Yes, I am Victoria from Victoria... my parents were not very creative when they named me apparently, so please call me Tori and save the puns! I'm just a young explorer hoping to promote laughter and smiles wherever I go. I am outgoing, spontaneous, and up for adventure (unplanned is usually best). I grew up as the oldest sibling with 3 younger brothers so I like to think I can hold my own.

I am taking a year off between my bachelor's and master's to do a bit of exploring/soul searching/visiting family/whatever else I feel like doing! I'm a bit of a workaholic, always on the go, and a social butterfly, so an unstructured year of travel is new for me. So far I have seen some beautiful sights, met some lifelong friends, and shared amazing memories and experiences... can't wait for more! I try not to take myself too seriously, and I believe it is better to be ridiculous than to be boring!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I am new to couch surfing but have heard great things and have had good experiences with it so far!

Growing up, I travelled with family around North America quite a bit and stayed in hotels, went to the resorts etc etc... Now that I am on my own I am loving to get off the beaten track a bit and travel a bit differently. I like meeting local people, I feel that is the only way to really see and experience a new place, so couchsurfing is a good way to do that.

I love where I live on "the island" in Canada, and find that my city of Victoria is a super popular tourist destination. However, most people see the typical touristy sites, that are beautiful and interesting, but they sometimes miss out on the places and experiences that make me love my island so much! When friends come to visit, I love playing tour-guide and hosting when I can, so couchsurfing gives me a platform to do that with new people that come visit Victoria. As I am travelling right now, I am not hosting, but looking forward to hosting again when I get back to Canada!

Interests

I feel most at home by the sea, as I grew up on an island at the very south-west corner of Canada (literally the south western tip), so I find being near the ocean very peaceful. I love being outdoors, hiking, swimming, sunbathing, adventuring, etc etc. Cant get enough of nature :)

Sports - Ice Hockey/Baseball/Lacrosse/Volleyball/Watersports/Skiing/Running/Cycling/Gym Time

Food- pretty much anything flavourful and foods from all ethnicities, TEA, white chocolate mmmmm

Music - live music, casual listening, music festivals, lighting up the dance floor, impromptu dance-offs etc. I played piano for 12 years and music has always been a big part of my life. Can't get enough !

Animals - I have a giant Great white Pyrenees dog at home (white fluffy beast) who is my bestie and I miss so so much. I also have a small rabbit, and no they do not live at the same home.. I love almost all animals, when I'm around them I'm in my happy place :)

Friends and Fam - I am very close to my family and spent almost every waking hour surrounded by friends or family. I thrive off socialization, so learning to be content being alone is something I am working on during my travels.

Career-wise I am hoping to combine my passions for sport and supporting people with disabilities. I have worked and volunteered in the field since I was 15 and it is definitely where my heart lies. I studied sport science and human biology in university and will be starting medical school in September, with an end goal to specialize in adapted sport medicine and/or rehabilitation.

• animals
• dogs
• fish
• folklore
• music festivals
• festivals
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• chocolate
• bbq
• running
• boating
• traveling
• cars
• music
• live music
• piano
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• fishing
• hiking
• surfing
• skiing
• sports
• baseball
• hockey
• track and field
• volleyball
• swimming
• lacrosse
• biology
• genealogy
• medicine
• science
• tourism

Music, Movies, and Books

Too many to count! I have almost 10,000 songs on my iPod so I'm not going to list everything but I like old school Jazz, like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Ray Charles, indie, modern rock, country, oldies, pop, electronic, funk, reggae, rap, R&B, pretty much anything with a good beat and some in-tune vocals. I love discovering new bands, especially when seeing them live, so please share some of your favourite music if we couch-surf together!

Movies- pretty much anything except horror movies. I am too jumpy to watch them, trust me, its an un-enjoyable experience for everyone watching.. I love Grease, Anchorman, Disney Movies, any superhero movie, and pretty much anything in between.

Books - I love reading but being a student for so long, then in a demanding job, I find it hard to enjoy casual reading when there are other things I should be reading (care plans, textbooks etc). Now that I am travelling, I cant get enough, so throw be a book, give me a day, and I'll let you know what I think!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

-Chose Melbourne as my first stop in Australia on a whim because I wanted to be Victoria from Victoria in Victoria

-Rehabilitated/protected sea turtle nests on a private island in Redang, Malaysia

- 3 day elephant trekking in Chaing Mai, Thailand

- Worked in a fungal genetics lab researching transmission of the fungus responsible for Dutch Elms Disease

- Visited Disneyland, California 14 times (was a yearly tradition, still can't get enough)

- Bought and sold over 40 cars to pay my way through uni

- Hiked 8 hours across an active volcano in New Zealand

- Helped a farmer catch his baby piglets after they escaped to the neighbours farm

- Ate sour cream and onion crickets and goat testicle - yum !

- worked on a fishing boat hosting tourists to catch then cook up their fish with a BBQ, fun, and games

What I Can Share with Hosts

Personality! Let the fun times roll.... Growing up in a big family I am keen to help out around the house with dishes, cleaning etc :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Canada, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Thailand, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Canada, Malaysia