I am in the process of moving into a flat in Aberdeen (so new address still to be verified).

PLEASE NOTE: I will not be able to host anyone in August / September due to other commitments.

Basically I am quite a shy person, but am always working to overcome that shyness and interact with other people. I really enjoy seeing new places and meeting new people.

When I was at school I had a teacher who classified people according to Winnie the Pooh characters - she thought I was Rabbit, but I identify more with Eeyore.

At the moment I am having a (very much delayed) gap year, so am up for some new experiences / meeting new friends, etc ;-)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

One of the things I have learned is how wonderful it is to interact with people from different countries and with different backgrounds.

I have friends from all over the world and would be happy to meet more new people and make new friends.

Interests

Travel, good food, reading, crafts (esp card making at the moment ... maybe paper mache next)!
I like to potter in the garden - am not especially green fingered, but I love to connect with nature and watch things grow. Herbal and alternative remedies have always interested me and I am very open to learn more.
I also like animals and as soon as I settle down again I will certainly have some "companion animals". My long term plan is to become a mad cat lady!?!
My latest pastime is comedy. I always loved Monty Python and Billy Connoly. Also Bill Bailey, Jo Brand, Russel Brand, Shappi Khorsandi and Miranda Hart.
My latest crush is the lovely Eddie Izzard ;-)

• animals
• cats
• dining
• cooking
• crafts
• gardening
• reading
• traveling
• guitar
• teaching

Music, Movies, and Books

I love to read. These days I am going more for "light and fluffy". My best loved author these days is Terry Pratchett.
I recently did an online quiz to "describe your taste in music in one word" ... it came up with "Offbeat" and qualified that with "Everyone who knows what you listen to probably has a hard time describing it."
Actually I listen to everything depending on my mood and situation. Some of my faves include: Arlo Guthrie (esp Alice's Restaurant), David Bowie (esp when he was in his Ziggy Stardust phase).

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Since 1999 I have been working with an NGO. I volunteered 1999/2000 at an HIV related project in Zambia. I then worked for several years as a Project Leader for DAPP within the Zambia VCT Partnership. Following that I have been working at a private Collage training international volunteers to go to similar development projects in Africa and India.

Teach, Learn, Share

At the moment I am trying to learn French and to play guitar, so a host who is a kind and gentle teacher of either would be lovely.

Although I am not a qualified English teacher, I have spent a lot of time helping people improve their English language skills through conversation.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I am a quiet person who likes to explore and chat. I can talk about my experiences in Africa and elsewhere. I can also cook Nshima for you (Zambia's staple food), if we can find mealie meal.

As a guest I am clean and tidy ... ok, a little untidy sometimes, but I always like to be considerate.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Cyprus, Denmark, Gambia, Hungary, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, South Africa, United States, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

South Africa, United Kingdom, Zambia