I believe what defines me best is that I am a mother and English teacher. I have two children, now grown up...
Originally from around Chicago, I live in the South of France.
I also write poetry, read compulsively, and play scrabble and mah-jong whenever I get a chance.
As far as my poetry is concerned, I have four different manuscripts in the making, two of which will soon be trying to find publishers. Wait and see... and cross fingers.
Oh, and... I love chocolate, but only dark!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love human contact, and would welcome any interaction with potential new friends.
An evening, or several, of chatting, discovering another person, learning about a different country, a different way of life... and who knows? Maybe a game of scrabble or two? Going out for a drink? Visiting the walled city of Carcassonne or the surrounding area, with its many vestiges of the past?

Interests

I love reading, almost anything except sci-fi and horror. I particularly am interested in poetry, murder mysteries, Dick Francis novels, historical books, French classic literature.
I also love cooking good, healthy, wholesome, tasty way food from many different countries.
I write classical verse in French and modern verse in English, drawing inspiration in nature, people, and my job.
My favorite way to loaf on a rainy day is reading, or watching a few episodes of MASH or X-Files.
But the all-consuming passion in my life are horses, though I don't get much of a chance to ride, these days.
Last but definitely not least, of course, travelling.

• cats
• writing
• literature
• poetry
• photography
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• traveling
• music
• piano
• history
• languages
• historic sites
• art
• countryside
• backgammon
• going out
• scrabble
• new experiences
• horseriding
• dark chocolate
• nature walks
• sight seeing
• learning about new cultures
• mahjong

Music, Movies, and Books

That's a difficult question...
Film: My Fair Lady (musical) // Pagnol adaptations (French) // Harry Potter (all ! ) // The Devil Wears Prada (chick flick) // most Harrison Ford films
Music: from classical to Irish celtic, I listen to so many things it's difficult to pinpoint one. I do love Joan Baez, Janis Joplin, the Beatles, many French singers, Mécano, Juanes, Rosanne Cash, etc, etc.......
Books: this is where it gets really tough... How can I choose amidst all I have read?? From Jane Austen to Dick Francis, from Homer to Arthur Conan Doyle, from Richard Wright to Oscar Wilde, from William Shakespeare to numerous French authors, from Federico Garcia Lorca to Gabriel Garcia Marquez, so many loves in my life...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

The most amazing thing I've experienced? It must be to have raised my two incredible sons.
One thing I'm extremely proud to have done, though, is to have wrenched a little girl out of the way of a passing car.
I also managed to overcome a health problem, so that now I can drive and be independent.

Teach, Learn, Share

For a living, I teach English, sometimes also French. I also belong to several writing group, where I host seminars about classical poetry writing.
These are things I could share with others, as well as recipes from my country. I love to cook, and would be more than willing to do so at your house!
I would love to learn about life in your country, wherever you are; and about your eating / cooking habits, find out local recipes. I've just discovered kombava from a Mauritius island native (a wild lemon, very fragrant).
But mainly, I'd love to discover you, your customs, way of life, interests...

What I Can Share with Hosts

There are so many things we can share:
conversation (in three different languages ! ),
info about each other's area (I know all about this part of the South of France, Carcassonne etc)
food (and their recipes and techniques),
a game of Scrabble, mah-jong or Bang, (or any local game you'd care to teach me),
humour (I've been told I have a great sense of humour),
a sense of discovery,
and last but not least: laughter and fun, which will turn into great memories.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, China, England, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Mexico, Scotland, Spain, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, France