CURRENT MISSION

Meet people, travel and learn how to cook

ABOUT ME

I'm addicted to traveling the world to meet new people and see different cultures. I used to work in business but a few years back headed off to cooking school around the world including Paris & Sydney. I'm finished now but got hooked on connecting with the world I live in and giving back where ever I can...

PHILOSOPHY

Live life everyday for what it is... A GIFT!!!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

When I lived in Sydney I was fortunate enough to have the apartment manager give me an apartment with an extra bedroom. Rather than rent it out, I decided to give Couch Surfing a shot. Two dozen plus surfers later, I absolutely loved it and have got hooked on it.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

June 2012:
Finally discovering my new home in Florida. It's been great. I've discovered my home is only 5min walk from all the bars and partying in Fort Lauderdale. Lots of CS and other friends staying and visiting from around the world in addition to meeting a whole new community of yachties. Who new Fort Lauderdale was the private yacht capital of the world. Also I picked up a new hobby in ceramics. Its been fun producing all sorts of stuff like teapots, pitchers, plates, etc. Finally time though to get traveling again :-)

August 2011:
London for the Royal Wedding then France for more torture and learning French. I stayed a month in Bretegne (NW of France) as a result of a house exchange. I loved the area and the seafood. A month traveling in Spain with my Spanish chef friend eating some of the food in the world then Morocco for a couple of weeks.

May 2011:
HK, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, India and then Nepal for 1.5 months to help to set up a cooking school for orphans. My favorite trip so far. I luv'd Kathmandu and the Nepalese people and will definitely go back. When I was traveling I tried something new and I did a partial house exchange and let a CSer say at my place. I'm so happy I did it. Turns out she has a very nice place in Brittany, France that I'm staying at for June :=) Gotta luv Couchsurfing!!!

Jan 2011:
After traveling to Egypt, Budapest, London, Dublin and the south of France, I spent a little time down here where I hang my stuff in Fort Lauderdale Florida. Didn't do hosting because I just had a studio apartment but I just upgraded it to a two bedroom. Thinking of hosting for just a tiny bit before heading off the South East Asia.

Sept 2010:
Finished with school. Time to travel a bit and maybe give surfing a shot. Eventually in Villefranche, France learning French for a month in a total immersion program. Europe hear I come.

June 2010:
In Ottawa finishing the last module of my culinary arts program at Le Cordon Blue. If u come, be prepared to gain a couple of pounds here and there as you will be required to test all the products from school :-) Unfortunately or fortunately, its gourmet French pastries this term.

May 2010:
Traveled for the last month. New Zealand was absolutely amazing. Did absolutely everything... white water rafted and speed boated, hiked Tangariro cross including climbing Mount Doom, swam with the Dolphins, climbed the Franz Joseph glacier, sky dived, cruised Doubtful Sound and bungy jumped Nevis. Absolutely loved it. After NZ, went up to the Great Barrier reef and learned how to scuba dive. Spent 3 days on a boat exploring GBR from below. Still dream about it. In Toronto for the next month and a half before my adventures continue...

April 2010:
Closing down the apartment. I'm off to see the world down under. Starting with an 18 day trip to New Zealand then heading up to the Gold Coast. CS has been an amazing experience here in Sydney. So many fond memories. Thanks for all the great moments and coming to my dinner parties. I'll miss everyone but I'm not worried, as soon, I'll be asking for a couch from all my new friends. Cheers.

March 2010:
Its now been a month into my CS experience. I've pretty much had someone stay at my place in Sydney every day last month and I'm almost fully booked for this month. Its been an absolutely awesome experience. Met many new friends and had some really nice dinner parties :-)

Feb 2010:
None really...this whole thing is new to me. I signed up a while ago but never actively used the account. I've got a nice place in Sydney so I thought I'd take the plunge and give it a shot.

Interests

I'm currently really into cooking. I also enjoy pretty much all sports including yoga, squash, golf, tennis (not so much anymore), hiking, etc. I love to travel and have a passion for art.

• arts
• dining
• seafood
• cooking
• yoga
• marathon
• partying
• yachting
• boating
• traveling
• socializing
• pottery
• hiking
• surfing
• scuba diving
• sports
• rock climbing
• tennis
• racquetball
• golf
• world cup
• business
• languages
• beaches
• squash

Music, Movies, and Books

All music (especially live) and movies but no books please... I used to read a book a week but now I'm just into living the adventure rather than reading about it!!!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Ran the New York Marathon in 2001 right after September 11th.

OK... maybe a few more...

Learned a new language, French. Languages have always been tough for me and it just doesn't seem to get easier with age :-)

Le Grande Diplome (both cuisines and pastries) from Le Cordon Bleu International in three different locations: Paris, Sydney and Ottawa.

SE Asia and Hong Kong, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, India and then Nepal for a couple of months to help to set up a cooking school & restaurant for orphans.

Ran with the bulls and partied it up in Pamplona, Spain when Spain won the World Cup.

Pyramids and falucca ride down the Nile. Markets of Marrakesh and a home cooked dinner at a locals house.

Swam with dolphins, climbed Mt. Doom, sky dived and bungy jumped Nevis 134M, New Zealand.

Did a house exchange with a fellow CSer that had a beautiful quaint place in the NW on the cost of France and traveled a couple months through Spain with my Spainish chef friend.

Diving in the Great Barrier Reef off of Cairns, Australia and in the Red Sea in Egypt.

Hiked and camped in the Grand Canyon

Caught a 45lb Chinook Salmon in the Queen Charlottes near Alaska and a 13lb Bonefish in the Bahamas.

Shot a 77 at Pebble Beach and played with Davis Love III and Mark O'Meara in a pro AM.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can demonstrate everything I've learned at cooking school including cooking amazing French gourmet dishes along with French pastries.

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, Vatican City State, Viet Nam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Canada, France, Nepal, United States

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