**due to recent messages...if you are reading this and believe Couchsurfing is Tinder or some dating app...please do not message me...

P.S. I do request to see your passport to confirm you are who you say you are. Safety first! Nothing personal :)

That being said, if you are truly a traveler who understands the culture of Couchsurfing, my childhood always included travel. This included camping all over the US with my Dad and Brother while driving across USA. Also, up the CA coast and beyond through Oregon and Washington states to Vancouver, BC in Canada. I grew up with my travel agent Mom from Denmark who shared her stories with me.
My 1st extended travel started at age 12 with a 1 1/2 months trip to my Mom's sister and childhood friend in Denmark. My Mom and I (when I was 16) drove from The Netherlands to Denmark. At age 19 I traveled alone (until I sparked up a conversation with a random traveler) for 3 months in Europe by train with my backpack. I enjoyed Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Greece (Crete), London, England, southern France, The Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden.

As an adult, I was married and raised a daughter and took her on family driving trips all around California including National Parks such as Yosemite in central CA, headed to Lake Tahoe at the end of each summer to swim in the lake, and out to the Bay Area (San Francisco, San Jose and Santa Cruz) on a regular basis to visit family.

I've enjoyed Hawaii a few times and visited Alaska for the 1st time in 2018. In 2019, I enjoyed a week in Taiwan with a coworker with a quick and fun 1 day layover in Hong Kong. I also just enjoyed my 1st winter visit across the Pacific for 3 weeks to Sydney, Australia and the north island of New Zealand with a long layover in Fiji. After landing back home for a 10 hour layover, I continued to New York City and Brooklyn, and took a trip to a Cedar Fair amusement park called Canada's Wonderland near Toronto, Canada and then to Washington DC. (Best 4 1/2 weeks ever meeting amazing Couchsurfers from around the world!)
2020 I enjoyed my 1st trip to the Middle East for a visit in Dubai, UAE. Coolest thing to see in person was the tallest skyscraper in the world, Burj Khalifa! I also experienced the world's longest zipline at the Toroverde Ras Al Khaimah, and jetskied on the gulf.
2021 brought me to New York, Connecticut, Westerly, Rhode Island, Hollywood Beach, Florida, New Orleans, Chicago and a few Cedar Fair amusement parks located in Ohio, Pennsylvania, North/South Carolina and Texas.
2022 spring break I toured 3 regions in Turkey and had a quick stop in Doha, Qatar and Copenhagen, Denmark as well as return trips to New York and Connecticut.
My ultimate "bucket list" goal is to travel to all 7 continents (been to 4) and visit all 50 states in the USA. (I'm currently at 34 out of 50) I'm due soon for some adventures to the southeastern part of the USA.

I still love rollercoasters and theme parks, love to swim in lakes and oceans. BUT, I must admit, I cannot cook a proper meal, but with a recipe I can pull off baking. Definitely up for some lessons!

I was teaching art to elementary age students at my school for 3 years, 2 years of 1st grade, but now teach 3rd grade.
I'm looking forward to my next decade which I intend to return to my traveling roots of my 2nd decade on our Earth.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Why not? I can't imagine a better way to meet locals and experience their stories and/or pride of where they live. I'm always up for recommendations.
Just as I would offer some insider info on what to check out in my neighborhood, I think sharing stories of adventures only inspires each of us to continue to reach out of our comfort zones to try something different.

Interests

• photography
• wine tasting
• trivia
• board games
• reading
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• swimming
• art history
• genealogy
• adventure travel
• ice skating
• museums
• rollercoasters
• walking around
• talking with people
• science fiction movies
• 80s music
• food and drinks
• rubik's cube
• walking in nature
• 80s movies
• swimming in the ocean
• comedy movies
• old cities
• swimming in the sea
• lake swimming

Music, Movies, and Books

Classic rock, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s. Top of charts. Most all music except degrading lyrics. Any music I can actually make out the words from artist.
I like almost all movies except creepy horror. I can handle a good scare, but it needs a good storyline.(Not just a slasher flick with no purpose) I have a huge DVD collection.
Books vary. I used to be in an active book group that rotated genre, but I did often enjoy nonfiction as well as realistic fiction, and dystopia. Since I raised a teen girl, I found an interest the Twilight book series back when they released along with a myriad of paranormal juvenile fiction.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I can't pick one:
Skydiving (twice)
Ziplined the Toroverde at Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
Bungee jumped at Squaw Valley in Lake Tahoe
Learned scuba diving from my brother in Monterey Bay, CA
Drove from a canoe trip on Russian River to Lake Tahoe to ski for a half day and drove straight to Santa Cruz for a swim and to beach camp all within 24 hours.(One reason I love the diversity of things to do in California)
Solo traveled for 3 months at age 19
Was dared to walk the outside columns of the Leaning Tower of Pisa..and obliged request.
Walked atop the wall of a tower in San Gimignano, Italy
Slept in a cave on the south coast of Crete...got lost hiking in Crete
I raised a teen girl.
Helped organize my high school reunion
Trying my best at being a good daughter/friend

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach: patience
Learn: self worth
Share: friendship

What I Can Share with Hosts

Not my cooking skills, but perhaps a baked good if provided a recipe. Would love to learn.
Stories of traveling adventures
Advice on California travels and some San Francisco places to eat/drink
I can solve your Rubik's Cube
A player of boardgames
A jigsaw puzzle expert
A rollercoaster partner
A partner on a cool water swim/lake or ocean

Countries I’ve Visited

Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, England, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Qatar, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uzbekistan, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States