CURRENT MISSION

I am a backpacker everywhere, even at home.

ABOUT ME

I'm designer in graduate school at Indiana University and San Francisco bound.

I'm lucky to have been a traveler my whole life. Since I was a baby, my family took me on long overseas flights to visit my grandparents in India. We began taking stopovers in places like Hong Kong or Amsterdam for mini vacations.

I lived in London for a half year to study and do some work experience at a Parliament magazine. I really began to explore myself and see myself in a global context. I traveled to other European cities with friends and by myself. Our world is for exploring, may it be small or big, and I think it is both at all times.

I was a journalist then and designed at a newspaper, but now I work on digital interfaces and user experience. Learning about people all over the world is the ultimate experience for me. I've made it a personal goal to travel internationally at least once a year and leave the city in which I live once a month. It's an expensive goal, but I've now made it a priority and I've made it doable.

Check out my photos to see me and places I've been that have really changed my life.

I enjoy learning how to make new things, which I suppose is the same as being creative. May it be music, graphics, food, or new friends.

Music is a driving force in my life. I grew up playing the piano, violin and clarinet. I listen and follow a lot of electronic (house) music which has inspired some of my travel. I can party all night but I am just as satisfied sitting in a cafe watching the world go by.

PHILOSOPHY

Explore everything: The world, yourself, music, family, food and everything in between. Whatever it may be. Life is for learning, share what you can. I believe we can be backpackers anywhere. I hand letterpressed postcards to send to my friends all over the world. Send me a message if you want me to mail one to you: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ninamehta/5087524779/

My favorite part about backpacking, other than exploring new places, is being reminded how little I need. Everything I need fits on my back. I always come home and make boxes and boxes of things to give away. I want to live an uncluttered life.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I believe in couch surfing, 100% philosophically. I finally got to surf in Johannesburg, South Africa with a great host! I also have not yet lived in very exciting places where people have wanted to surf, or have gotten some questionable requests. But I believe in CS and want to participate.

I've gone to several meetups and hangouts in Indianapolis and Bloomington, Indiana.

Interests

• design
• dining
• cooking
• partying
• boating
• news
• traveling
• music
• electronic music
• piano
• violin
• fishing
• backpacking
• surfing
• journalism

Music, Movies, and Books

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=6801488

Travel Photos:
http://flickr.com/photos/ninamehta

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

My parents took me to Hong Kong and showed me the fishing boats. Many of the fisher-families live here because there simply just isn't enough room on the land anymore. To get to school, little girls like me would take a boat-bus to get to land. This really opened my eyes, a completely different world.

Having grown up visiting family in India has created a new challenge for me in my life. Find somewhere crazier.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm enthusiast for design and electronic music! I am an interaction designer and used to work in news. I also used to do improv and would love to spend time learning to cook local dishes while traveling.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

United Kingdom, United States

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