CURRENT MISSION

exploring cities and trying to pick one to move to!

ABOUT ME

I work in the airline industry and get to fly on most domestic air carriers FOR FREE! Life rulez.

I am currently working on an online masters degree in Humanities.

I love reading. I am a very, very curious person and spend a ton of my free time on wikipedia!

My heart is filled with music. I will talk your ear off about my favorite stuff to listen to, and probably offer to make you a mix tape!

PHILOSOPHY

Have fun! Stay healthy! Help out others when you can!

Practice compassion and an attitude of gratitude.

I have always wanted to get "altruism" tatoo'd on my knuckles...still workin up the guts, but its a perfect fit!

Namaste!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am a kind, compassionate, friendly person. I enjoy hosting travelers I am always willing to take new people under my wing and show them the ropes. I am a very gracious guest, and an awesome travel companion!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have couch surfed all over the United States and met some of the most incredible people! But here is one of my favorite stories:

I needed to travel to Austin for a job interview. I had very little money which was spent on a last minute plane ticket for the interview. I couldn't afford to stay in a hotel, and decided to use couchsurfing.org. I contacted three different hosts to stay with...each in a different part of town, so I could get a feel for the city and decide if I definitely wanted to re-locate there, if I was offered the job. My hosts were amazing. The first one picked me up from the airport and brought me all over Austin so I could see the very best of the city. My next host woke up FIRST THING in the morning with me, cooked me breakfast, practiced interview questions with me, and gave me a ride to my job interview! My third host gave me a very unique tour of Austin, introduced me to a TON of new friends, and then brought me back to the airport the next day when I had to go home.

I ended up getting the job in Austin, and when it was time to move there, I was able to reconnect with the people from this site who had helped me, so I had some friends as soon as I got into town! yay!

This site is a very refreshing reminder that there are so many wonderful people in this world who go out of their way to help one another out.

Interests

bicycles, reading, feminism, flying, music, museums, arts and crafts, traveling, train rides, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, folk art, nomads, eastern healing, graffiti, the twilight zone, lawn ornaments, books, psychics, travel writing,

• arts
• humanities
• writing
• books
• womens rights
• breakfast
• crafts
• flying
• reading
• traveling
• music
• hiking
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: lots of old rag-time era jazz, vaudeville folk, Appalachian bluegrass, some whiney college rock, Brazillian bossa nova, 1950's beach party music...oh I am only getting started!

Movies: typically comedies...both light and dark. also some drama and foreign films as well!

Books: travel, humor, contemporary non-fiction, current events

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I really wanted to have that "post college life-changing experience" that so many young people around my age have. You know...where they go off and have a wayfaring journey while doing something fulfilling like teach English for a year on the other side of the world, or build homes or schools in a third world country, climb Everest, hike the Appalachian trail, work on an organic farm, go back packing forever, etc. I tried to join the Peace Corps, but did not pass their dental exam and at the time, did not have the proper health insurance to get the necessary procedures done in order to qualify for service. I looked into teaching and volunteering abroad but simply was not in the proper financial posiiton to pull it off.

But I was still eager to have a fulfilling and worthwhile experience where I got to travel and gain some unique perspective.

So...I became a flight attendant! It was my "post college life-changing experience" where I got to see a lot of different places, become enlightened by the suffering I encountered, inspire people, gain exposure to a lot of different cultures, break language barriers, learn patience, understanding, and compassion. Maybe not exactly like joining the peace corps, or teaching English abroad, but certainly still relevant, and comparable! Currently working on a book about my experiences.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach understanding and empathy, and bridging cultural gaps.

I've spent time in a lot of different US cities and regions! I will tell you all about my favorites, and what to do when you are there!

I can be a bit of an airline geek and can give lots of tips on last minute/stand by travel and what to do if you get stuck in an airport!

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Netherlands, United States

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