CURRENT MISSION

Create Spaces for Sustainable Wellbeing for People & Planet - current task: find my own grounding in the world

ABOUT ME

I grew up in a small seaside town called Ballycastle on the north east coast of Northern Ireland. The land and people there have shaped much of who I am today. I spent most of my younger years outside of school at Corrymeela, an international peace & reconciliation centre where both my parents worked. I later volunteered there for a year in between high school and university.

I am pretty easy going and value friendship, fun and compassion.

I love to travel and have been fortunate enough to have had numerous opportunities to explore various corners of the globe.

My last 2 years have been spent in Belfast Northern Ireland working for a Conflict Management Training organization and coordinating a social, economic and environmental sustainability networking initiative.

My next 6 months will be spent working on a sustainability youth leadership programme in China, then 2 months in Seattle USA, before heading to Guatemala to teach English at an after schools programme outside Antigua. I am excited to have space to breath, write and wander.

PHILOSOPHY

Pretty simple. Be the change you wish to see in the world. For me right now this is about balancing 4 things - individual power to create and express with love for our interdependence and connection to the whole. And space and time to change, evolve and be creative with enough structure to provide direction, shape and purpose.

I think couch surfing is about being the change for sustainable communities in this way by connecting individuals who are traveling to whole communities abroad. While the website provides enough of a framework for people to organize while being totally creative in the experiences they create.

我为什么加入 Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am such a fledgling surfer right now. So I guess my main contribution is that I am spreading the word to friends around the world, support the idea whole heartedly and am trusting the process preparing to take my 1st leap onto a couch.So, as I am on the road, I guess I am participating by receiving just now.

Hopefully I can make some new connection and return the generosity and more when I return home.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

What kinds of CouchSurfing experiences have you had in your lifetime? You can briefly discuss the types you enjoyed most, or maybe even relate a story!

Though I am a newbie to official couch surfing I feel like the gift hosting, both in giving and receiving, has characterized much of life. Being a part of an international community involved in peace and reconciliation combined with living with a Swede and 2 Americans over the last 2 years in Belfast has meant that our spare room, sofas and floors have rarely been without at least 1 occupant! It’s a wonderful thing to provide a little sense of home for people who are otherwise enjoying being blown with the wind. A cup of something, a good meal, conversation and a warm bed go a long way to fill the soul. So couch surfing already feels like an old friend.

I certainly feel fortunate that most of my accommodation and connections on my travels in the world so far fit the CS mould - staying with friends, or friends of friends wherever they can fit me. I think this speaks to the beautiful generosity that exists in people all across the world. And its way more fun! I personally feel that staying with locals is the best way to get a sense of what a place is really like beneath all the tourist sites and guide book gloss. As I set out on my own travels once more I am excited to join the CS community – to see where it leads me over the next 5 months and then to open up my house on my return home. I also will hopefully be able to write about a real CS experience!

兴趣

Ha! So much.
Maybe an easy way to summarize this is that at both a personal and professional level I am interested in cultivating wellbeing.

I love spending time outdoors doing just about anything, photography, cooking, juggling, dabbling in yoga, and sharing time with friends.

At a more professional level by background is in conflict management and I am particularly interested in how we transition to sustainable economy and create green pathways out of poverty.

• books
• photography
• cooking
• recipes
• yoga
• traveling
• juggling
• outdoor activities
• surfing
• tourism

音乐、电影和书籍

Hmm music, love it. Whilst traveling I am down to the bare bones so I guess that shows what I really like – Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Ben Harper, Jurassic 5, Beastie Boys, Foy Vance, Lowly Knights, Regina Specktor, Ray LaMontange, a bunch of historic speeches, Saul Williams, Xavier Rudd and Ludovico Enduai (a very regular play for me right now). There, that will do for now. How long is a piece of string. Oh, I also love messing around with body percussion.

Books – Recently I have been reading a huge amount of nonfiction and poetry. Out of that lot if I was going to recommend 3 books I pick up regularly they would be – Van Jones: The Green Collar Economy, Adam Kahane: Power and Love, and a collection of poems called 101 poems of love and redemption. I am also really enjoying audio books, just finished Dan Browns Lost Symbol.

Movies…I enjoy movies a lot but I am not one for watching them over and over again. I like a smart thriller. I am not a big TV person either but I did just watch the 1st series of the Wire and really enjoyed it. I tend to watch a lot more lectures - ted, fora.tv etc - or people being wonderfully creative online – check out saul williams: children of the night or the beatbox flute of inspector gadget. I love the at kinda stuff.

我做过的一件不可思议的事情

I have kayaked with Orca Whales in the Puget Sound just north of Seattle. Amazing!

教，学，和分享

I can happily teach some conflict mediation skills. Juggling. A few awesome cooking recipes. Slacklining. English.

我游览过的国家

Tanzania, United States

我居住过的国家

United Kingdom

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