Hello! I'm Ruby.

I am originally from a big city (Minneapolis) and have been traveling on and off for the last two years. I am currently staying in the Bregenzerwald region of Austria and exploring neighboring regions and countries on long weekends. I'm rather sporty but enjoy visiting cities with an interesting blend of history and modern culture.

I love nature, reading, hiking, football, gardening and cycling in particular. I like meeting people, taking care of my environment and just knowing whats going on. Prior to traveling I worked in not-for-profit health organizations for about five years.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I want to meet people with roots in the area. Other travelers can be great people but connecting with locals is different and gives me a better feel for a place. I have Couchsurfed in New Zealand and had very positive experiences.

On the other side, I enjoy meeting people from all over the world (or just from another place in America) and am happy to show you around Minneapolis, or just meet up for a coffee or beer to give tips on the city/state/region.

Interests

I love snowshoeing, hiking, biking and playing and watching football. As much as I like sport I also enjoy recovering :) trying new foods, beer (Minneapolis is known for this) and coffees. I've found in my 30s I am just as likely to stay in and have fun (in Minneapolis I live for game night with my friends), as going out.

Regarding Minneapolis: My neighborhood is known for many breweries and American fusion restaurants, and eateries owned by families from the many immigrant communities that have made Minnesota home. Some are all hype and some delicious, some belonging to a corporate group and some truly independent. I can help you sort them. We also have a great local music scene!

• arts
• books
• street art
• environment
• beer
• coffee
• running
• traveling
• socializing
• live music
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• camping
• sports
• soccer
• history
• languages
• urban exploration
• sleeping
• friendship
• biking
• cities
• making friends
• cycletouring
• good books

Music, Movies, and Books

I read a lot actually. I'd like to hear any recommendations :) I've enjoyed The Reader and Shadow of the Wind

**Minneapolis hosts an awesome international film festival annually in April - it's one of my favorite events and I love volunteering for it :)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Cycling from Porto to Granada with my boyfriend over three weeks. I was a spontaneous trip and we were only mildly fit and ended up wild camping more times than we wanted to due to bad luck or no planning. We did see some amazing nature and tried amazing food while pushing ourselves physically. We came away with many stories and I loved visiting one gorgeous old city after another - Granada was my favorite.

Teach, Learn, Share

I spend a lot of time outdoors and have many suggestions for an active person in Minnesota and the surrounding region. I also know Minneapolis and St. Paul extremely well and usually cycle for transportation in warmer months - I am happy to share and assist with bike trip planning. Minnesota is known for fishing and it's "Lake Country" - if you visit Minneapolis, try to make a day trip up to Duluth and Lake Superior. Sometimes people message me who are intending to move to the area - I can answer questions about neighborhoods- we have a few distinct ones.

I think there are many different "versions" of America as it's very diverse. If you're thinking of visiting I can tell you about the different regions but also things like our national parks, how much driving you might end up doing on a road trip, etc. I also know a few things about Caaanaaaadaaaa - Minnesotans talk nice and slow like Canadians and I've visited many times. I am happy to answer questions about English language or other places I've lived/traveled.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I am a native English speaker and trained to teach English. Don't be shy if you want to practice specific things. I'm also happy to help with things around the house like cleaning, cooking etc. I'm a big fan of making pizzas - it's fun, yummy and makes you seem talented when it's very simple. I'm a flexitarian who can eat pretty much anything and don't mind what you choose to eat.

I am a bit desperate to improve my German.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

New Zealand, United States