I'm positive, thoughtful, curious and adventurous, and have wide-ranging interests, not least of which is to travel. Although it's been awhile since I've really hit the road, I've travelled many and lived in several countries, for which I feel privileged and grateful. This has shaped who I am in profound ways, and led me to become a researcher focused on tackling inequalities, global and local. I think deeply about things, and try to make informed, responsible, and empathic opinions and decisions, and believe in the importance of considering different perspectives.

I am pretty introverted, but I do love an adventure, and am not shy to take on any quirky opportunity that comes my way. I respect responsible and culturally sensitive travel, and have seen it as my obligation to really learn about the communities I've passed through over the years. That said, I have enjoyed setting down some roots over the last few years, and growing a community around me, from music to sport to volunteering.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I've benefited a lot from the generosity of people around the world, especially within the CS community. Many of my most cherished travel experiences have come as a result of meeting, staying with or hosting CSers. My partner and I try to give back to the community when we can.

Interests

Music is in my blood, and I've played instruments since I was a child although these days, I mainly sing with a choir and a band. I've had a knee injury for a few years which has kept me from sporting like I used to, but I try to keep active by walking and cycling locally, with the occasional hike, swim or paddle. I haven't travelled much since the pandemic, but hope to begin doing a bit of this again - as sustainably as I can - in the coming year or two. Despite half my family being Mexican, I'm still learning Spanish - and I generally love languages and can speak snippets of a few from the countries I've lived in. I like a good cooking / food adventure, and in recent years, have gotten really into fermenting and sprouting.

• singing
• cooking
• running
• politics
• reading
• traveling
• guitar
• cycling
• hiking
• kayaking
• swimming
• languages
• fermented foods

Music, Movies, and Books

I like most genres of music, but folk or some kind of indy rock vibe is my usual go to (although my band mainly does 90s and 00s alternative and rock covers). Favourite band atm is Metric, and recently saw The Killers - fun stuff! When it comes to books, I mostly opt for a non-fiction pick. I recently really enjoyed Human Kind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman. Highly recommend as an evidence-based antidote to what feels like a very dominant hyper negative understanding of fundamental human nature.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Watching wild pygmy elephants graze, bathe and play in the Kinabatangan river in Malaysian Borneo.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you to ferment veggies - it's so much easier than you might think - and very good for your tummy!

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Belgium, Cambodia, Czech Republic, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Laos, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Netherlands, Scotland, Slovakia, South Korea, Tanzania, Thailand, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

England, India, Myanmar, Scotland, South Korea, United States

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