I'm a positive, optimistic, generous, and curious person. I'm very open-minded. I love to explore and learn. I want to learn until I die! I am a very independent type and don't like to be in a box, metaphorically speaking. I love to meet people and am captivated by diversity. I love humans in their many colors, shapes, sizes, ethnicities, religions, beliefs. I love to learn about others and what they do.

I also love nature and the myriad beautiful creatures on the planet. I care deeply about the environment. Our planet earth is precious--let's enjoy it and respect it while we can....

I recently became a licensed acupuncturist in the state of California and will be starting a practice soon. I also started the doctoral program at Five Branches University. I also do Five Element style acupuncture and will specialize in Pain Management and maybe Auricular medicine. I aim to become skilled in Integrative Medicine (blend East and West, tradition and modern) and Functional Medicine (treat the symptoms AND root).
I have many interests.....I suppose I'll explain more below.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I think it's a wonderful, natural way to travel, whether I am traveling or hosting. Humans should help humans. The human connection can make everything better, including travel.

Interests

I really really really love surfing. I'm blessed to live right by awesome surf spots, including Steamer Lane, a world class spot. I love the ocean so much. I need it for my sanity. The water is so refreshing, cooling, and cleansing, while riding a surfboard is exhilarating. I'm currently riding a 9'3" for longboard waves, and a 7'6" for bigger waves. I hope to try a shorter board when I feel ready.

I love ocean creatures: the whales, the dolphins, the ADORABLE otters I see when I surf, the schools of fish... the sharks....

I love to help others. Volunteering is important to me. For people, animals, plants, and ecosystems.

• documentaries
• fitness
• yoga
• running
• meditation
• traveling
• hiking
• surfing
• parkour
• social justice
• learning new things
• ocean
• playing music
• going for walks
• researching
• listen to music
• sunbathing
• diy projects
• barefoot running
• chinese medicine
• helping others
• being alone
• independent media
• vounteerism
• multicultural cuisine

Music, Movies, and Books

I love most genres, but I especially love the wide variety of old school and new school hip hop, rap, and all related genres, funk, jazz, trip hop, blues, soul, alternative, new age-y genres, DJ mixes, anthing with a good bass and a beat. I do like some indie, some classic oldies stuff, reggae, reggaeton, bachata, salsa, the various forms of African, Latin American, Arabic........I have an eclectic taste, I guess? I'm a Sagittarius Sun, Moon, and Mercury.......My arrows shoot all over the place.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've been to Vietnam and treated patients under supervision at the Hospital of Traditional Medicine in Hanoi. I also made friends with traceurs in Vietnam and did parkour with them....lol.......

I stayed with the Shuar people of the Ecuadorian Amazon, ate their food, canoed with them, and blew darts with them back when I was 19......that was cool.

I also contracted giardia in Ecuador and had to ride on a mule for 4 hours in the mud, trying to hold my totally weak self up and not fall off, just to get to the nearest town to take a bus to the hospital.....that was not fun....I was studying at a biological research station in the boonies.

Teach, Learn, Share

I looooooove surfing. I have a wavestorm (8 ft foam board) you can use and I'd teach you if you need to. It's a bit beat up, but it works, and I love surfing it at Steamer because it's so light and goes fast.....it works on smaller waves, too. I learned on it. I do also have another wetsuit that I repaired and is suitable for use still. It's a women's size 4 O'Neill and 4/3 thickness. So if you can fit into that you can use it. Otherwise you'd have to rent a suit, but I have the board! I enjoy teaching friends how to surf and have taught several, including my best friend who is now my surf bud, too.

I am willing to learn anything, unless that involves sitting down (like knitting). Well, except for meditation. That gets me to sit down.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'm pretty low budget right now because I'm starting an acupuncture practice in Santa Cruz, CA, which is arguably the most expensive area in the world......so yeah.....but I'm happy to pitch in for communal meals and do fun stuff that doesn't involve spending a lot of money, like outdoor activities.

By the way, surfing is free (if you have equipment).

I can also share laughs.

I would share my space, but it's so small that it wouldn't be very fun for me. But you're welcome to camp in my backyard, and my property-mates are pretty chill. I live right by the ocean.