CURRENT MISSION

The big one: To end the physical suffering for as many beings as possible.
The small one: To take my vitamins every day.

ABOUT ME

My name is Jo. I am a vegan, artist, activist, veterinary nurse, farmer, scientist, dancer, teacher, and student.

I live on a farm dedicated to ending the suffering of animals.

We have astray animal recovery center and organic garden below Dharamsala, at the foothills of the Himalayas.

I can host non-volunteers in my room for a night or two, or if you want to work with us or volunteer while you are here you can check out how to apply at peepalfarm.org/?p=volunteer

We are a quiet place a little far from McLeod (you cannot trek to Triund and back from here in one day, it takes 1 hour by bus to get to McLeod). If you want to experience rural India, see a village, or hang out on a farm to decompress...this is a good fit :)

I don't abide cruelty and seeing the destruction of nature makes me physically sick.

Me llaman el desaparecido
que cuando llega ya se ha ido
volando vengo, volando voy
deprisa deprisa a rumbo perdido
cuando me buscan nunca estoy
cuando me encuentran yo no soy
el que está enfrente porque ya
me fui corriendo más allá
Me dicen el desaparecido
fantasma que nunca está
me dicen el desagradecido
pero esa no es la verdad
yo llevo en el cuerpo un dolor
que no me deja respirar
llevo en el cuerpo una condena
que siempre me echa a caminar

"The one important thing I have learned over the years is the difference between taking one's work seriously and taking one's self seriously. The first is imperative and the second is disastrous." - Margot Fonteyn

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Quiero vivir la vida aventurera
de los errantes pájaros marinos;
no tener, para ir a otra ribera,
la prosaica visión de los caminos.

Poder volar cuando la tarde muera
entre fugaces lampos ambarinos
y oponer a los raudos torbellinos
el ala fuerte y la mirada fiera.

Huir de todo lo que sea humano;
embriagarme de azul...Ser soberano
de dos inmensidades: mar y cielo,

y cuando sienta el corazón cansado
morir sobre un peñón abandonado
con las alas abiertas para el vuelo

-Julián Marchena

Interests

animal welfare, dance (ballet, modern, jazz, african, haitian, cuban, percussive, salsa, merengue), surfing, activism, marine biology, art, nature, djembe, ukulele, peace.

• animals
• dogs
• arts
• dancing
• ballet dancing
• animal welfare
• cooking
• desserts
• vegan
• yoga
• boating
• jazz
• surfing
• swimming
• biology
• teaching
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: Ishmael, Walking the Walk, Trust Me I'm Lying, Gora, The Monkey Wrench Gang, Lord of the Rings, Animal Liberation, War and Peace, Heart of Darkness, Animorphs, Through Wolf's Eyes, I am Spock, Pride and Prejudice, Universe in a Nutshell, and more.

Movies/TV: 12 Monkeys, Tambien la Lluvia, Shark Water, Star Wars, Star Trek (especially "Journey Home" :), M*A*S*H, Laberintho del Fauno, Whale Rider, Diarios de Motocicleta, Y Tu Mamá Tambien, The Science of Sleep, Apollo 13, Fight Club, V for Vendetta, Contact, Doctor Zhivago, Lord of the Rings, and more...

Music: Janelle Monae, Frank Sinatra, Paula Fuga, Billie Holiday, Edith Piaf, Agatsumo, Sarah Vaughn, Bill Withers, Yoshida Brothers, Queen, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Aretha Franklin, Banditos, Men at Work, Seals and Crofts, Aretha Franklin, Blood Sweat and Tears, Alicia Keys, The Mamas and the Papas, The Temptations, Jason Mraz, Lilly Allen, Regina Spektor, Peter Paul and Mary, Coldplay, Juanes, Imogen Heap, Isreal Kamakawiwo'ole, Tryo. Merengue, Salsa, Motown, Soul...and more

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Swimming with whale sharks in La Paz, Mexico.

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach: I can teach you to train a dog, do a jete, cook gallo pinto, make besan laddoos, and speak in english.

Learn: I would like to learn Hindi, any veterinary medical treatments for animals, farming techniques.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can cook a couple different Indian meals, a couple different Costa Rican meals, and I bake some mean desserts if you have the ingredients! I can (and would love to) also play with your dog and walk them!

Countries I’ve Visited

Brazil, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Mexico, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia

Countries I’ve Lived In

India, United States

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