CURRENT MISSION

Love God. Love people.

ABOUT ME

Hmmmm they would probably say that I am warm, outgoing, tactful, and, like most people on CS, adventurous! I like to make people feel comfortable where they're at and will pursue conversation with them. I also can be quite goofy sometimes, and like to laugh and joke and smile. :)

PHILOSOPHY

I try to live like today could be my last day. I strive to be thankful for what I have, and I definitely look for beauty in all things.

I also am trying to be less selfish. I realize even on my minimal salary, I still have so much more material possession than most people in the world, so I am trying to learn to live with less, to shop less, to spend less. I'm finding it very hard! I still am trying to travel frequently -- probably more than before -- because I want to experience and try to understand different cultures and different ways of living; I want to be less ignorant and more loving of people, however similar to or different from myself.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Meeting you for coffee, surfing your couch, and hopefully letting you surf mine sometime in the future.

When I am surfing with you, you can expect me to adapt to your schedule. When you're up, I'm up; when you leave, I leave. I like to explore where I am, so I have no problem getting outside to do that if you have to be at work or meetings. However, if you want to hang out, I'd like that, too! I'm game for meeting your friends or going out to eat or dance if you like those things. I'm flexible!

A quick note: I loooove parties, but I'm not so into partying, if you know what I mean (it's fine if you are -- I just may not be joining you in it). I also prefer to surf with people who are non-drug users, though I like to meet all kinds of people for coffee/drink/dinner :)

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

1 CS picnic in Prague
1 dinner in Veliko Tarnovo
1 solo couchsurf in Berlin and another in Geneva
1 4-person emergency (and quite successful) couchsurf in Paris
2 different 1-night couchsurfs in Milan
My first hosting experience in Prague
A great dinner and swing dancing with a visiting surfer in Prague
1 night with a host in Gent, 2 with hosts in Brugge, and 3 with a fabulous host in Amsterdam
A SPECTACULAR 80-person couchsurfing bike ride through Holland's tulip fields!
...and counting...

Interests

Beautiful architecture, beautiful parks, the Great Outdoors in general, singing, skiing, cycling, good books, drinking too much coffee, equity and access in education, social justice, challenging myself, learning new things, trying new foods, watching and discussing movies, meeting new people, mentoring young people, sharing life, praising God through it all.

• books
• singing
• architecture
• beauty
• dancing
• swing dancing
• education
• coffee
• picnic
• partying
• drinking
• shopping
• movies
• traveling
• eating out
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• surfing
• bungee jumping
• skiing
• christian
• teaching
• psychology
• religion
• parks
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

There's too many to choose from!

Books: The Lorax, The Giving Tree, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Velvet Elvis, Sense and Sensibility

Music: Folk, folk-rock, and rock. Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Marc Cohn, Rachael Yamagata, Josh Kelley, Coldplay, Missy Higgins, David Cook. (Also a closet Taylor Swift/Rihanna/Kelly Clarkson fan.)

Movies: So many! Always love The Sound of Music :)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Moved to Prague to teach, helped kids get into college in Virginia, sky-dived during college, bungee-jumped in New Zealand. Always LOVE any mountains or blue, blue sea.

One traveling memory that sticks out is wandering around this tiny town Rila in Bulgaria while awaiting a bus to a nearby monastery, and as I am snapping some shots of a house with some beautiful red ivy growing up its wall, the owner comes out and starts talking to me. She is this cute little old lady who doesn't know a lick of English, and I don't know any Bulgarian! But she has a smile on her face and is intent not to drop the conversation. She motions to me to come inside her simple house and to join her for some coffee. Her daughter, who has only a few words of English, joins us and attempts to translate. Before I catch my bus, I am sent away with a sack of apples and nuts for snacking later, and her daughter proudly shows me a beautiful old church in town. It was just the kindest moment of hospitality -- and one whose communication transcended the limits of language.

Teach, Learn, Share

I have decent knowledge of English (thank goodness, I'm teaching it!), psychology and religion (especially Christianity), and singing/musical theatre.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Singapore, Slovakia, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Czech Republic, New Zealand, United States

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