Hey there,

Thank for you for reading my profile!!

Professionally, I am a teaching assistant at a junior high school in a program for students with disabilities . I really enjoy the intellectual challenges my work presents and the kids I teach are super awesome and fun. However, it can be demanding and draining so I try to make sure that I have time to decompress by having a full and robust life outside of work. I will also be attending a graduate program in School Psychology at William James College, in Newton, next fall. So I'm trying to get in all the things I can before....bye bye free time.

I also have a fairly wide set of interests, (many of which are listed herein on my profile) . However, I like being outdoors and active, especially, during the summer. I love the sun and the heat Bring it on!!! Winter is more when I catch up on my intellectual interests.

I am currently on a local Triathlon team. Which, is not as impressive as it sounds. Since you too can be on a team if you think spending large chucks of time sweating and avoiding injury is a good idea because..... endorphins. Hmmmmmm brain chemicals, yummy. In any event, I just completed my first Olympic and I'm training for a 1/2 Ironman distance race and recently completed my first century ride.

I also like making delicious meals, and sitting down for long chats with the beverage of your choice.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I traveled a lot when I was a bit younger but then life kinda got in the way as they say. However, I really miss it and would like to try and incorporate it more into my life.

But, I know this may be a shock to you .....teaching assistants do not make a ton of cash, lol. So am attracted to this low cost form of travel. However, beyond the aforementioned mundane reason of finance I also have had a few friends here in Boston, my home town, who have hosted people and it has always been a blast!! Staying with a person who lives where you are exploring really gives you a different perspective on a place and a culture. Plus I always like meeting new people and maybe giving a little insight on the place I call home.

Interests

• education
• cooking
• triathlon
• running
• swimming
• neuroscience
• psychology
• beaches
• adventure
• geek
• learning new things
• learning
• exploration
• bicycle touring
• new experiences
• bike touring
• burlesque
• meeting friends
• meet new people
• road biking

Music, Movies, and Books

Taxonomy being one of the many nerdy dark arts I am tempted to write out an exhaustive list. I however I won't bore you so here is a general synopsis. Or rather a detailed synopsis/truncated list, lol.

Food:
I love food and it is one of my main sensual pleasures and creative outlets.I love to eat it, cook it, talk about it. I'll also eat anything!!..lamb, froie gras, lobster, scotch, ceviche, stinky cheese, lutfisk, garlic, onions, mushrooms, kim chee, cruciferous veggies.. I want it all!!

I also enjoy traveling to and seeking out great places to eat. From no name greasy spoons and road side shacks to super posh restaurants.

Movies I like…..

Ok, I must confess. I enjoy movies. However, if I am going to invest that much time being still and quiet and immersing myself in someone else's world I would much, much, rather be reading. I also have a fairly bad memory for them as well. So, the amount of movies I have seen has been very few compared to most people I know.

- Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. I have to admit I still cry every time I see it.
-Moulin Rouge
-HairSpray(the John Waters version).
-High Art,
-Who Framed Roger Rabbit
-Ground Hog Day.
-Leaving Lass Vegas.
-Dead Alive
-Repo Man
-Meet the Feebles
-eXistenz
-The Dark Crystal.
-The City of Lost Children
-Dark City,
- Sunset Blvd.
-Requiem for a Dream.

Music I like……

Generally I feel like my musical taste is pretty eclectic. However, much of the music I like is at once very happy but melancholy. Hopefulness tinged with sadness. It also has very theatrical and expressive ways of singing and novel musical arrangements and melodies that are catchy but unexpected.

Although, my go to favorite happy music is 80’s synth pop/new wave gay boy music. I also listen to a lot of "electronic" music which includes, but is not limited to, a selection of bubble gum 80's pop, fluffy happy mindless euro trance, dark Goan psy trance, house, German based noise music, industrial, and some chill lounge stuff.

I also like modern classical and movie scores

I HATE:
- Celine Dion
- John Zorn
- The Grateful Dead
- They Might be Giants
- Nora Jones

And I hate most "hippie" music. Jam bands drive me crazy. CRAZY!!!!!

Books I like……

Lately because I have been so super busy I have not been reading for recreation as much as I would like, sad. Most of what I read is for school or my work and is in the psych field.

However, I read Oedipus Rex once a year. I know it sounds horribly pretentious but it's true. There is something about the archetypal characters and the struggles they face that I find very compelling and I get something different out of it every time I pick it up. I also find the fact that in Greek/Roman myth you can be a perfectly good person and things can still fall to pieces an interesting concept.....but I digress.

However, again, here are more of my favorites…..

-Chris Hedges's books "War is a force that gives Us meaning" and "American Fascists" They are brilliant.
-"Cod: A Biography of the Fish that changed the World" and the companion book "Salt: A World History" by Mark Kurlansky
-Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
-Distress by Greg Egan
-Lolita by Nabokov
-The story/myth of Cassandra
-His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman
-Being There By Jerzy Kosinski
-The Fifth Child by Dorris Lessing
-Bonk by Mary Roach
-The Lover by Marguerite Duras and Delta of Venus by Anais Nin......I have out grown these books. They are both a bit too self indulgent for my taste now. However, they were my two favorites in high school. So like a first love they have a special place in my heart..

Ohh and to relax I also love cook books and a good, moody, mystery novel.

T.V Shows I Like…..

I like sci/fi like Star Trek(DS9 is my number one favorite in the series. What's yours?), Battle Star Gallactica, Charlie Jade, Farscape and of course my all time favorite, the beloved FireFly. Subsequently, I am also actually looking for someone who has the second season of Babylon five and wants to watch it with me. I am told it really picks up after season one.(Which I thought was kinda lame.)

For comedies I like them dark and quirky so I love Archer, Arrested development and The Mighty Boosh.

As a form of pure escapism my guilty pleasures are romantic police procedurals like Castle and Bones and totally awful "reality" TV.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Well I think many would say living in Japan or traveling India. I would agree but more recently getting into my number one choice of grad school felt pretty amazing. Also finishing my first Olympic Triathlon and knowing that doing a 1/2 Ironman is possible for me.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I am a lively and enthusiastic person with a wide set of friends and varying interests that I can usually speak on with a certain amount of understanding and nuance. So, I'm a good person for conversation and to bring to parties.

However, I can also be fairly independent and respectful of peoples space(being the only extrovert in a family of introverts I leaned that skill well). So I'm not libel to get into your hair.

I also am a good cook so I would be able to make us something nice. And a good host so I would never leave a guest empty handed and would always leave you something special.

Countries I’ve Visited

Cambodia, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Japan, Laos, Mexico, Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Thailand

Countries I’ve Lived In

Japan