CURRENT MISSION

When I figure it out, you'll be the first to know . . .

ABOUT ME

I'm a 29-year-old freelance journalist from San Francisco. I lived in Egypt a few years back and have also spent quite a bit of time in Guatemala. I once couchsurfed two months straight through Israel/Palestine (exhausting but a great experience, and I learned a lot).

I'm vegetarian but not crazy about it, I won't freak out if you cook meat or eat shwarma in front of me. But I will be happy to make you a tasty vegetarian pizza.Not a big partier at all but will happily go grab a beer or a glass of wine with you.

Love traveling but hate being a tourist. I'm much more interested in seeing how people live than visiting museums, which is why couchsurfing is so cool. Always looking for stuff to write about. Love learning new languages, though I've really only mastered one other than English. (That would be Spanish.)

Definitely enjoy spending time with my CS hosts or CSers staying with me (for me, the whole point of CSing is to learn about other countries and cultures), but I'm also very independent and can get around just fine on my own if you're busy.Y siempre busco oportunidades para practicar español, entonces si hablas español, escribeme en español porfa!

PHILOSOPHY

If you really want to do something, just do it and ask questions later. If you ask for permission in advance, you're just giving someone the option to tell you no.... Of course, this advice really shouldn't be applied to checkpoint situations when armed guards are present.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I've couchsurfed in Turkey, Sri Lanka, India, Mexico, Spain and Guatemala. Using CSing, I've been able to experience so many places in a way I never would have on my own. And I've enjoyed hosting and meeting people in SF too.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

In 2009, I spent four months couch surfing my way through Israel/Palestine, Turkey, Sri Lanka and India. I had some really amazing, gracious hosts and am very grateful to everyone who hosted me and showed me places I wouldn't have been able to go on my own. I've also met some interesting people hosting in SF.

Interests

sitting in a coffee shop with a book on a Sunday; attempting to learn languages (I speak decent Spanish and am always looking to practice. Have dabbled in Arabic as well.); getting lost in foreign countries (I'm great at finding places but never remember how to get back!)

• books
• cooking
• wine
• beer
• coffee
• vegetarian
• shopping
• traveling
• socializing
• hiking
• surfing
• freelancing
• journalism
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

Music - I hate this question because I never know what to say! Lemme check the iPod... OK, we've got Arcade Fire, Shakira, Lana Del Ray, Peter Paul & Mary, Alicia Keys, The Killers, Coldplay, Sara Bareilles, James Blunt, Lady Gaga, U2, Ella Fitzgerald, Eminem, John Lennon, Foster the People, Tracy Chapman, Gloria Trevi, One Republic and lots more random stuff...

Books - Some recent reads: The Yellow Wind by David Grossman (recommended by a fellow CSer), The Zanzibar Chest by Aidan Hartley, Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer. Right now reading Mil Soles Esplendidos (A Thousand Splendid Suns translated into Spanish) by Khaled Hosseini.

For movies, I'm addicted to documentaries. Some favorites are State of Mind (bout gymnasts in North Korea) and To Die in Jerusalem. I know it's really cheesy for a journalist, but I love All the President's Men. And I like suspenseful "thinking" movies, like The Usual Suspects.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Living in Cairo was definitely amazing. Smoggy, but amazing. The view after a long hike up a volcano in Guatemala. A long, bumpy train ride through Sri Lanka. Nearly getting stranded atop Mount Gerizim in the West Bank in the middle of the night was also amazing... but maybe not in a good way?

Teach, Learn, Share

Ummm... I can teach you some Spanish or the Arabic alphabet? Oh, I know - I can teach you how to bake bread! (It's actually super easy, but for some reason it impresses people.)

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, India, Israel, Mexico, Palestine, Spain, Sri Lanka, Turkey, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Egypt, Guatemala, United States

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