Welcome to my profile:) thanks for reading through. I'm a quality over quantity kind of person, but I still aim to be thorough.

PERSONAL
My name is pronounced like shim. I use they/them pronouns or just my name. I'm non-binary and trans, but don't get it twisted, I still very much get treated with white-male privilege and live with that too. I love to play sports, games, improvise, create music and visual arts, speak spanish, dance freely, spend time in forests and away from cities, converse with new people, invest time in learning about where I'm from, where I'm at, where I'm going, build and tend fires, cook vegan foods, play sports, get around on wheels of all kinds, annnnnnd so much more. I value curiosity, compassion, vulnerability, courage, creativity, accountability, humor, and healing. I'm an open book with strong sense of autonomy and boundaries as needed.

TRAVEL//LIVING
I live my life as a traveler, not a tourist. Traveling is a way of being in the world; no matter where I am I start with curiosity and open to learning about myself through the new experiences that are shaping me. Tourism is when one goes somewhere that caters to what they already know or are familiar with, just in different space. I'm always traveling in this sense.

Physically I've been to South America, Africa, Europe, and of course North America. In the so-called US I've lived in a van for a few months, taken a 2-week long road trip, and spent quality time in various cities around the coasts (Miami, NYC, Seattle, Portland,LA). I grew up in rural-suburbia on Potowatami lands called Indiana today, lived in Chicago throughout college, and have made a home-base in so-called Kansas City, Missouri on Sioux,Osage,Kaw, and others lands. I've lived in shared apartments, a sprinter van, shared houses, hostels, ashrams, alone, with families, partners, couples, you name it. I'm adaptable and accustomed to sharing space with intention and graciousness.

LIFE OUTLOOK
I live in the gray area-- where the black and white are mixed and the only way you can tell is through stories.
I'm enjoying an emerging stability internally and externally in my personal livelihood these days. I'm very grateful for my communities. They show up in deep care and support of one another and this life would be far less enjoyable without them.

I spend most of my time oscillating between creating, receiving, and integrating on all levels. I'm an emotionally intelligent and intuitive person who strives toward equity and liberation for all beings. I'm compassionate (or at least try to be) and feel endlessly curious about life's offerings. I care deeply about communication and learning with one another.

CREATION
I'm currently shooting, editing, and writing various film projects which I'm happy to talk about. In fact the film I'm writing now is the reason I'm back on CouchSurfing--I'd like to spend time in a fresh environment with deep history of creativity and connection to the void (NOLA). If you'd like to see some casual creations and works in progress, feel free to check out my YouTube channel or ask me more!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXi5i0m5ZIfSIysjXsehvoA

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

*CURRENTLY*
I'm writing a film currently and want to do so in NOLA for somewhere between 2-weeks to 1 month. I'm looking for an exquisite person and place in NOLA where I may rest, create, and explore with equal parts privacy and communal living...I'm open to work-exchange for the right situation as well. I was on workaway, but it's slim-picking. If you've read the rest of my bio and information and feel your interest is peaked, please do not hesitate to reach out. I'm very open to a phone call or video call for serious inquiries. I believe opportunities come especially when we have or need clarity, so I hope Im offering some to you:)

OVER-ARCHING
Building global community appreciation and awareness!

Meeting locals or other travelers is an amazing way to explore and experience the cultural layout of a city, especially when traveling for short periods. Sharing a meal is my favorite thing of all--I love to cook (vegan)!

I've had incredible experiences bonding with fellow travelers both at home and abroad since I did the foreign exchange program in high school. Couch-surfing has been a pillar of those connections as I expand my global family network of friends, colleagues, etc. I love the trust that is built by this shared experience, and even if it's not trust that comes out of it, the life-lessons are endless.

Interests

• cooking
• vegan
• board games
• world music
• hiking
• camping
• sports
• basketball
• food
• spirituality
• dance
• house music
• theatre
• nba
• learning new languages
• disc golf
• cultural exchange
• queer culture
• making musc

Music, Movies, and Books

MUSIC : Nnamdi - Macie Stewart - Baby B3ns - Toro y Moi - Shygirl - C. Tangana - Hiatus Kaiyote - Rhye - SOHN - Son Lux - Christine and The Queens - Jo&Me - Sampa The Great - Bonobo - SZA - Tyler The Creator - Gorgon City - Bon Iver - Alt J - Kendrick Lamar - Melody Gardot - Childish Gambino

MOVIES/TV : Everything Everywhere All At Once - Get Out - The Dark Knight - Moonlight - Parasite - Pulp Fiction - The Incredibles - Black Mirror - Spirited Away - The Matrix - Roma - Call Me By Your Name - Django Unchained - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - Step Brothers - The Lobster - Brokeback Mountain - Arrival

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Hiked on and drank glacier water in Tierra Del Fuego, Argentina!

Teach, Learn, Share

Anything you've read in my bio :)

What I Can Share with Hosts

Anything you've read in my bio :)

Countries I’ve Visited

France, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Iceland, Portugal, Senegal, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

Argentina, Mexico, United States