I'm Shana, a small-town tree-hugger with a big appetite for experiences, culture, and knowledge, yearning to understand my surroundings better each day. I'm nourished by traveling, friends, spinach, and coffee. My favorite way to orient myself in a new place is running.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm currently enrolled at the University of Amsterdam for an Exchange student program for the next four months and would love nothing more than to travel, meet amazing people, and travel cheaply! (Though my abroad program, I'm doing a diversity blog. Feel free to check it out: https://www.iesabroad.org/study-abroad/blogs/author/426121)

Music, Movies, and Books

I have a pretty eclectic taste in music, as I grew up in a American Classic Rock household (Zeppelin, Hendrix, Janis, Fleetwood Mac). I developed a greater love for Classic R&B and Soul later on (The Temptations, Sam Cooke, Smokey, Aretha). After I began playing instrumental music in a jazz and symphony ensemble, my love really grew for old swing and jazz (Etta James, Sinatra, Artie Shaw, Dizzy). And now I'll listen to anything once, but I do really enjoy some indie/alternative/pop music (Bon Iver, Jack Johnson, Hozier) and I'm currently in the process of deepening my appreciate for The Cure, The Kinks, The Magnetic Fields, and The Velvet Underground.

Books - I prefer non-fiction or realistic fiction.

Movies - I have a hard time sitting still... but I love classic movies with Sidney Poitier.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I completed an 11 mile British-military designed obstacle course filled with mud, fire, electricity, and water (AKA: the most exhausting and invigorating experience ever known as a Tough Mudder).

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm open to learning any languages (or bits and pieces, more realistically)! I'd love to get a local's view of the places I'm visiting. Tourist traps, no thanks. I love cooking and would enjoy making/eating recipes from where I'm visiting!

I'm open to most anything, really. (:

What I Can Share with Hosts

I like to believe I'm a creative, healthy vegetarian cook (but I still have plenty of experience cooking with meats). My favorite way to cook is to go to the market and see what's on sale/fresh/calling me and concoct something delicious when I get home. The best way to learn and culture is to cook and eat the foods! I also do some culturing at home, like making yogurt and kombucha.

I'm big into environmentalism and have a lot of knowledge surrounding that area (on top of my areas of study). Recycling and waste reduction is very important to me.

I know a lot about music theory and performance and have a fair amount of knowledge regarding music history and *fun facts*. I can crochet. I know a lot about holistic nutrition/remedies and essential oils (I make most of my products homemade).

Countries I’ve Visited

England, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands

Countries I’ve Lived In

Netherlands, United States