CURRENT MISSION

To find and follow the path I'm here to walk in this world--and to learn to better love people along the way... also learning to follow my heart (and my feet :) rather than my head..and the meaning of the word adventure!! :)

ABOUT ME

I'm happiest when I'm outside--camping, running, hiking, swimming in a lake or the sea, strolling along on a sunny day, laying on my back in a grassy field, stargazing on a summer night...
I love my family, friends and the outdoors more than anything, and of course traveling (which doesn't have to be geographically measured- you can have great adventures in your own town or even living room. ..though I do love the international kind as well :-)
My other loves include organic sustainable farming, intentional community, conservation, foraging/wild food, live music, singing, learning guitar/violin/cello/whatever else comes along, animals (esp. dogs and cows!), natural health & healing (especially herbal & nutritional medicine and Contact Care Therapy [http://www.contactcare.co.nz/], yoga, dance, good food...
I enjoy people who love life and who care about others and the earth we share.
I am learning to listen better, striving to understand, dedicated to helping, and seeking to enjoy every moment more fully. I'm committing to more random acts of kindness and talking to strangers--I've made so many wonderful and amazing new friends this way!! Getting outside to walk and breathe and "be" as much as possible, every day; worrying less, laughing more; learning a new song; petting a friendly dog; reveling in the everyday--a swan gliding along on a lake, fresh handmade bread, the incredible perfume of a peony in the spring, a child's carefree laugh, the feel of a smooth stone or rough tree bark or silky sand under my bare feet...
I've recently started to become more politically aware and active, spent time at Standing Rock as part of the Water Protection movement there, and am passionately involved in doing whatever I can to promote conservation, indigenous rights, sustainability, community, and more.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm still just starting out really, but very excited to see where it all goes! I've formally Couchsurfed in NZ's South Island, South Korea, and Australia, but informally the numbers are higher and growing...
I really look forward to hosting when I have my own couch again one day, wherever and whenever that may be...Have hosted musicians in past but not through this site, and now I'm on the road again!
I see Couchsurfing and traveling as a sort of informal ambassador program-- we get to see how other people live and think, while connecting to them on a personal and heart level. We see that ultimately, we are all people-- one love, one heart, let's get together and feel alright! (Thanks for the words, Bob)
I love it.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Katherine & Stephan Leslie, near Blenheim NZ, 23-24 April '13, Jeremy Kelleher, near Christchurch NZ 25 Apr 13, Pat Wall, Dunedin NZ Apr '13, Leighton James, Queenstown NZ Apr '13, Sarah Lyons, Incheon S Korea, Aug '13; Victoria Nugent, Brisbane AUS, Mar '14; Marna Eringa, Sydney AUS, Mar '14

HOSTED
Nicole Barko, Bozeman MT, USA
Mikey Kenney and band, Little Mongeham, England, summer '15

Interests

Nature, holistic/alternative/natural/herbal health & healing, travel, music (especially live) languages, adventures, animals, people, good food, sustainable living, foraging and homesteading...

Music, Movies, and Books

MUSIC--folk, rock, experimental, blues, jazz, indie, old country, world, dance (swing, tango, latin) and especially interesting combinations of the above; Alexi Murdoch, Sigur Rós, Cocos Lovers, Lunch Money, The Turbans, Alabaster DePlume, Louis Armstrong, Bon Iver, Iron & Wine, Feist, Norah Jones, of Montreal, Bonobo, Fat Freddy's Drop, Chris Smither, Edith Piaf...oh hell, wayyy too many to list! Buskers..
Books/authors-- Anne Lamotte, Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, Laurie Lee, Mary Webb, Cindy Guidry, Kathryn Stockett, Maya Angelou
Movies: Amelie, Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Brothers Bloom, Penelope, Little Miss Sunshine, August Rush, Pretty In Pink, About Time, The Philadelphia Story, Where the Lilies Bloom, Ice Age; only a few shows, The IT Crowd and Friends being top dogs

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Traveling solo in Mongolia with no plan, making it up as I went...much better that way...

Ranchsitting for 10 days in Montana, taking care of a herd of beef cattle, dairy cows, dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, horses, and a couple of pet rats :-) Unending glorious chaos!

Teach, Learn, Share

Well, perhaps the most I know about any one thing is about horses. I grew up riding from before I could walk, so I know my way around a horse, though of course there's endlessly more to learn..currently studying Contact Care Therapy for both humans and horses.. Learning how to help people by releasing trapped bone pressure from surprise impact injuries (we've all had em!) Amazing stuff!! Now returning to NZ to get certified. http://www.contactcare.co.nz/ for more info. Its a very gentle and "safe" therapy, but incredibly powerful and effective to relieve all kinds of injuries and the root causes of disease. I've also just gotten trained & certified in holistic and deep tissue massage (UK- ITEC)
My other major love is sustainable farming & homesteading- organics, permaculture, etc. I'm super-keen to learn how to make cheese, soap, and woolen products, and I can milk goats & cows, take care of chickens, move cattle, chop wood (woohoo! :), much more about foraging, and gardening for what I can't gather. Have now done one permaculture design course--exciting and beautiful!
Still working on learning the guitar, as I've also got my heart set on being a busker someday. Any musicians looking for a vocalist with rudimentary guitar skills? :)
I have a fairly good grasp of the English language, both written and spoken, as it's my first language and I studied it as part of my university degree. I could potentially help with editing papers, speeches, etc.

What I Can Share with Hosts

A love of people, nature, music, travel, and mindful living.
I'm also a decent massage therapist, occasional cook/baker, exceptional dishwasher, competent window washer, and happy to pull weeds or walk dogs in any weather (tho prefer clement :-) Any other ways I can help, just ask- I believe we're all here to help, in one way or another. ;-)
I've done a bit of traveling now and happy to share what I've learned, or better yet listen to what YOU've learned..
Best of all sharing a good shoe-shaking laugh!

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Canada, China, England, France, Greece, Haiti, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Scotland, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, England, New Zealand, United States