CURRENT MISSION

To see as much as I can and do much more than I've planned.

ABOUT ME

I'm pretty laid back with a quirky sense of humor. Truth-be-told, I'm a smartass and know-it-all, but in a good way. I'm loud and strong willed and a kind spirited. I'm a political activist and have never known a protest that I did not jump right into. I'm as far left as possible while still registering on the spectrum. Conservatism, homophobia, ageism, sexism, bigots, racists and small minded people piss me off. It's important to know and understand how open I am before contacting me.

PHILOSOPHY

My personal philosophy is that you're never too old to learn something new or experience something unforgettable. Life is a gift that must be cherished and shared. Kindness to others is key to loving thyself and confidence in one's self is only built and sustained by their experiences and willingness to be open to everything around them.

Warum ich bei Couchsurfing bin

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I don't have a couch open right now. All of my participation is through meeting surfers that pass through my city and showing them around. I love to meet new people though, so please don't let the closed couch keep you from contacting me!!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

From 2009 to the end of 2011 I studied at the University of Debrecen in Hungary and the Warsaw School of Social Sciences and Humanities in Poland. While I was in Europe I traveled extensively through the EU. I stayed with some absolutely amazing people and saw some of the most beautiful places in the world!

Interessen

When I'm not traveling or studying or working I enjoy being outdoors; anywhere and everywhere. I also enjoy live music and dancing; although, to be perfectly honest, my dancing is more like flopping around like a fish out of water (so beware). I love to cook (anything and everything) and I'm a drinker on occasion. Prior to my experiences in Europe I drank (what I now call) water beer, but I've become somewhat of a beer snob after all of the amazing beer that I had while traveling through Europe. With that said, I can still appreciate a nice white wine and being from WV I LOVE home brew and moonshine, too. And last but not least, one of the most important things to me is meeting new people. I, honestly, feel that every person I've met has helped shape who I am today and I love that with each new person I meet I learn something new about myself. It's those around me who make me want to be a better person for those I hold dear in my heart now and those I'll meet in the future.

• fish
• humanities
• dancing
• cooking
• wine
• white wine
• beer
• traveling
• music
• live music
• outdoor activities
• social science

Musik, Filme und Bücher

I'm fairly eclectic in my musical tastes. I enjoy old school and new wave punk, country, classical, the Blues, Jazz, Ska and folk. I do not like rap or techno though....they completely turn me off of any scene I may stumble onto.

Books: I read all the time. I constantly have a book in my reach and I've never really found one that I didn't enjoy. If it has to do with Psychology, philosophy, drugs, danger, murder, politics and mystery then I'm all about it. Right now, I read more text books than I do anything else, but that doesn't stop me from trying to fall into the imaginary when I can.

Movies: I've never been a chic-flick kinda girl. I enjoy extreme horror, war, drama and shock. I love subtitled movies, independent films, obscure films and documentaries.

Eine tolle Erfahrung, die ich gemacht habe

I've done a lot. I've seen more. I've experienced much. I'm wanting all of it.

Lehren, lernen, teilen

From a couchsurfing perspective: Be very careful if you're traveling alone. I prefer to travel with a partner...someone I know, trust and respect. They have your back and you have theirs. You never know what may happen while you're traveling and having someone with you is safer (and much, much more fun)!

Always check references before accepting an invitation to stay somewhere. Make sure that the people who have stayed there previously have had positive experiences. And, if you do accept an invitation to stay with someone and when you arrive you have an uneasy feeling - trust your gut and make other arrangements. I'd love to say that everyone on this site is trustworthy, kind, honest and will treat you with respect but that would not be true. Be smart about who you associate with and always have a backup plan just in case.

Prior to your arrival make sure that you've thoroughly researched the area you're visiting. Make sure you understand the means of traveling within the city or country and be smart about what the laws are where you're at. You don't want to end up as a cast member of Locked Up Abroad.

Don't wander about a place by yourself in the middle of the night. And, try to learn some of the language for the country you'll be in. Being able to say things like "excuse me, I'm sorry, please, thank you" are important and those you encounter will appreciate the effort. I promise.

Lastly, always have a someone at home that knows where you're at and if something goes wrong you should have a plan to let them know. Use keywords in conversation, email, IM or text that would be inconspicuous to those around you. For example, I have a friend that I contact every time I'm in a new place and a safe word that only we know...that way if I'm in trouble and I use that word they know to contact the embassy and local authorities because there's something wrong and I need help. It sounds silly, but it saved my ass a time or two while traveling by myself.

Länder, die ich besucht habe

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Länder, in denen ich gelebt habe

Hungary, Poland, United States

•