NOT ACCEPTING GUESTS, for now because of travel and some maintenance of the apartment,

My name is Solana and I grew up in a very unique part of NJ. Not the NJ that most people think of when they hear about jersey, but a part that looks like another country and has beautiful country farm lands. I had a horse, goats, sheep, chickens, cats and a dog growing up and my dream was to be a farmer. At the same time I grew up dancing and ended up going to school for dance. Now I am living in NYC following my love for dance, but never forgetting my country heart. I live in Harlem in my grandmothers apartment that she lived in for over 60 years. In a way it feels like I moved home after school because Ive been coming to this place my whole life. It's odd, terrifying and exciting living in NYC; I love it.

I love all aspects of different parts of the world and when I am traveling with a purpose, whatever it is, I am happiest. I have a goal to travel to as many places as I can and I want to know at least 5 languages fluently (It's a struggle, but I have hope it will happen).

Currently I am very active running between different jobs. One working with children, the next at a restaurant, company rehearsals and other project rehearsals that are filling my soul with joy! This summer I am hoping to head out of the city for a few months and live somewhere else for a bit, to then be ready to get back to the grind in September.

The unknown is ultimately exciting to me and I want to explore it!!!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I want to see the word and meet people that come to where I live. I had a friend stay with me when I lived in Philadelphia and she is a big couchsurfer/hoster. She traveled for 8 months around Europe with her daughter, couchsurfing, and I think that is amazing! I want to continue to create relationships where ever I go and be able to welcome people to NYC. I think traveling and seeing the world is one of the most important things to do to help understand each other in this wild world.

Interests

Dance: I have been dancing since I was 3 doing ballet, modern and now afro-brazilian dances.

Capoeira: Best described as a brazilian martial art, fight, dance, if you have never heard of it!

Cooking: I like making up my own recipes and never follow directions. Same goes for baking but I follow directions, for the most part.

Traveling: I've been to Grenada, Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, Bahamas, Canada, Cuba, Brazil, Iceland, Guatemala, Japan and Ireland and have had some of the best times of my life.

Essential oils: Something I look up and mess around with in my spare time.

Music: I love music and cant not move to it.

And I have many other interests...

• cats
• dogs
• chickens
• arts
• dancing
• ballet dancing
• capoeira
• cooking
• recipes
• baking
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• hiking
• languages
• biking
• the ocean
• adventuring

Music, Movies, and Books

Music
I will listen to basically anything and I go through different phases. Afro-brazilian music, latin music, reggaeton, reggae, oldies, funk and some folky songs are my favorite. It really depends...

Books
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Alchemist, The Four Elements, The Giver, Slaughterhouse Five, Books by Alice Walker, autobiographies, history and philosophy, Myths, creation stories.

Movies... I like them. There are to many.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I tend to go places without knowing much about them.
I traveled to Salvador, Bahia, Brazil in 2014 for the first time by myself to dance. I was going to stay at this woman's house who I met through a friend over facebook, she didn't speak any English. I was on the plane and realized I didn't know how I was going to get to where she lived. I didn't speak any portuguese.
But I got there thanks to this woman that walked on the plane that I had taken a dance class with once before. The rest of the trip preceded to present many other magical experiences that just worked out to make me fall in love with Bahia.

This is not really something amazing I have done but it was amazing to experience everything coming together.

Teach, Learn, Share

*****When I host*****
I have this dream of creating a shelf where surfers leave books behind that others can pick up and read, take with them and/or continue to pass on in one way or another. So IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO STAY WITH ME it would be awesome if you could bring a book, or any item to leave that someone else might pick up and take as a special treasure! BECAUSE WHY NOT! :)

When I travel:
I will share with you who I am and where I have been. My hopes for staying with others is to get a taste of their life and experience all that I can, so in return I am ready to be open and give what I know of the world this far.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I love to talk to and meet new people so I would love to share my company, but I also get when people need there own space so I can always entertain myself. I am also down to help my host in anyway that is needed. I am a very flexible person.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Germany, Guatemala, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States