CURRENT MISSION

To grow in love, understanding, and wisdom...and find housing ASAP near Astoria =P

ABOUT ME

I'm a calm, easygoing, friendly person. I have a quirky and sarcastic sense of humor. My favorite TV shows are Parks and Rec, Downton Abbey, and MASH.

I love playing badminton, ultimate frisbee, spades, and pool, and the occasional video game. I am not a very compulsive person, but when I decide something needs to get done, it gets done. I work hard and strive to be appreciative of all the opportunities that I am blessed with. I think that helping others and "paying it forward" is one of life's "gold nuggets" that make the world so much better through small, practical ways. I try my best to be considerate of other people, because I appreciate when people do the same for me.

I have always, always loved animals and being outside, and knew that's what I wanted to study and find work in. Working in the wildlife field gives me great satisfaction, and I plan on pursuing graduate school.

PHILOSOPHY

I have two analogies for life. The first one is a puzzle. As you are putting one together, you come across pieces you have no idea what to do with, that might look strange, weird, or not pretty at all. And there might be areas of the puzzle that you look forward to completing the most. I think those darker areas in life, like shadows in a puzzle, come together like a puzzle to create a picture of you life that has depth, emotion.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Well~ I first heard of the couchsurfing project when I came to New Zealand a few years ago, but
haven't used it yet. I just started a job in Astoria, and am looking desperately for housing. So as I am currently traveling, and new member, I am couchsurfer for now, looking to meet people during my travels here. I'm interested in hanging out and will be looking for a place to stay for a night or two during my upcoming travels.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I am a brand new member but super excited to meet people. A couple of my friends have done it and had a good experience.

Interests

I have recently become obsessed with American contra-dancing! It is such a low-key, fun atmosphere, and you meet all kinds of people who are there for a goofy, fun time just like you.

I grew up skiing and snowboarding, and can not imagine winter without them. I had fun cross-country raceingfor a couple years before deciding the race scene was way too intense for me.

I have an adventurous food pallet and enjoy learning how to cook, and shopping at markets and thrift and second hand stores is the way to go.

• cats
• wildlife
• dancing
• cooking
• shopping
• thrifting
• billiards
• socializing
• drums
• hiking
• scuba diving
• skiing
• snowboarding
• badminton
• biology

Music, Movies, and Books

~movies~ My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Back to the Future, V for Vendetta, Batman Begins, Ratatouille, Aladdin, the Lion King, Hot Rod, 27 Dresses, Return of the Jedi. Lord of the Rings series. Favorite shows: Parks and Recreation, White Collar, Covert Affairs, the Office, Wipeout. I avoid crude humor and horror.

~books~ The Wind in the Willows, The Hobbit, Infidel, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, anything written by Rudyard Kipling (including Rikitikitavi), Johny Tremain

~music:Three Doors Down, One Republic, Nickel Creek (bluegrass), Staind, Bradford Marsalis, Three Days Grace, the Script, Kutless

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

My heart melted when I held wild black bear cubs in New Hampshire. After five years going after a wildlife degree, it was extremely rewarding, and enforced the passion that first led me to the field.

During my hike up the Grand Teton in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, I saw the stars as I have rarely seen them before. The Milky Way was incredibly spectacular, and the stars seemed to jump out of the blackness.

Diving the Poor Knights Islands in NZ exposed me to a whole amazing new world. The colors and structural and biodiversity complexity of the area create a whole in which the closer you look, the more you see.

Teach, Learn, Share

the town I come from, Brookline, was originally named Ruby. It got a bad reputation from a band of robbers, prompting the town to change its name when the band was finally subdued. It's a small, rural town, but 15 min from the city. I love the four seasons New England experiences, particularly autumn, when the trees turn color. The air and sky have a certain quality that makes me feel incredibly alive. I have a golden retriever, called Nakoma, an elderly 19-year cat, and a young 2 year old cat named Stella, who was one of three kittens we found abandoned in our woods on the side of the road.
When I was younger, my mom would literally kick me out of the house to play outside. I would have 30 minutes of internet time, and one hour of PlayStation allotted to me per day. At the time it was infuriating! But in foresight I treasure all the wacky adventures I had in the woods instead.
I am part Italian and would love to travel to Italy. I took a year of the language and fell in love with the language. It helped that my professoressa was the a lovely, fabulous lady.

Countries I’ve Visited

Fiji, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

New Zealand, United States