CURRENT MISSION

To have fun, learn, and meet lots of super awesome people

ABOUT ME

I'm a graduate student at NIU studying for my Ph.D. in clinical psychology. I love learning about people and why they do what they do. (Don't worry, I won't "psychoanalyze" you!) I moved to DeKalb in August '09. I grew up in a fairly small west Michigan town, about two miles from Lake Michigan. I went to Hope College to study psychology and chemistry. I met some of the coolest people and made a lot of long-lasting friendships there.

Throughout my time in college, I had some really unique opportunities to travel. As part of my Japanese minor, I went to Japan for a month in May '06, which was a simply amazing experience. I didn't travel much until college, so it was actually my first time flying (13 hours non-stop!). That trip taught me a lot about myself, people in general, and what cultural diversity really means. It was one of the neatest experiences of my life.

I love singing (I'm a tenor), and I was in a choir during college that traveled around the country and even internationally. With the choir, I've been to New York City and all over the eastern U.S. coast, Toronto and its surrounding areas, and South Africa.

That most recent trip was about a two-week stay in Western Cape, primarily Cape Town and Johannesburg. The area was absolutely beautiful - and not just because of the scenery, but because of the generosity and kindness of its people. We sang for people of all mixes of ethnicities, culture, and beliefs, from the wealthy university students at Stellenbosch to the poverty-stricken shanty towns in Johannesburg. It was a life changing experience, and between that and my trip to Japan, I really have been filled with this desire to learn more about other people and their cultures, and to really see the world from the eye of a traveler rather than a simple tourist.

Some other random facts about me:

I absolutely love singing. I sing all the time, especially when driving around in my car and blasting some music. (I like most kinds of music, but mostly alternative rock.)

I love learning languages. In addition to English, I speak a little bit of Spanish and a fair amount of Japanese (although I am very rusty now). I am currently working on developing fluency in American Sign Language.

My favorite quote, from the TV show "ER": "You know what life is? Joy and grief, hand in hand. You can't know real happiness until you've had true sorrow to contrast it." I think this accurately represents my life philosophy in a nutshell. (I'm also a fan of medical dramas.)

PHILOSOPHY

Most of my beliefs have been guided by my Christian upbringing. Ultimately, I believe in the goodness of humanity. I am generally optimistic, kind, altruistic, and empathetic. I treat others the way I would like to be treated. I give people the benefit of the doubt, and I'm trusting unless I have a reason to doubt someone. I try to see things from other people's perspectives. I work hard and play harder (or at least as hard, haha).

For my life philosophy in musical form, direct yourself to the song "Life is Wonderful" by Jason Mraz. He's a lot better with words than I am, but I think you'll get the idea.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I don't have a lot of time to travel because of my school and work obligations, but I enjoy hosting people.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

DeKalb, IL isn't exactly a "destination vacation" waiting to happen. However, I've hosted a couple of really interesting people as they are making their way across the country for various reasons. My most memorable CS experience so far was a trip to San Francisco with my best friend from college. He and I stayed with an awesome guy who hosted both of us and a woman from Italy. The four of us thoroughly explored the city and had a blast doing it. (The food there is SO good!)

Interests

Video games, reading, creative writing, Dungeons & Dragons (it's not as nerdy as you think, honestly!), music, movies, baking, singing, hanging out with friends, musicals, wine, psychology, and lots of other random stuff - just ask me.

• culture
• writing
• singing
• dining
• recipes
• wine
• baking
• flying
• movies
• video games
• reading
• tv
• traveling
• music
• chemistry
• languages
• psychology
• sign language

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: Some of the best that come to mind are Life or Something Like It, Little Miss Sunshine, Dan in Real Life, 500 Days of Summer, and LotR: Return of the King (it's so epic!).

Music: Pretty much anything, mostly alternative rock. Matt Nathanson, Mae, Fastball, and Boyce Avenue (look up their stuff on YouTube) are some of my current favorites.

Books: The Wheel of Time series is my favorite series - amazing fantasy by a great author. The ones that have made me think the most are Confucius Lives Next Door, Frankenstein, The Glass Castle, and Four Seasons in Rome.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

See above in my personal description. I would say that my trips to Japan and South Africa were both amazing, unforgettable experiences.

Teach, Learn, Share

If you have any questions about psychology in general, I can probably answer them. Teaching an Intro to Psychology course has really helped me get a solid grasp on that material.

I really like baking! I can share some really simple recipes with you that taste really good, but your grandma's recipe for (insert generic dessert here) is probably a lot better than mine and I would love to try making it.

Countries I’ve Visited

Japan, South Africa

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States