CURRENT MISSION
learn German (not Bavarian, sorrynotsorry) asap
take as many trains and buses as possible

ABOUT ME

I've lived abroad off and on for over a decade. My educational and professional choices have brought me to this area of the world, and I am looking forward to learning more.

I think CS could better delineate the "fluency" section. Although I have been speaking Spanish my entire life and French for over a decade, I only claim the word "fluent" in English. Fluency includes almost perfect knowledge and use of pragmatics, such as appropriate intonation and measure of politeness. Watch yourself before you wreck yourself, as the old saying goes ;)

German: enrolled in a B1 course
French: B2 certified
Spanish (Mexico): heritage speaker - my grammar is pretty good, i can understand almost everything, but i rarely use it outside of my family.

Feel free to use any of these languages with me!

PHILOSOPHY

no todo lo que es oro brilla.

everyone is doing the best they can (hard to remember!)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am still learning about this area but if you're nearby, send me a message and we can figure it out together.
I would be happy to meet up for coffee and/or a walk.

Especially in the current climate, I would be happy to share a more nuanced perspective of the US. If you prefer stereotypes and/or generalizations, please meet up with someone else.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

In the late 2000s, I surfed in Paris, Lisbon, Brussels, Lyon and Amsterdam-- terrific experiences! It is my preferred method of traveling; one learns so much more and feels much more comfortable in the host setting. Unfortunately, the last few years of surfing attempts in the US and in Europe have been a bit disappointing. To the reader: I'm from the old guard, and I am still happy to meet up and have a good time.

Interests

literature, international politics, indie/live music, life abroad, foreign languages, FOOD, films,

• literature
• dining
• chocolate
• walking
• politics
• movies
• traveling
• music
• live music
• history
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

Currently reading: Anglophone novels, The Economist
Currently watching: Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Currently listening to: podcasts - Fresh Air, Code Switch, Freakonomics, etc. stuff from Goethe Institut/Deutsche Welle

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

- an old roommate and i went on a last minute trip to Strasbourg to see Vampire Weekend. we thought we were just crashing our new friend's place that night-- instead he and his friends gave us a midnight walking tour (history included) of the city, drove us around on their bikes, and finished with chocolate and pear tart and a game of cranium (in french) at 4am.

- My husband and I whittled our belongings down to 3 checked bags, quit our full-time jobs, and moved to Bavaria in under a month. 0/10 do not recommend, but now we have a ridiculous story to tell.

Teach, Learn, Share

i can teach you to make a tarte tatin.

did you know that before prohibition passed in the states, the average american male over the age of 15 drank 88 bottle of whiskey a year?

What I Can Share with Hosts

Mustard from this adoptive town (totally a thing!) or beer. We made tartiflette for a host once, and it went over pretty well!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Portugal, Scotland, Slovakia, Spain, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

England, France, Germany, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, United States