CURRENT MISSION

Oscar Wilde said, "To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all." My mission is to really LIVE, and to travel is to live.

ABOUT ME

Hi, my name is Renee. :) I grew up in a small town in Iowa. I attended one year of college in the Midwest as well, in Indiana. I ended up transferring to Hawai'i Pacific University in Honolulu to pursue a major of International Studies, took some time off of school and worked full time in retail on the island of Oahu for a year. Now I am living on the Big Island, attending school at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, originally intending to finish my undergraduate work (this time in psychology). But instead, I am now preparing to move to northwest Washington and then to plan more extensive traveling after that. Although I do not feel a clear calling for my life just yet, I think there is much to be learned in all situations and from all people. As one of my favorite quotes goes: "You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something -- your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life." -Steve Jobs

PHILOSOPHY

"Don't be afraid of death; be afraid of the un-lived life." --Tuck Everlasting
(A motto to which I aspire!)
"Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer."
"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page."
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
"Forget all the reasons that it won't work and believe the one reason why it will."
"A wise man travels to discover himself."
"If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try."
"When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this: you haven't."
"Not until we are lost do we begin to find ourselves."
"Regret for things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable."
"Adventure may hurt you, but monotony will kill you."
"If it's still on your mind, it's still in your heart."
"We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us."
"You'll never leave where you are until you decide where you'd rather be."
"A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor."
"Do what is right, not what is easy."
"The path to our destination is not always a straight one. We go down the wrong road, we get lost, we turn back. Maybe it doesn't matter which road we embark on. Maybe what matters is that we embark."
"Once you choose hope, anything is possible."
"Don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle."
"You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great."
"I'd rather have a life of 'oh wells' than a life of 'what ifs."
"Today is a good day to have a great day."
"If you want something you've never had, you must be willing to do something you've never done."
"You will want to give up. Don't."
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands but in having new eyes."
"It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case you have failed by default."

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I have met many people from many places around the world here in Hawaii, and I would like to continue doing that through Couch Surfing. CS offers such a unique opportunity to have "the world come to you" and for you to be able to go out into the world with a network of support. The reason that I am just a surfer and can't host you overnight is because I don't have a place of my own yet. I definitely intend to become a host once I have a place where people can stay. Until then I absolutely enjoy meeting up and showing you around when I can!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

My only official CS experience was with a girl from Canada. We met up in the town on Oahu that I lived in a few summers ago & walked "the marsh" near mountains in the Koolau range. It was really cool getting to spend time with her and have CS as a connection. I know many people who also participate in CS and have had wonderful experiences as well!

Interests

I enjoy reading and writing, listening to music, inspirational quotes, bracelet-making, dancing, watching movies, going to the beach, traveling to new places (of course!), baking, attempting to surf, running, swimming, roller skating, photography, writing letters, Pinterest, and fellowship with family & friends.

• writing
• books
• architecture
• photography
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• baking
• running
• zumba
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• music
• surfing
• sailing
• swimming
• teaching
• languages
• psychology
• beaches
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

I wish I could remember all of the great ones! Here are a few...
Books: A Good Girl's Guide to Getting Lost by Rachel Friedman, The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner, Travels with Epicurus by Daniel Klein, and anything by Ann Brashares and Martha Beck.
Music: Owl City, Nickel Creek, A Fine Frenzy, Colbie Caillat, Jack Jonhson, John Mayer, Tenth Avenue North; Thomas Newman, Antonio Pinto, James Newton Howard, Howard Shore compositions.
Movies: Mona Lisa Smile, Little Women, A Walk to Remember, Sound of Music, One Day, Tuck Everlasting, Silver Linings Playbook

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

One of the most amazing places I have ever visited has definitely been Slovenia! I loved its people, food, architecture, and nature. The Soča River left a particular impression on me; it's hard to fathom that something so precious exists in the world!

Teach, Learn, Share

Hmmmm, well, I was once a writing tutor so I suppose I might be able to do something with that. I have also been taking Zumba classes, and I would be willing to pass on any routines I remember.
Things I would like to learn (other than getting to know other people, of course) include: cooking & dances, as well as languages.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, Italy, Mexico, Slovenia, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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