I like to say that my mission in life is to go everywhere, do everything, and then write about it. I live for the outdoors and for the thrill of exploring new places. I'm a rafting guide on the Colorado and Green rivers in southern Utah, as well as a published writer and avid photographer. I have a passion for experiential education, and over nearly a decade of traveling I've slowly built a philosophy as well as a lifestyle out of being a nomad. I believe in serendipity. I don't believe in coincidences. I'm a hard worker who has trouble sitting still. I make lists. And I love reading more than almost anything.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Staying with locals is the best way I've found to truly get to know a new place or culture. Some of my best moments and connections have come from friends I've met while I'm just passing through. I like the casual, homey relationships Couchsurfing engenders, and I'd much rather join a new friend for a tour of their backyard than a bus of strangers on a trip to a crowded attraction.

Interests

Reading! Long backpacking trips in the mountains. Sleeping outside. Whitewater rafting. Downhill skiing. Writing. Taking pictures. Listening to music, always. FOOD. I love art and culture and theater, but rarely spend enough time in cities to truly enjoy them.

• arts
• culture
• writing
• theater
• documentaries
• education
• dining
• reading
• traveling
• blogging
• music
• outdoor activities
• backpacking
• kayaking
• whitewater rafting
• skiing
• teaching
• tourism
• rivers
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: Watership Down by Richard Adams, The Milagro Beanfield War by John Nichols, Blood Meridan by Cormac McCarthy
Movies: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Music: John Prine, Neil Young, Paul Simon, Radiohead, Grateful Dead, Alt-J, LCD Soundsystem, Talking Heads, Joni Mitchell...it's a long list.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I co-founded a nonprofit that teaches high school students about the impact of dams on rivers via cultural exchange and kayaking. I led a group of students from Colorado through a three-week program in Chilean Patagonia to teach them about a controversial hydroelectric project on the undeveloped Rio Baker, then led a group of Chilean students from the Baker area on a three-week program in the US (including a 12-day kayaking trip on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon). I constructed bilingual curriculum, set up meetings and workshops with energy experts, dam-builders, environmentalists, and politicians on both side of the debate in the US and Chile. Next: a documentary film about the exchange to highlight the power of experiential education and the value of wild places to change lives! Here's the program website: www.riostorivers.org

Teach, Learn, Share

I've had incredible opportunities in my life, but I believe that everything that's happened to me has come about because I've been willing to say YES, and to go after the things that I want. My parents raised me to believe that I can I do anything I want as long as I'm willing to work for it. I try to pass this lesson on, especially to young people, with my life as the example. I wish that more people knew what they were capable of, and that they don't have to follow a traditional path if they don't want to. I wrote a blog about this idea here: http://susanmunroe.com/the-how-and-the-why-of-the-wend

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'm a great baker and good at washing dishes. I frequently communicate my appreciation through baked goods and clean kitchens! I can also share some jokes - my job as a river guide has given me a pretty good repertoire. I can share a passion for life and adventure that I hope will inspire others to get up and go, too!

Countries I’ve Visited

Antarctica, Argentina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, England, Germany, New Zealand, Peru

Countries I’ve Lived In

Antarctica, Chile, New Zealand, United States