CURRENT MISSION

Live!

ABOUT ME

My interests are very diverse, embracing music, literature, philosophy and foods as entry points into cultures of the world.

I love traveling, music, reading and genealogy, among other things.

I am a native New Yorker living in San Diego. I've lived in various parts of the US and I enjoy travel. I moved here for more sunshine, both literal and figurative. Cambridge, Massachusetts, was my home for many years, and I enjoyed raising my children there. My work was primarily in libraries, although, among other things, I was a realtor for a short, bizarre time period.

My professional work developed into a specialization in the revitalizing of under-used and under-served libraries in ethnically and economically diverse communities. Through these experiences, I've had the pleasure and privilege of meeting and befriending people from many countries and backgrounds. My work has meshed seamlessly with my political outlook and my other interests.

PHILOSOPHY

As a sometimes peace activist, I envision a class-free society, a society based on mutual respect, interest and curiosity; a world not based on the profit motive; a world where people are not consumer goods. I believe in love, family, and friendship. I believe in keeping an open mind, in respecting nature. Life is precious and we should all have the means to enjoy it to its fullest.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Although I cannot host at my home these days, I am always happy to meet people for sightseeing, coffee or dinner. I have enjoyed surfing when traveling.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have surfed in Ukraine, Lithuania,Denmark, Germany and Netherlands and have hosted many interesting people here in San Diego. This is a great way to meet people in and from other states and countries. I might never have experienced the Rotterdam canal houseboat if it hadn't been for couchsurfing.

Interests

Having been a Spanish major, I've maintained a lifelong fascination with languages. My Spanish is still passable and my French has been deemed "intermediate" by a French person. My Chinese is rudimentary--a sense of humor will get you through some serious language gaffes! Recently, I've started learning some German. I am always looking for opportunities to practice these languages and to learn others. Thinking about a trip to Greece, so maybe I'll get some Greek tapes.

I love to meet new people and learn about their lives. I'm particularly interested in places/spaces that are cultural crossroads, where cultures overlap and sometimes reinvent themselves.

Other interests include history, especially Chinese history. I loved my 3 visits to China, where my interest in Chinese brush painting was stimulated.

Another big interest is music, both listening and performing. A long-time flute player and folk singer (with guitar),I look for folks to make music with.I also love world music, especially Indian, Japanese, Tex-Mex, Chinese, bluegrass, labor and blues ballads and Irish dance music, to name a few. I have done quite a bit of international folk dancing too.

Sailing is a new interest. Being out on the water with only the sound of your friends, the wind, the water's gentle lapping and the barking of seals is both peaceful and exhilarating.

Travels so far have included 3 trips to China. I've lived in Mexico City as a student and bummed around Europe with my sisters when we were in our twenties. I've also enjoyed driving around the US, discovering the quirkiness of our small towns and the grandeur of the West. (Are those rock formations REALLY not human made?)

Going to art galleries and museums, exploring neighborhoods, taking late night drives spontaneously,trying new restaurants, and doing yoga and meditation are other interests.

Of course, the most interesting things to me are family and friends, including my husband, 2 children, 3 grandchildren and 4 sisters.

• arts
• writing
• books
• literature
• dancing
• folk dancing
• coffee
• yoga
• meditation
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• painting
• music
• guitar
• blues
• dance music
• world music
• surfing
• sailing
• genealogy
• history
• languages
• sightseeing

Music, Movies, and Books

Movie tastes are non-patterned, although I tend toward foreign films, psychological dramas, insanely funny flicks and historical films. I particularly love the Chinese director Zhang Yimou.

My reading is all over the place. I like travel narratives....a few of the memorable ones are "Hokkaido Highway Blues" (a young Canadian teacher's year teaching in Japan); "Ultimate journey" (an American journalist's spiritual quest in China); I enjoy the writings of Jared Diamond ("Collapse"); "Awakening the Buddha within"; Pema Chodron's "Comfortable with uncertainty".

Music: Mozart (esp. the Concerto for flute and harp), Bach, Haydn, Corelli, Bob Dylan, Leadbelly, Eric Andersen, bluegrass, Tex-Mex, sitar music, music for classical Chinese flute (dizi), Tom Paxton.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I stood on the Great Wall of China and felt I was gazing out at eternity.

I am the first person in my family to visit Ukmerge, Lithuania, since my grandfather left there over 100 years ago.

I know that giving birth is anything but unique, but it felt totally amazing to me!!

Teach, Learn, Share

I want to learn German and Chinese, having only a minimal knowledge of both and would enjoy practicing with other travelers. Would also like to improve my Spanish, which is getting rusty.

A local book group to discuss travel writing might be fun.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Mexico, United States

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