Hello couchsurfing world!
It's been a while since I've been on here. For the past few years of traveling I've been turning more to airbnb and hostelworld, but I feel like I should go back to where all this travel bug started, here!

I am Valerie and I hail from the city of Austin, Texas. I'm a students who is constantly looking to get away from the coursework any chance I get. I am an avid reader, rabid movie-goers, and serious culture seekers. I can hardly go a day without consuming some sort of flavor from my surroundings and endeavors. I love the mountains and the seas, both are places that take care of my travelling needs. I enjoy immersing myself in the museums, restaurants, memorials and people. I like to take the time to stop and appreciate the world around me. I think of everything as an opportunity and a learning experience.

I've traveled to several around the world, including: Japan, Ecuador, Cambodia, Thailand, Alaska and Hawai'i.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is great avenue to find homes off the well-trodden path where I've been able to meet people (you guys!) who are knowledgeable and impassioned about the places they live. I look forward to continuing my use of couchsurfing for the many years of adventure and life ahead of me.

Interests

Coffee shops, Swing dancing, outdoor adventures, astronomy, Foreign languages, traveling, food, playing the piano, NARUTO!, Dir en grey, drinking, movies, music, concerts, coke floats, museums, learning from people.

• culture
• concerts
• dancing
• swing dancing
• dining
• coffee
• drinking
• movies
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• piano
• outdoor activities
• astronomy
• languages
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Overall I enjoy movies, music, and books that make you think.

Books: The Alchemist, The Fountain Head, 1984 (George Orwell), Ender' Game, Ender's Shadow, Harry Potter and so on. ..
Currently reading: Gods of War

Movies: An Interview with a Vampire, Old Boy, Les Miserables, Up, Prometheus, Pulp Fiction, Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind, Gangs of New York, The Lord of the Rings, anything with Leonardo Dicaprio
Music: Dir en grey, Modest Mouse, Maximum the Hormone, Queen, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, A Perect Circle, Jaimie Cullum, and many MANY more

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Wow. To narrow it down to one thing is a really hard one. The universe has truly given me a great life. Hmm. .. the memory of seeing snow in 2009 for the first time on New Years in Japan will always stick with me though.

Teach, Learn, Share

Everyone can teach something- whether it be a historical fact, a foreign language, a dance lesson, a tune on the piano, or a lesson in life.

Countries I’ve Visited

Cambodia, Ecuador, Japan, Mexico, Thailand, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Japan, United States