CURRENT MISSION

To meet new people and do all the things I doodle down on my "to do" lists.

ABOUT ME

I am a fun happy person who has only quite recently realised that rather than wishing I was doing cool and exciting things I have to make them happen for myself. I love to talk and discuss the world and enjoy meeting people with a completely different way of looking at things than I do. I work in a school and love kids and have finally, after years of making sure it was the right decision, decided to train as a teacher. I have worked around the World in a variety of places and jobs. I love drum and bass and dance music and get very excited about penguins.

PHILOSOPHY

live the life you love, love the life you live.

I've tried it and although I haven't always suceeded hope some day I will. If you always do what you always did you'll always get what you always got.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

So I joined in 2007 thinking I would go and visit lots of people during my World travels but things kinda didn't work out as planned.

Now 4 years later I decided theres no point being a member of something this cool if I'm not going to use it so I am trying to get in touch and meet new people and maybe even soon have some people to stay.

Update (2012) I have now met some great people for by hosting in my home town and have met up for meals and coffee with some great people when travelling. I only have positive things to say about all the people I met. Also the Newcastle couch surfers were probably the friendliest gang of people I have ever met. Gutted that I have moved away from a great city.

Second update ((2014) I mostly use couch surfing to host people and take them out in birmingham. My flatmate is a little uneasy about having people to stay. I also went to the Hanoi couch surfing meetings when in vietnam and met some awesome people!

Third update (2016). After teaching for a couple of years I decided to get into nz before the working holiday visas expired again. I'm now living in wanaka and loving it. Discovered skiing and the outdoors and spending whole weeks of evenings not resorting to Netflix as entertainment.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Nothing through the couch surfing website but I have enjoyed meeting people through my travels and staying with them and their families.

This all changed February 2011 when me and my friend Vicky went to Gdansk in Poland and met 3 of the greatest strangers I've ever met. All very different, all so giving and friendly. I'm a massive convert to all things couchsurfing!

I've had a few people to stay and shown others round Newcastle.

I've also now hosted a couple of people in Birmingham but only for meals and sightseeing. Met up with couchsurfers in other countries.

I'm not really into hosting people who sent generic messages. Everytime I've been involved in couch surfing it is because I have felt that if I had met the person without couch surfing we probably would have got on anyway. Please use the word flamingo in your message to let me know you have at least read this far.

Interests

music, dancing, festivals, tv, travelling, rastamouse, penguins, roller derby, pack rafting, skiing, hockey, sunshine, friends, reading. Doing new things.

• festivals
• dancing
• coffee
• reading
• tv
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• drums
• dance music
• surfing
• hockey
• teaching
• sightseeing
• craft beer
• roller derby

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

New year fire works in Sydney.

Helped nesting penguins in New Zealand.

Rode on the back of an elephant while it had a bathe.

Had Eric Clapton ask me to play drums with him.

Teach, Learn, Share

I've got some TEFL training but unfortunately am more of a "Jack of all trades master of none..

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Belgium, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Czech Republic, France, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Poland, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States