CURRENT MISSION

To travel, to teach, to learn.

ABOUT ME

I am enthusiastic about most things. If you are excited about something, you can probably get me into it, too. I love travel, languages, literature, music, walking through nature, bike rides, long rambling conversation, and spontaneous dance parties.

PHILOSOPHY

We've got less than a century left! Let's do this!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm not participating much now because I'm very busy with grad school, although I'd be up for the (very) occasional day-trip or coffee. When I lived in Spain, I met up with other CSers for Language Exchanges, for excursions to the mountains or to other towns, and just to hang out and explore the city.

Especialmente tengo ganas a quedar con la gente hispano-hablante, para mejorar mi nivel de español. / Besonders will ich mit deutschsprechende Leute treffen, um mein Deutsch zu verbessern.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

In terms of actually staying at people's houses, in November, my friend and I stayed with an amazing host in Pamplona for a weekend (NOT during San Fermines - I can only imagine what it's like in July!) and in March we stayed with an amazing and tranquil host in Lisboa.

Other than that, I have met up with people for language exchanges, hung out with people visiting Madrid, and gone on various excursions around Madrid. The last time I lived in Ann Arbor, MI (USA), I used to go to weekly group meet-ups.

I'm looking forward to many more trips, dinners, tea-parties and language exchanges!

Interests

traveling, learning and using languages, teaching, reading and writing (especially magical realism), biking, science, walking through nature, cooking, playing guitar, singing on rooftops, reading poetry in unexpected places, generally hanging out.

• writing
• literature
• poetry
• singing
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• indian food
• coffee
• walking
• partying
• reading
• traveling
• music
• guitar
• cycling
• languages
• science
• language exchange
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: The Poisonwood Bible, Midnight's Children, La Frontera, Half of a Yellow Sun, Die Känguru-Chroniken, Everything is Illuminated, The Little Prince, Invisible Cities, The Periodic Table by Primo Levi, The Phantom Tollbooth, Things Fall Apart, Cloud Atlas, The Saint of Incipient Insanities, short stories by Kelly Link, HHGttG, anything by Ursula K. Le Guin, Jeannette Winterson and Margaret Atwood.

Music: Lori Meyers, Vetusta Morla, Julieta Venegas, Bacilos, Andrew Bird, Die Sterne, Sportfreunde Stiller, Jan Frisch, Alin Coen Band, Nervous but Excited, The Swell Season, Chumbawamba, Chris Bathgate, Jonathan Coulton, The Wailin' Jennys, Ani DiFranco, Rufus Wainwright, Dar Williams, The Beatles, The Indigo Girls.

Movies/TV: Amelie, Goodbye Lenin!, También La Lluvia, Help!, The Brothers Bloom, Der Himmel Über Berlin, Scotland PA, Memento, Kids in the Hall, Monty Python, Doctor Who

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I once rented a motorcycle with a fellow hosteller in Kappadokya, and we went off to explore an underground city.

I once went to a lovely bonfire in Ann Arbor, and we ended up making floating lanterns.

I have sheared a sheep (ok... assisted in shearing a sheep) and driven a scoop loader!

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you how to make my favorite dishes. I'm by no means an expert cook, but I used to cook weekly for my co-op, so I've picked a few things up. (My current favorites: West African Peanut and Yam Stew, and Cacık. I have recently mastered the Tortilla Española!)

I can practice English, German and Spanish with you, and less grammatically, Hebrew as well. I can teach you optimistic songs in Hebrew and English. I can tell you stories in any language that are 80% gesticulation.

I have introduced pancakes, Indian food and snow to various friends.

I can incite sing-alongs in the most unlikely situations.

Countries I’ve Visited

Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Germany, Spain, Turkey, United States

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