CURRENT MISSION

Explore. Laugh. Read. Enjoy. Learn. Dance. Live. Yoga.

ABOUT ME

Most people say that I'm sweet and smiley. I would like to say they're right... plus sarcastic :) I'm quite outgoing and open to new adventures. I adapt well to new locations. I travel whenever and wherever I can.

I like to walk around a lot (wander about). I like earrings. I like coffee (espresso, of course). I like to chat but also enjoy quiet, especially in nature. I really love to read. I like colors, especially red. I like practicing yoga. I enjoy well-balanced people, meaning those with various interests. I like teddy bears and cuddly cats.

I don't like rude people or complainers. I don't like traffic, smog and car horns. I don't like bureaucracy (minus one point for Italy). I can't stand close-mindedness, racism, anti-immigration, or anti-gay. I don't like being too attached to technology.

I love to bake. I love to dance. I love wine and good beer and also to eat... which is part of why my heart is in Italy! I love laughing, connecting with others, and understanding people's different personalities and ways of life.

PHILOSOPHY

Live your life- don´t sit around waiting for something great to happen.

Instead of complaining, reflect on something positive that you have in your life and then remember how lucky you really are.

Getting married does not automatically halt adventures or travels! How people live their individual lives is a choice. Yes, I speak from experience. . .

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I surf when I travel, try to host when I can and do random CS meet ups for drinks, movies, dinner, meetings...

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Surfed my first 10 days in Santiago, Chile while I looked for an apartment in 2009 and I've surfed while traveling ever since: Buenos Aires, France: Aix-en-Provence, Arles, Avignon, Grenoble, Toulouse, Paris, Barcelona, unofficially in the Western Balkans, the US (Chicago), Mexico: Oaxaca, Chiapas, Barcelona, Germany: Berlin and Hamburg, Ireland: Dublin and Galway... In Italy the list continues: Desenzano, Bologna, Cuneo, Urbino, Perugia, Palermo, Catania, Treviso, Torino...

In Milan we hosted a lot, but mostly unofficial CS or last minute.

I love re-meeting my hosts or CS friends in other countries!

Interests

Food! languages, baking, cultures, dancing and learning new kinds of dance, reading, maps, wine and beer, painting, cats, nature, spices and hot spice, museums, christmas lights, watching movies, trying new foods and drinks, friends.

Also what I have termed as "wine-adventuring" which includes touring and walking vineyards/wineries/cellars as well as seeing, smelling, tasting, feeling, enjoying, learning about and from wine.

My "intellectual" passions lie in immigration, labor markets, social/financial inclusion, survey methodologies, data analysis, and program evaluation.

• cats
• dancing
• dining
• wine
• beer
• coffee
• baking
• yoga
• walking
• drinking
• technology
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• painting
• hiking
• camping
• swimming
• cartography
• languages
• hitchhiking

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Waking up and living life.

Staying one night (by chance through a crazy chain of events) with an incredibly hospitable family in a tiny mountain village in the north of Albania, eating home-grown foods, (attempting to) play the local flute, and just laughing and enjoying ourselves.

I'd definitely also recommend seeing Machu Picchu, St. Peter's Basilica, La Alhambra, hiking Mt. Etna, swimming in cenotes in Mexico, and Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach: Baking! cookies, cakes, cupcakes, sweet breads, I love them all and love to bake. Also I can help you with languages but have to admit I don't love speaking English.

Learn: Any new subject. I've always wanted to learn how to play the mini-harp. I'm interested in learning about poverty reduction strategies, labor markets, integration.

Currently I'm attempting to learn to play the Irish whistle and also learn German. Any help here would be GREATLY appreciated!

Share: Great Food. Yoga. Wine. Beer. Dessert. Languages. Dancing. Walking or Wandering. Hitchhiking. Trips. Sarcasm. Fruit and Vegetables. Camping. Adventures. Being nice.

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, England, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Northern Ireland, Peru, Scotland, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Chile, England, Germany, Italy, Macedonia, Mexico, Spain, United States

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