CURRENT MISSION

Slowly heading toward Ireland after a five-month stint in Istanbul

ABOUT ME

Does it say something about me if I find the task of writing "all about me" practically impossible? Here's a list of things about me that might lead to an impression of what I'm like: I was born and raised in Oregon, a beautiful state in the Pacific Northwest. My father is a firefighter and my mother is a teacher. I have three sisters and we all get along very well. I play the saxophone. I study linguistics at Portland State University. I work selling, serving, and teaching about tea at a small company in Portland. I don't own a car, so I bike everywhere when I'm in Portland. I haven't had the chance to travel much, but I've been studying different cultures of the world for as long as I can remember.

PHILOSOPHY

Humility and deference toward people, cultures, and history

Humor is an important way to cope with the strange predicament of being in this endlessly confusing and messy world.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I created my profile recently, so my participation has been minimal, so so far I've been a guest. A place to stay is all I'm looking for, but any chance I've had to get to know my host has illuminated my international experiences. I look forward to acting as a host when I return to Portland.

Interests

People
Languages
Cuisine
Music
Books
Religions
Games
Beverages (tea, coffee, beer, spirits, cocktails)
History

• writing
• books
• acting
• beer
• cocktails
• coffee
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• cycling
• teaching
• emergency services
• history
• languages
• religion

Music, Movies, and Books

Baroque classical, Romantic classical, mid-century jazz, sixties pop, seventies glam, psychedelic rock, krautrock, experimental rock, ambient, singer-songwriter, new wave

Bach, Scott Walker, The Beach Boys, Brian Eno, Talking Heads, Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, T. Rex, Charles Mingus, Serge Gainsbourg, Lee Hazlewood, Tom Waits

Teach, Learn, Share

One of the most important things about traveling (or just leaving my house) is meeting people who challenge and inform the way I think. The reason I prefer Couchsurfing to staying in hotels is that it allows me to learn about a place by getting to know its people. On a simpler level, I am always curious about people’s languages and their experience with language.

Countries I’ve Visited

Mexico, Nicaragua

Countries I’ve Lived In

Turkey