RAKKAUS

Laura is a wicked interesting person.....you can say it just from reading her profile. A tremendously unique and original mind. She is also very dedicated to the CS project and ideas behind it. We met shortly at a CS gathering in Greensboro, but I would love to get to know her better, so that i can turn the reference into extremely positive......and I am sure we will have chances in the near future as we are now Neighbors. It was meeting you!

Laura prepared some delicious fish and was the organizing force behind my first CS gathering. Her willingness to provide tasty food and her excitement about CS means shes OK in my book. Unfortunately we didn't have enough time as I would have liked to converse, but as she has already pointed out, there are more local meeting to come. I look forward to it.

Laura is a great person and a great ambassador. She answered all my questions and was extremely friendly. I would definitely host her or any person referred by her.

Wow. There are at least a hundred descriptions you could use to describe Laura. Kind, sweet, considerate, intelligent....
You can tell instantly she has a very loving soul. I could go on and on. It is apparent she cares deeply of any and all living things. However, it really isn't necessary to say anything other than my cat, Puff, loved her within seconds of meeting her! Like Laura says, if you don't understand cats, you may not understand that statement, but, TRUST me, it speaks very, very highly of her!
I feel honored to have met her and hope it will be the beginning of a long friendship.

Laura showed up as ambassador for the GSO are CS group and helped set up for the trend area of this big home furnishings event that is internationally known. The media group at CS had pretty much left her without much support- perhaps this was my fault for not explaining to CS what this event was exactly, but Laura came and worked to get it put together. Then she came during the event several days on her own quarter and worked in the trend area to explain to visitors about the CS mission. Plus she got some great deals on sample furniture after the show so her place is going to rock- I know this one sectional sofa she bought is from the company of a good fried and he is like out there, a hot bear (my type!) and very creative Losangelino. His stuff is best described as Bordello Chic. I think Laura has a hidden wild side to like his creations! I may have seen part of her wild side at one party on the dance floor.

Wow, I can't possibly match the glowing reference Laura wrote me! However, I can say that she's nice, a good conversationalist,has great stories to tell, and is adventurous with her food choices. Time spent with Laura is time well-spent.

Sweet girl, with a scary amount of knowledge. Definitely fun to converse and watch the world with. Hope to meet again over some of her cooking and deal with my invincible defeat.

Laura was instrumental in organizing a picnic for the Couch Surfers in our area, and we are glad she did. She made sure we all felt welcomed, and showed a genuine interest in each of us. I hope we can spend more time together.

Our time was brief but had a few minutes to talk at the picnic. i just wished i could have stayed longer

Laura is very an outgoing person, that has a great personality and made me feel very welcomed. I had a great time meeting and getting to know everybody. And the food was great too!

What a package full of energy! Rakkaus organized and hosted a CS picnic for the NC Triad during and after promoting CS at a week-long trade show! She is a great ambassador for CS in the Triad. We are looking forward to hosting her in Asheville.

Laura was my first introduction to the southern hospitality I'd heard of. A greeting with a warm hug, and a cosy friendliness was enough to confirm the truths. A wiz in the kitchen, with a few tasty recipes from the south hidden up her sleeves. Good times, and happy laughs abound. A true champion

Laura and I met at mata's house. She was very kind and sweet! We made dinner together! haha; actually, she was the cook. and I was... assistant^^. All of us liked her food so much. It was fantastic! Good luck to your travel! thank you

I want Laura to make me her apprentice or something - she turned two of my not-most-favorite things (cooking, and asparagus) into wonderful experiences, and we had a lot fun making dinner for the group on Sunday night. Wandering around grocery stores or sitting in teahouses for hours with her is never dull, because she has such a keen understanding of food and nutrition and loves to share this knowledge. I hope that all of the fine cheeses that you bought make it back safely with you, and I hope that we get to hang out again on either the east or west coast!

Update: I visited Laura in NC for Memorial Day, and she devoted a lot of time to making all the arrangements! It was great to see her again, meet some of her friends, and get a real taste of southern hospitality :)

I only had a brief chat with Laura before heading into a restaurant, but she was very nice and genuine. Hopefully we'll be able to meet again for a bit longer.

I met Laura at a CS dinner the other night and had such a good time! She’s really nice, we had a great time posing in pics with our waiter, and she totally impressed me with her math skills by successfully splitting up the check for our huge group. : ) I hope we meet up again.

Wow! Laura was too kind in her reference to me, but thank you. We had great dinner conversation and I think her positive outlook and adventurous spirit should qualify her as an honorary Seattlite! Great to meet you!

Laura is a cool chick, likes to have a good time and has some interesting stories. Someone you can have fun with.

Laura is great at cohercing you into doing things you wouldn't normally do and having a great time. She was a lot of fun and I definitely plan to surf with her whenever I am in NC, or hang out with her when she comes to Seattle for good!

Laura is another great example of the caring and communal element in this realm o' couch surfing. Not only did she clue me into a couch surfing party that night, but she and her friend drove me there w00t!

We talked a bit on the way back up to Queen Anne and I found her to be a very caring and tender soul. Definitely hope to see her again, be well!

Though I hope we continue to run into each other, I've greatly enjoyed meeting Laura in Greensboro. She is a very thoughtful, kind and intelligent woman - the type of person it's good to have nearby, possibly on your couch. I hope we see each other a few more times before I move out!

Greensboro is very-very lucky to have her as the Ambassador!!! She is extremely well traveled and has an amazing personality and smile! We totally enjoyed talking and laughing with her! We are already looking forward to seeing her again soon!!! It is people like Laura that is helping CS be the best travel community on the web!!! We are truly thankful to Laura for all that she does!!!

