite places to be are on a mountain peak or in the desert sands and on the sandstone cliffs. I am an Alaskan girl and as they say, "Alaskan girls kick ass!" The other motto is "Alaska girls: tough like beefsteak." (There is a funny story behind that one). I tend to accept any challenge, dare, or bet. Sometimes that is a problem ;-) I love to get out and play in whatever form that may be, but also cherish those unique moments of great conversations and the opportunity to relax, sigh, and wonder. I am all about experiencing those once-in-a-lifetime moments in which you end up laughing all night, goofing off with friends, doing something completely spontaneous, or participating in an amazing event that you want to repeat over and over, but unfortunately never can. I love to make an adventure out of ANY situation, even when just going to the grocery store. I grew up in an environment where my family always took in extra guests that needed a place to stay, whether in transition or times of trouble, so couchsurfing comes naturally to me. I teach philosophy and humanities courses. I attend international philosophy and academic conferences, which is a great way to get to know others, different ways of thinking, and new cultures. I also teach English as a Second Language. Before this, I worked to arrange foster care for Severely Emotionally Disturbed (SED) children. It was a very challenging job and was so humbling. For years I put my education first, and I just finished up my Ph.D., so the challenge becomes: how do I get more traveling in? Challenge accepted.

PHILOSOPHY

"What, if some day or night a demon were to steal after you into your loneliest loneliness and say to you: "This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more; and there will be nothing new in it, but every pain and every joy and every thought and sigh and everything unutterably small or great in your life will have to return to you, all in the same succession and sequence--even this spider and this moonlight between the trees and even this moment and I myself. The eternal hourglass of existence is turned upside down again and again, and you with it, speck of dust!"

Would you throw yourself down and gnash your teeth and curse the demon who spoke thus? Or have you once experienced a tremendous moment when you would have answered him: "You are a god and never have I heard anything more divine." If this thought gained possession of you, it would change you as you are or perhaps crush you. The question in each and every thing, "Do you desire this once more and innumerable times more?" would lie upon your actions as the greatest weight. Or how well disposed would you have to become to yourself and to life to *crave nothing more fervently* than this ultimate and eternal confirmation and seal?"

Nietzsche, GS 341

Что привело меня на Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I try to host and surf as much as I can, events, parties, and CouchCrashes!

Even though I do not have a definite couch in Alaska to crash on, I would love to show you around the beautiful state. I am up there every year around solstice through the first week of July.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have learned so much from every couchsurfer I have met, hosted, traveled with, or crashed with. With that said, I try to do it all, whenever I can!

Интересы

I enjoy finding myself in those situations where I feel like I am a part of a close-knit community, who all share a communal experience and implicit understanding and feeling, even though we are all strangers.

I get outdoors as much as possible--running, backpacking, hiking, snowboarding, camping, bunjii jumping, rock climbing, kayaking, jumping the waves in the ocean, and licking glaciers. Have you ever crossed a glacier river? If not, I challenge you to--one of the most painful experiences. But, make sure to use water shoes, avoid the areas of strong currents, and bring a walking stick as your feet will go numb immediately. I also run rugged mountain races that include climbing up cliffs, sprinting down steep skee, trying not to slip down waterfalls and sheer rock cliffs.

I love microwbrews, preferably IPA's, and all different kinds of food. I really enjoy playing drinking games and have participated in creating a few. Let's just say "Blackmail Jack" is certainly one of the best ways to get to know someone fast ;-) I definitely like to party and will lose myself in the music while out dancing. I also host "album listening parties"--when a new album is released, we get together and all listen to it for the first time, hanging out in a relaxed environment with good friends, food and drinks.

On a quieter side, I write fiction and poetry, create artwork, listen to satellite radio, like to sip on a cup of loose leaf tea, yoga, love to cook, go to art shows and museums, and watch Indie films. I am a huge fan of Asian horror films.

I specialize in 19-20th Century Continental Philosophy, Feminism, Aesthetics, and Trauma Studies.

• arts
• poetry
• dancing
• education
• environment
• dining
• cooking
• yoga
• running
• sprinting
• walking
• partying
• drinking
• drinking games
• movies
• traveling
• knitting
• music
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• backpacking
• kayaking
• camping
• scuba diving
• snowboarding
• rock climbing
• cultural studies
• teaching
• history
• languages
• science

Музыка, кино и книги

Radiohead, Radiohead, Radiohead, oh and did I mention Radiohead. I also dig Fever Ray, The Knife, Portishead, Atoms for Peace, Nicolas Jaar, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Tori Amos, Purity Ring, Phedre, Tennis, LCD Soundsystem, Bat for Lashes, Lykke Li, The Black Keys, Metric, Fleet Foxes, Glasser, ah the list goes on and on....Indie Music and electronic in general, though I dig pretty much all types of music.

Books: It is hard to say, but, to narrow it down...Thus Spoke Zarathustra--Nietzsche, The History of Madness--Michel Foucault, From the Other Shore--Alexander Hertzen, The Unbearable Lightness of Being--Milan Kundera, Delta of Venus--Anais Nin

Movies: Fight Club, Antibodies, Velvet Goldmine, The Matrix, The Edukators, XXY, Rubin and Ed, Martyrs, Ben X, I'm a Cybog that's Okay, 12 Monkeys, Monsoon Wedding...

Классная вещь, которую я сделал(-а)

Stared a wild wolf in the eyes while out running.

Backed away from bears (several times).

Kayaked among impressive, beautiful icebergs.

Bungii jumped off a 250 ft bridge.

Listened to wolves howling while trekking across the frozen tundra.

Camel safari across the desert in Jaisalmer, India.

Jumped in a Guatemalan cesspool (disgusting!!!--and a good story)

Watched a sea turtle nest hatch in the middle of the night.

Skinny dipped in glowing marine phosphorescence.

Учу, учусь, делюсь опытом и информацией

Compassion.

Где я побывал(-а)

Australia, Canada, Guatemala, India, Mexico, United Kingdom, Venezuela

Где я жил(-а)

United States

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