Born and raised in Hawaii but I've lived in the Bay Area, California since 2010. I love traveling, hiking, photography, dancing, camping, cooking, yoga, art (experiencing and producing) and meeting people from all over the world. I am curious about the world and aim to improve myself and the lives around me. I am self-aware and enjoy conversations that expand the mind and heart (and even better if two are connected). I love animals and will probably hug and kiss your pet (if it will let me). Sustainability and Environmentalism have always been close to my heart.

I crave to really know people and I am growing into a better version of myself as I navigate relationships with diverse peoples around me.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I turned 30 in Jan 2016 and realized that I have spent most of my life doing things that just don't nourish me. I don't want to waste another minute of the precious time I have on this planet just doing the things that other people expect of me. I want to create my own path and find my purpose (or maybe I'll realize that there is no purpose to life... who knows). I've been bored and dissatisfied with my life for so long that I've realized that I need to shake things up if I am ever going to be in a place (emotionally, spiritually, psychologically and physically) that really feels purposeful. I realize that this statement is insanely privileged. I'm a white woman from the United States. My "struggle" is mostly that I don't know what I want or need from life. Most people on this planet don't even have that notion in their mindspace because they are just trying to survive.

In October of 2016, I will be starting what I hope will be a year-long journey through South America (finances permitting) volunteering to set up sustainable farms, taking care of animals in sanctuaries, living with indigenous peoples and helping them to promote ecotourism as an alternative to selling their lands to oil companies, providing reforestation in the Amazon Rainforest and learning how to cook local dishes and documenting my process as well as the lives of people I connect with through my photography. I'm hoping to gain some wisdom from those who are living in different circumstances and hopefully, I can repay them through volunteering my time or energy to help them in a way that is most needed. I'm hoping to make life-long friends and to get out of my comfort zone and really experience how more of the world's population lives. I desire to stay in as few hostels as possible so I am able to connect with my hosts and be able to teach each other things that will better our lives.

Interests

• singing
• photography
• music festivals
• dancing
• salsa dancing
• environment
• womens rights
• cooking
• recipes
• paleo diet
• organic food
• yoga
• politics
• reading
• traveling
• music
• live music
• electronic music
• hiking
• camping
• rock climbing
• swimming
• cultural studies
• environmental studies
• ethnic studies
• gender studies
• political science
• solo travel
• budget travel
• travel
• film photography
• learning languages
• health
• learning new things
• feminism
• radio
• learning
• healthy food
• healthy living
• organic gardening
• healthy eating
• healthy lifestyle
• wild camping
• pictures
• public radio
• vegetarian cooking
• politic
• environmentalism
• organics
• ted
• ted talks
• hot springs
• women
• taking pictures
• organic farming
• organic
• street photography
• landscape photography
• npr

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Chile, China, Ecuador, Japan, Mexico, Philippines, Thailand

Countries I’ve Lived In

Chile, United States