CURRENT MISSION

embracing every moment. life is too short!

ABOUT ME

I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world. -- (read this quote on a restaurant wall once and it's so true) -- I honestly believe something changes inside all of us when we travel... when we are open to adventure, new cultures, and meeting new people different than ourselves. Awesome.
......

From the States.
Moved to London to work (6 months) in 2008.
Always finding an excuse to travel. :)

In addition to working abroad, I have worked in areas such as radio, advertising, event planning, sports administration, and higher education.

I grew up in a small town (700 people) and I appreciate where I came from, but I enjoy the big city life as well (specifically London). I'm friendly, open-minded, curious, and easily distracted. Meeting new people with diverse backgrounds/experiences is probably my favorite thing... so if you think we should be friends and/or have something to learn from each other, send me a message.

Cheers,
Ash :)

PHILOSOPHY

via Emerson:

(on living without regrets/worries):
Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.

(on life & success):
To laugh often and love much;
to win the respect of intellingent persons and the affection of children;
to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty;
to find the best in others;
to give of one's self;
to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation;
to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived - this is to have succeeded."

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Open to new friends. Always evolving.

Interests

-photography
-MUSIC
-people-watching
-sports (both playing and watching)
-dancing
-random (and often useless) facts
-running
-being indecisive
-travel (obviously)
-surfing
-musical theatre
-laughing
-making others laugh
-discovering
-random magazines
-pretending to know what I'm talking about :)
-trying new food/wine
-small towns
-windmills
-smiling

• books
• photography
• beauty
• dancing
• education
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• yoga
• running
• meditation
• gardening
• movies
• traveling
• music
• guitar
• piano
• surfing
• scuba diving
• bungee jumping
• sports
• basketball
• teaching
• history
• sign language
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Music (I love almost any music. And I especially love live music):
Adele, The Fray, Louis Armstrong, Ben Folds, Nelly, Michael Jackson, Lily Allen, Jason Mraz, Phil Collins, The Beatles, Coldplay, John Mellencamp, 80s, Billy Joel, Brooks & Dunn, Michael Buble, Gary Go, Eric Hutchingson, Counting Crows, Elton John, Paolo Nutini, James Morrison, David Gray, Belle & Sebastian, Amy MacDonald.

Movies:
Tommy Boy, Love Actually, Billy Madison, Caddy Shack, Newsies, Field of Dreams, The Replacements, A League of Their Own, The Holiday, Hoosiers, Ocean's 11, Anchorman, Indiana Jones, It's a Wonderful Life, Monsters Inc.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

The coolest thing I've ever done was definitely moving abroad by myself. I enjoy traveling with friends/families and sharing experiences with them, but there's just something about independent travel... the freedom, the empowerment. Moving to London with no job and no accommodation, and then making it on my own was pretty amazing.

Also...
-Surfing (Tamarindo, Costa Rica)
-Mission work (Appalachian Mountains)
-Feeding sting rays (The Bahamas)
-Bungee jumping (Tennessee)
-Teaching (London, England)
-White Water Rafting (Austria)
-Sky Diving (O'ahu, Hawai'i)

Teach, Learn, Share

Skills/Knowledge I can share:
-yoga
-meditation
-piano
-studying abroad
-working abroad
-communication studies
-growing up in a small Midwest town
-milking a cow
-basketball jumpshot

What I want to learn:
-EVERYTHING!
-photography
-guitar
-cooking
-Spanish
-sign language
-history (of any kind)

I also wish to exchange recommendations on:
-movies
-books
-music
-travel destinations

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Cayman Islands, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, Fiji, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United Kingdom, United States

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