I moved to the Pacific Northwest over 10 years ago from Los Angeles, CA, and though I visit my family and friends in Southern California often, I consider these luscious evergreen and redwood forests my home.

Not far from the tree line, is the discrete port City of Tacoma, often overshadowed by its northern urban rival (Seattle) and the up-and-coming Portland metropolis from the south. If you have never heard of Tacoma, its probably because everyone who lives here actively works to make it the best kept secret in the area.

My current dwelling is a spacious and beautiful home with my partner built in the 1940s. We live about 5 min awat from downtown Tacoma, its world-famous museums, and Point Defiance park (aka the 2nd biggest city owned park in the U.S. outside of Central Park in NY). We live just about a 2 hrs drive from the heart of the Olympic National Forest, 2 hrs drive to Mt. Rainier, 1 hr drive from Seattle, 2.5 hrs from Portland, and 2.5 hrs drive from Vancouver BC. We share our home with two adorable kitty-babies, and our yard with four perky chicken hens. My partner is a local to Tacoma and I have lived up and down the coast my whole life.

I fill most of my day with work at a fantastic non-profit in downtown Tacoma, making delicious home-cooked meals, making music, getting in depth with holistic health and healing, learning French on my own, exploring physical limits through movement, dance, and climbing, and so much more!

There was a time when I used to travel a lot more, flying out to somewhere new every few months but I've been looking forward to sticking to one place for a while and learning the routines of this particular place and time in my life. My next adventure is in Western Europe, particularly France, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands hopefully at the end of this summer. And then to Eastern Europe when I have a longer break for travel. Until then, I am compelled to create a home-base for hosting and learning before venturing out into the world again.

PHILOSOPHY

I flow with the currents in life, studying and preparing for the right place and time to mark up the world.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I have hosted a fair amount of travelers in the summer of '09 and have surfed many-a-couches (and beds) for a few weeks at a time. I have never had a negative CS-ing experience, which says a lot, in my opinion! After years of unstable living situations, I am finally able to host again, this time in the comfort of a permanent forever home my partner and I can call our own.

As the world grows more violent and extreme, Couchsurfing has opened my eyes to the benefits and need for increased international and national exchange. We need a space to talk, share, and live with the people we dont usually get to interact with on a day to day basis for these are the bridges that we rely on to fight on the side of humanity as opposed to the fear and hate that extremists would like us to have for each other. The exchange of thoughts, ideas, talents, and cultural knowledge, is truly one of my passions in life!

Interests

Travel, cooking (and eating!), reading both literature and non-fic, listening and making music, learning new languages, hiking/camping... museums...artsy handicraft activities... challenging the status quo, meditating... dancing... flirting with birth and death... experiencing life at its fullest.

• arts
• literature
• diy
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• reading
• traveling
• music
• hiking
• camping
• rock climbing
• languages
• road trips

Music, Movies, and Books

Too many to list... but nearly always in the mood for some good post-rock and John Steinbeck. Epic stories are some of my favorite fictional reads, although short stories some time do it for me too. Sometimes a girl just wants to dance though, so I've been getting down with some tight beats as well!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

One of the greatest gifts I've ever given myself is to travel on my own. On one of my most memorable adventures was trekking through Lao Cai in Northern Vietnam. Another gift was backpacking through the Kawakarpo and Konkaling Nature Reserves in Tibet (not alone although I definitely journeyed at my own pace!)

I've also been to numerous retreats and art camps, road trips, and mental trips in the US. I hold each of these things in a special place in my heart for everyone to enjoy.

Teach, Learn, Share

I know how to play cello, guitar, keyboards. I am constantly experimenting with cooking, and other DIY household projects. I also love to learn, teach, and play different games, stories, and songs that have been passed through many hands and hearts.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I love to share meals, music interests, laughs, and above all, gratitude for the beauty and special gift they put out to the world by sharing their lives and home.

Countries I’ve Visited

China, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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