CURRENT MISSION

"To travel the world, explore the earth, meet some interesting beings, & discover myself somewhere along the way"

ABOUT ME (& my partner!)

Reppin' the north side of Chicago! I'm a full-time nanny for two precious kids & Paul is a surgical assistant. We are both adventurous, risky, and love to explore new corners of this big city and get out to the country once in a while to recharge. Here's how we're different: I'm the one who picks up food after I drop it on the ground & he's the one cringing in disgust ;)

Both Paul & I are outgoing people, though we obviously have our days. Concerts, music festivals, travel (obviously), food festivals....you get the idea :) I love to cook (oh, do I love to cook!), especially for others. Paul is learning...but I think he prefers to be on the receiving end of my cooking!

Friendships are important to me, and I'm the type who would do anything for a faithful friend.

I have a desire to learn something new everyday and love to hear people's stories of past and current travels/life experiences

PHILOSOPHY

-I live my life to the fullest. I'm not afraid of the unknown.
-I believe that being exposed to different cultures is such an important aspect to life.
-I believe that some of the best experiences in life can not be obtained without engaging in some slightly risky behaviors.
-Education is very important to me, but I believe that the people you meet & experiences you come across in life attribute more to who you are as a person than a standard education ever will. There will always be things that you will never learn sitting behind a desk listening to a lecture.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Hosting CS'ers obviously. Surfing. Giving back to the community through volunteer work.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've done more surfing than hosting, but because I have my own place now I'm trying my best to even that out. All my surfing experiences thus far have been nothing short of fantastic!

Interests

I love to cook! Actually, I just love food in general. Please let me cook something delicious for you! Za'atar roasted chicken with labneh & pomegranate arils? Shakshuka? What about a snow pea & mint pasta with ricotta, braised leeks, and radishes?

I also love to travel & love most things outdoorsy. Hiking, backpacking, camping, paddleboarding, kayaking, rock climbing, rollerblading, trail-running, snowboarding, I'm always down for any it.

If you happen to have a longboard with you, expect Paul to ride with you. If you are interested in learning, expect him to teach you. He is crazy about it!

• concerts
• music festivals
• festivals
• education
• dining
• cooking
• potluck
• running
• traveling
• volunteer work
• music
• hiking
• backpacking
• kayaking
• camping
• snowboarding
• rock climbing
• teaching
• volunteering
• beaches
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: I have a long list...but mostly indie & foreign films (especially Middle Eastern, French, Spanish, & Latin American). Some of my favorites off the top of my head are Rosewater, Candy, The Stoning of Soraya M., Inception, Interstellar, Amelie, Life of Pi, Black Swan, The Diving Bell & the Butterfly, XXY, The Chumscrubber, A Beautiful Mind, Into the Wild, Hotel Rwanda, Blood Diamond, Wristcutters: A Love Story, Slumdog Millionaire, (500) Days of Summer, The Science of Sleep, Precious, The Virgin Suicides & Stay.

Music: Anything from international music to fun to hip-hop to indie. Iron & wine, Jose Gonzalez, Devendra Barnhart, Kendrick Lamar, Yoed Nir, Animal Collective, Death Cab For Cutie, Cat Power, Gold Panda, Jamie xx, Porter Robinson, Amy Winehouse, Purity Ring, Cloud Nothings, Elliot Smith, etc.

Books/Authors: Mostly non-fiction. i really enjoy books about social inequality, public health, & memoirs. A few of my favorites, Sofie's World, The Diving Bell & the Butterfly, Mountains Beyond Mountains, Partner to the Poor, Wild, Brain On Fire, everything I've read by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, On The Road, The Catcher In The Rye, A Million Little Pieces, Grab onto Me Tightly As If I Knew the Way, The Great Gatsby, Brave New World, & Night.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've seen and done too many amazing things to list them all!

My solo road trip to Vermont and New Hampshire during the fall of 2011 was fascinating and beautiful. I took the same trip, and incorporated Maine during the summer of 2013 with my two best friends.

I backpacked northern California from San Francisco to the southern tip of Big Sur, hitchhiked 3 times, and camped on a beach my last night there with a clear view of the milk way above me, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and mountains to the east.

I've seen what extreme poverty looks like in Mexico, eaten huitlacoche and chapulines in side of the road "restaurants" with dirt floors, and explored the caves. I've also seen the skyline of Chicago from a condo on the 62nd floor of a high rise.

There are just too many things over my lifetime I've seen to put it all down...

Teach, Learn, Share

I love cooking, and I would love to pass my knowledge onto others. If you want to learn a thing or two ask ask away!

Paul will happily teach you to longboard!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Delicious food. I will always share my food.

My knowledge of my hometown of Chicago. I will gladly show you around to some of my favorite spots.

My experiences & my stories.

Countries I’ve Visited

Mexico, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States