I'm Sonja. I am in graduate school at the moment. Learning and growing, painfully at times. ;)

I grew up in a small city in the desert on the Columbia River in eastern Washington State, USA. It is a culturally conservative, super agricultural area - potatoes, asparagus, vineyards. For college, I moved to Seattle, a beautiful, progressive city surrounded by water and mountain ranges. I love both places, they both formed me, and they both have their own unique social and political issues amid the complex and failing American project.

I have a peacemaker + perfectionist sort of personality so I'm constantly trying to reconcile differences and find solutions within myself and between other people, taking into account the complexities and nuances of how history has brought us to our present moment, and trying to keep in mind that I actually don't know anything and things are messy. I love inviting people together around a table to eat together and get to know each other better and chat shit.

I worked most recently in non-profit fundraising in Seattle, helping to raise money to fund unrestricted grants to individual artists, as well as in security at the Frye Art Museum. I've also been a legal aid assisting immigrants with their citizenship cases, a barista/baker, a pottery salesperson, and an English teacher in Seoul. I am currently studying art & politics in London.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I've had fantastic times both hosting and surfing in the past. A big beautiful hotel room is one of my favourite things in the world but I can't always afford it. ;)

Interests

Walking, talking (and language), dancing, food, museums, the 'fashion industry,' the 'art world,' reading aloud, bodies of water, sun!!!, wine, just people and their varying opinions/ways, figuring out my role in dismantling systemic oppression, surfing the net.

Music, Movies, and Books

I'm always listening to something. True crime, comedy, critical/political theory, and interview podcasts for walking/commuting/falling asleep. Classical/instrumental music for reading/studying/writing. With friends, indie dance/electronic/RnB; for singing to myself, canciones en español. At the moment I love the movie Frida and the TV show High Maintenance, my favourite authors are Zadie Smith and Haruki Murakami, and I've recently (I know, I'm late) been in awe of Audre Lorde.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

No one thing in particular, the most amazing times involve good friends and gorgeous places, preferably outdoors.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can cook. And clean.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Monaco, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand

Countries I’ve Lived In

England, Italy, Mexico, South Korea, United States