CURRENT MISSION

Explore, learn, grow, share, feel good

ABOUT ME

I grew up and went to college in Indiana. After school I spent a year in Austin, TX working as an Americorps member teaching after-school elementary science classes. Next, I went to China to teach English as a Second Language to middle- and high-schoolers in Qinhuangdao, Hebei. I've been teaching/tutoring English language arts, ESL, and chess at various schools for the past year, and I am about to start a Master's program at Portland State for urban planning.

I love travel and adventure but haven't done enough of either. I want to be an explorer forever, in whatever way that works with whatever my life becomes. I'm a lover of nature, music, animals (especially dogs), language, art, food, community, social change, and culture.

PHILOSOPHY

Things that motivate me:
1. Doing things that make me feel good: being around good friends, making music, interacting with dogs, etc.
2. Making a positive impact on my place/person/community/situation, and also letting those things impact me
Even though life is meaningless in the grand scheme of things, I find myself still wanting to live and be a part of it and experience as much beauty and humanity and nature as I can. Life is short as hell, y'all

-Black lives matter
-Sexism and racism are alive and well in America (and elsewhere) - let's do something about it
-Body hair is natural

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is such a great way to meet travelers and awesome people, to get to know a place, and to share my home when I can.

Interests

Social justice, music, animals, travel, language, nature, adventure, yoga/dance, fermented foods, how things work, science in general, making things efficient

• animals
• dogs
• arts
• culture
• beauty
• dancing
• dining
• yoga
• drinking
• gardening
• chess
• traveling
• music
• guitar
• piano
• drums
• science
• lakes

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies:
Spirit of the Beehive
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
LOTR
8 ½
Fitzcarraldo
Windy City Heat

Music (too much to put down but here's whatever comes to mind first)
Beach House
Courtney Barnett
Presidents of the United States of America
System of a Down
Mac Demarco
Coco Rosie
Modest Mouse
Neutral Milk Hotel
Angel Olsen
Bright Eyes (I know, so high school)
Joanna Newsom
Kimya Dawson
Simon and Garfunkel
Of Montreal
Panda Bear
Jenny Hval
Iron and Wine
The Pixies
Kelela

Books:
White Noise
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
The Death and Life of Great American Cities

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Spent 7 days portaging in Quetico Provincial Park. Carried and paddled more than I ever thought I could. That place is so pristine that you can drink straight out of the lakes!

Teach, Learn, Share

English
Italian (not fluent)
Spanish (not fluent)
Training dogs
Music
Chess

What I Can Share with Hosts

food, music, drinks, convo

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, China, England, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Scotland, Spain, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, United States