CURRENT MISSION

Mix cultures as a way to pay homage to my mixed origins

ABOUT ME

When I think of what has shaped me most, it is my hometown. I grew up in rural Eastern Oregon, which, while safe and quaint, was not for me. It pushed me to think outwardly and go exploring. It also made being biracial a little confusing as most people were unaware that races might mix. Now I appreciate my hometown for the way it shaped me, though I feel like I've molded into a city girl at heart.

That small town is also responsible, in part, in my interest in cooking. I was vegetarian for many years until stomach issues steered me away from that. I still eat meat sparingly and because of that I've come up with some pretty interesting veggie combos over the years.

Generally speaking, I enjoy dancing, whistling, walking and biking, as well as reading. I don't have a car in LA, which is a times more adventurous than I like, but I make due and read lots in the process.

PHILOSOPHY

Ask questions. You learn more that way.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am still new to CS, but I agree with all it stands for, cultural exchange, travelling, making new friends. I have donated to the organization with hopes of keeping it around and I hope to start surfing soon. I am involved in some local groups, just to meet and interact with other CS.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Have not participate much yet, finally settled in my own space so I hope to start hosting soon.

Interests

Food:
From cooking to growing to understanding where our food really comes from and how its production impacts our lives ecologically, financially, healthfully, etc...

Learning:
I like to read the news, even if it can be hard to accept sometimes, I also love when people teach me something new. I am fascinated by learning new languages if only to improve my understanding of how different cultures communicate within themselves.

Laughing:
My closest friends know that I have a sense of humor that is at times inappropriate (that of a 12 year old boy) or just silly and innocent. I believe any two people can share a laugh, language barriers aside, so I look to unite with others in that way.

Walking:
I hate running. Period. But I'll do it just for the exploration aspect. I think on foot is sometimes the best way to discover a city, and to also learn that you will never really know everything but you can try like hell to do so, meeting surprises along the way.

• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• recipes
• vegetarian
• running
• walking
• news
• reading
• traveling
• cycling
• surfing
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: Documentaries spark my interest in many things. I loved Fresh and parts of Food, Inc. Other movies I've seen recently: Social Network, Black Swan, Biutiful--I'm also interested in films about migration/immigration: Bwana, Taxi (Spain, '96), Españolas en Paris, East is East.

Music: I'm sort of all over the place. I grew up in a country loving town, but it didn't give me much appreciation of the genre. I love hip hop, rap and r&b, anything with a good beat and sick rhymes. Lupe, Drake, The Roots, etc..

Books: I like to read some non-fiction and often get caught up in trendy non fiction books-Female Chauvanist Pig, In the Defense of Food, etc. Some books I recently read and also loved are The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Kite Runner, Never Let Me Go. Others I love: Jane Eyre, Ender's Game, Martian Chronicles.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I don't think I've done anything monumental yet but things I clearly remember:
-Stepping into Japan, and all it's July humidity, for the first time, mostly because it appeared, at first glance, to be as opposite from my home town as possible.
-Moving to Washington, DC and seeing the Capitol Building outside my house everyday.
-Living in Granada, seeing the Alhambra in the forefront of the Sierra Nevada everyday.

I don't know how to qualify "amazing" but I feel like a little bit of it happens to me on a daily basis and I may not recognize it until later when I reflect.

Teach, Learn, Share

COOKING! I love to cook and love to share recipes.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Japan, Morocco, Spain, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Spain, United States

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