Laura is the perfect CS host. We went to the local G'boro meeting, had dinner and talked the night away with other Surfers. I have never had five hours go by so fast. If you are lucky enough to stay with her maybe she'll let you meet her cat, but only if you're lucky.

If you like hot tea this is the place to be!

Laura is kind, helpful and informative.

Laura and Bob are great hosts. She went to great lengths to set-up for me to arrive, in fact, she put more effort into than i did. We went out to eat and talked and had tea.

Laura invited me to my first couch. She and Bob spent a lot of time with me and I felt so much at home. We cooked together, had a lot of tea and maple syrup and molasses and fudge ..., visited interesting places and she gave me many valuable tips helping me to find my way for future traveling - and also to understand the culture of another country. We had really intensive conversations. I am really happy that I met her, thank you so much.

The one person i have met who has perfect olfaction and perfect gustation like a composer has perfect pitch.

I met her at the couchsurfing meeting in my town. It was her birthday and let me tell you, she does not look her age. She has this youthful air about her and she was very kind. I was encouraged not to drink when I saw her drinking water (hopefully, it was water, lol, jk) at the bar. Otherwise, I would have felt pressured to order something when I don't really enjoy alcohol.

A fellow city dweller with a passion for foreign flicks. She is a great gal with a bunch of fun stories about traveling adventures and a flare for people. Easy to talk to and fun to hang out with.

Laura was a joy. She was very open and I loved hearing her stories about her CS experience. She’s very easy to talk to and I was so excited to celebrate her birthday with her. I can’t wait until we see each other again and I look forward to our monthly meetings and movie nights.

Laura rocks! She makes it very easy to get to know her and is very pleasant, intelligent and friendly. She is very clever in perception and expression and adds much insight, color and flavor to conversations. I'm looking forward to having many facinating conversations with her.

laura was very chill and had a lot of stories to chare with the group. it was a lot of fun having her there and i look forward to seeing her tues. for movies and next month for the second greensboro meeting.

rakkaus is my little sister, so I have known her for her entire life!
My baby sister is an excellent host and guest. As a guest she is quiet and non-intrusive. She loves animals, and they all seem to fall in love with her at first sight. As a host, she introduced me to a variety of new foods and experiences, including my new favorite - thai tea. She is an excellent choice for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian guests, and if you enjoy eating out she can point you in the direction of some great restaurants. If you prefer to prepare your own food, she can tell you where to find the best and freshest ingredients from any type of market - organic, asian, african and more. She loves music and has introduced me to a variety of independent and foreign films.

After watching her plummet to a certain death (I thought) during our first week of meeting, she has managed to take over the first floor of my house where we live in relative peace. She has the most beautiful cat in the world (just ask, she'll be happy to tell you) who rules the house with an iron paw. I have a pantry or rather had. I am now relegated to 2 shelves that I haven't filled while her spice collection has taken over the right half of it and has spilled into my half where my meager possessions huddle in fear. She is one of the most generous people you will ever meet and always manages to give far more than you would ever expect. Her cooking is wonderful and you would be better off paying her than going to most restaurants. She remembers almost everything you don't want her to so best not to tell her if you don't want it to come back to haunt you. She'll also remember things that you said without thinking and will surprise you by answering a request you didn't know you made. She has lots of friends and people adore her so you best be nice 'cause we're very protective :)

Laura is one of a kind. Quite an interesting person. She's got a sharp brain and isn't afraid to admit it or engage in friendly debate. We had a fun night beginning with balderdash to cutting the rug at a dance party to late night deep conversation.

Laura was my first CS experience, and provided a comfortable, friendly introduction. She is very thoughtful and intelligent. She makes a mean banana pancake and hordes tea, just like me. She spent time with my friend and me during our entire visit. Sorry for the late recommendation, but thank you, Laura.

Anyone should take the opportunity to stay at Laura's home or share her company wherever you are. She is worth changing your plans and traveling a longer distance to meet. You must experience food with this lady, she will open up your senses!

laura is generally hospitable and friendly. when i came to town, she was willing to spend the day with me and have me torture her with my stunning personality. she helped me become familiar with the town, as that was my goal, and she offered more than a couch, which is great. we had some personality conflicts, but i don't feel that she is generally an evil person, and i admit i wasn't feeling very calm during my trip, in general. her roomate is an older guy who acts like a monkey if you request it, and its pretty awesome, that's probably worth some kind of experience, if you're into it. thanks.....

Laura is a very interesting young lady! We met at salsa lessons, and I must say I am looking forward to getting to know her better. She is very kind, super intelligent, and she has a very insightful out look that everyone can learn from. Lovely meeting you Laura!

Laura was a wonderful host. Best banana pancakes this side of the Mississippi. Thanks for letting us crash!

First of all, she read my mind :-)) I was just about to contact her when she asked me how I'm doing in Greensboro!! This tells a lot about her awareness of her surroundings and her care for people!! We spent a very nice evening together, and I hope there's more to come, cos I'd love to have more fun conversations with her and get to know her better.. She is easy and complex at the same time--in the best combination!

Laura is a very pleasant person. We are only acquaintances but definitely get along well with each other. I have been on CouchSurfing for one day and she is my first friend :-D

Laura and Bob are two amazing individuals; they are both highly intelligent and have great senses of humor. Their kindness and genuine care are phenomenal. They will defiantly teach you a thing or two. Laura is also an incredible roll model and has given me advice and inspiration that will significantly improve the rest of my life (I can supply 2 pages of statistics and a unicorn to prove this =D).

Laura was a great host. She showed me all around the interesting parts of town, took me out to a great "fake meat" veggie restaurant, and put me up. She also introduced me to The Walrus and his band, which we won't forget any time soon. ;-) Very sweet and helpful host.