CURRENT MISSION

Finding a zest for life and sense of adventure, even if I'm not on the road.

ABOUT ME

Survived architecture school after my travels abroad. I was very active in CS until grad school and was a member in its very early days. I'm now back after an 8-year break and am curious to see what kind of a community it's become. An introvert turned extrovert who still loves getting lost in music, thoughts, or a book for hours on end.

PHILOSOPHY

Never stop learning.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I've hosted a few CSers and organized a couple of local CS meetings. I served as ambassador for Norman, OK, for a couple of years until I moved to Austin. I peruse the couch surfing site, dreaming of all the exotic couches I could crash on; dish out travel advice (hopefully wanted); listen intently to my friends' travel stories; spread the word of the greatness that is the CS community!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Crashed with a beautiful Czech woman I met in yoga class in Prague. She taught me an old Czech saying that embodies the couch surfing spirit - "A guest in the house is God in the house".

Interests

Photography, world cooking, movies, music, literature, arts, foreign languages, grammar and etymology, traveling (of course), yoga, coffee, knitting, organic foods and sustainable lifestyle, architecture, traditional and alternative medicine, my cats.

• animals
• cats
• dogs
• arts
• books
• literature
• architecture
• photography
• cooking
• wine
• cocktails
• coffee
• organic food
• yoga
• movies
• traveling
• knitting
• music
• etymology
• languages
• medicine
• zen buddhism

Music, Movies, and Books

Current favorites: Amadeus, Bridget Jones's Diary, Empire of the Sun, Velvet Goldmine, Lost in Translation, Memento, Closer, et al.

Books - To Kill a Mockingbird, The Time Traveler's Wife, Dracula, Haruki Murakami, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, the Outsiders, World Stompers: A Guide to Travel Manifesto, Deep Economy, The Girl Who Swallowed Bees, The Omnivore's Dilemma. Currently reading: "Welcome to your world: How the built environment shapes our lives"

Music- Beatles, Manu Chao, Alabama 3, Luna, Iron and Wine, Starlight Mints, Bishop Allen, Velvet Underground, David Bowie, Os Mutantes, Neutral Milk Hotel, the Flaming Lips, Andrew Bird, M. Ward, Ray LaMontagne, Sigur Ros, Nathaniel Rateliff, Gregory Alan Isakov

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Vodou ceremonies in Haiti complete with animal sacrifices and spirit possession. Crazy times.

Participated in Brazilian-style desfile in France wearing a 3-foot high red glittery headdress.

Fountain that flows wine in a labyrinth under a castle in Europe. You'll have to find it yourself - but I might give you a hint. ;-)

Seal Bay at Kangaroo Island, Australia - hang out with seals in their native habitats!

Naoshima - the art island. Too much to tell here.

The Site of Reversible Destiny

Teach, Learn, Share

Pie and ice cream! Need I say more?

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Haiti, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Japan, United Kingdom, United States

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