Update: We have moved out of Knoxville and will be hosting at our new place in Sacramento starting September 2024 hopefully.

Sara and Aqib both are graduate students. Got married in December 2019 and are still learning to know each other better. Sara is an amazing cook and Aqib also learnt some basics to support her. Aqib is a very capable driver and after Sara learned how to drive, she helps a lot in long road trips.
We cook and clean the house together and try everyday to make it more welcoming and give a lively feel to it.

About Sara: I am doing my PhD in Energy Science and Engineering and working at Oak Ridge National Lab. I have learned to grow beyond stereotypes, a very close friend of mine used to tell me to write in my resume, ‘breaking stereotypes is my hobby’.
I’m an artist, I love to paint and sketch. I love to write and read as well. I can claim to be one of the finest henna artists you have met. And I can give you a tattoo if you like.

About Aqib: I am doing my PhD in civil engineering. Soccer ⚽️ is my passion and my daily dose of adrenaline. I played for almost ten years during my teenage but a nasty knee injury ended it few years ago. Then I found a new and different passion in life, Traveling. I began exploring the Northern areas of Pakistan 🇵🇰 and I was amazed and mesmerized to see the might of nature. I feel connected with myself and the world when I meet new people and explore new cultures. On our Honeymoon trip to Istanbul, we got to meet new people and experience another way of living. Later, I realized that it was a unique experience and I could understand how humans are the same and different in various parts of the world.

We both love beaches, mountains, forests and cold climates. We are Travelaholics. Have hiked in extreme temperatures in Oregon, Colorado, Smoky mountains in Tennessee/North Carolina and West Virginia. Been to both East and West Coasts and travelled a lot in south. Have seen a little bit of north too, upstate NY and Niagara. Been to 33 states already and planning to visit all 50 before we go back to our home country.
We also did a beginners level sky diving at six flags.

We have traveled to Istanbul on our honeymoon and we loved turkish culture, food, and history. Would love to share our travel stories.
We have started photography to share our adventures. Get in touch with us on instagram:
@womanreadytofly @knoxlifestylephotography

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Our goal is to travel the world, TOGETHER. We are also good hosts and would try to make the stay comfortable. Sara belongs to KPK in Pakistan which is called the land of hospitality, and Aqib is from Lahore which is called the Literary center. We would love to share our culture with others and learn theirs.

Interests

Sara loves to write about life, nature, experiences and travels. She also paints occasionally and has performed singing and poetry recitation on cultural nights. She enjoys water activities like kayaking and rafting.

Aqib loves soccer, tv shows and movies, and sports of any kind. He reads a lot and loves to travel. He is very fond of adventure sports like skydiving, bungee jumping, and para gliding.

• writing
• singing
• traveling
• painting
• hiking
• watersports
• outdoor adventures
• soccer/football

Music, Movies, and Books

Country music, Coke Studio
Favorites: Coldplay, backstreet boys, imagine dragons, strings Pakistan
We love fantasy, comedy, thrillers and love stories. Harry potter and star-wars series are our favourite.
Books: Harry Potter, Ten thousand doors of January, All Reese’s book club picks

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

We knew each other from our alumna mater but had never met in person. When we came to US, Sara decided to do a road trip and Aqib agreed to join and drive. We were 5 people, started from Dallas, visited Florida and came to Atlanta. This was a very random and unexpected trip, we ended up liking each other, committed and got married in the same year. CRAZY

Aqib: In 2017, I made a plan with 3 of my friends to camp for a night at Mushkpuri top in Pakistan in December. Its elevation is 9200 ft and the temperature that night dropped to below 20 F. There was snow on top and we pitched our camp on that. It was our first experience in snow and we took a common camp with us and no other precautions for the extreme cold. I remember I never took my gloves off due to cold and ate the barbecue chicken with mud and grass on it. Suffice to say, that night will never ever be forgotten. Lesson learned: Don’t camp on snow unless you have the right equipment 😂

Sara: I did blubbering and went upto 10 feet high in sky for being light weight and that was my first time ever in water, never did swimming in my life before that. We were in Chattanooga, TN with a group for fall break trip, which happens every year. My friends took a video of my adventure and that’s now part of the trip’s introduction and I have to keep answering people; yessssss that was me and hell yes it can be a little scary you folks when everything seems to be in a slo-mo and you are dropping from that height back into water.

Teach, Learn, Share

Languages, music, art, culture, cooking, painting, writings, gardening

What I Can Share with Hosts

Languages, art, culture, and delicious Pakistani food. For most hosts, we usually cook Biryani (rice cooked with chicken or vegetables) which is National food of Pakistan. Or would love to have your suggestions for cooking dishes.

Countries I’ve Visited

Qatar, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Pakistan, United States