CURRENT MISSION

To apply and expand my extensive skill set and creative mentality in a professional endeavor that is to be my next big adventure.

ABOUT ME

I could best be described as a realistic optimist. I believe that you can do anything if you're willing to work to make it happen. I take that approach in most aspects of my life, including travel. I also believe in leaving things better than I left them...which applies to projects, people, the environment, and couches. :)

PHILOSOPHY

Make things and make things happen.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I love hosting, surfing, and meeting up with travellers!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Prior to the advent of CouchSurfing, I used BYOFL and Global Freeloaders to hop couches and make new friends. I've travelled extensively throughout the U.S. of A. as well as touring Japan, Portugal, Spain, France, Puerto Rico, The Bahamas, The Philippines, Malaysia, and South Korea. I've met some of my best friends by surfing their couches - there's nothing like travel and opening your home to kindred spirits to help you appreciate common humanity.

Interests

I love beautiful things and find beauty in all things. I'm particularly moved by entropy and enjoy the urban exploration of abandoned buildings. That said, I also love exploring non-abandoned spaces as well and I'll always be the first to take the elevator all the way to the top and climb out a window for a rooftop view. I love discovering new subcultures and attending events of any kind and my favourite place to visit in new cities is the grocery store.

I believe in community, sustainability, and creativity.

+ Food Not Bombs
+ Grow Food Not Lawns
+ Biking
+ Independent Publishing
+ Yoga

• beauty
• environment
• dining
• cooking
• yoga
• partying
• traveling
• pottery
• dumpster diving
• cycling
• surfing
• scuba diving
• urban exploration

Music, Movies, and Books

Love Me If You Dare, Moonrise Kingdom, Before Sunrise, Across The Universe, Big Fish, An Education, Garden State, Lost In Translation, Into The Wild, The Science of Sleep, Catch Me If You Can, Butterflies Are Free, Paris Je T'aime, HUGO // The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Screwtape Letters, Uglies, Off The Map, Superman: Secret Identity, AstroCity, Days of War Nights of Love, So Yesterday // The Noisettes, The Detroit Cobras, JD McPherson, The Devil Makes Three, Marina and The Diamonds, The Killers, Jack White (and all his bands), Postal Service, Kodiak Farm Boys, Gogol Bordello, Lana Del Rey, Mumford & Sons, Old Crow Medicine Show, William Elliott Whitmore, GIRLS, Flogging Molly, Iron&Wine, Frank Turner, Bright Eyes, The Beatles, Dire Straits, Queen, Billy Joel

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Most recently, I was left a bit speechless by the bio-luminescent bay in Fajardo, Puerto Rico and an alpine slide in Golden, Colorado.

Teach, Learn, Share

I am able to teach others about budgeting, cooking, traveling cheaply, dumpster diving, crafting, throwing parties, making resumes, and a whole slew of things. I would like to learn how to make pottery.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I am professional silhouette artist and would love to cut your portrait! You can see my work here: https://www.gigsalad.com/nina_nightingale_chicago

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, France, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Portugal, Puerto Rico, South Korea, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States