I like thoughtful conversation even though I understand that small talk sometimes can't be avoided. There is also a place for silence, and I don't want to talk endlessly just to fill the space between us. I have a healthy dose of sarcasm and cynicism inside of me, but I don’t give this side of me out when I first meet people unless they start with it.

The best decision I ever made was to quit my job in my 20s, get rid of my possessions, and set out to see the world. I saved my pennies for some years and started with a road trip in the States because I thought about how many of us leave our home countries when we want to travel, but the States is so massive, and beautiful, and diverse. I went wherever the wind blew me and that road trip lasted 1.5 years. Then, I moved to Australia for a year, worked in Antarctica for seven months, and have done lots of other solo travels that have helped me figure out who I am and who I want to be.

I used to be a shy person who didn't like going places alone. After so much solo traveling, I can go into any situation by myself now. Using Couchsurfing during these travels opened my eyes to more than just the generic tourist version of travel and helped me make some wonderful friends.

Taking salsa lessons in my 20s is another thing that changed my life for the better. Salsa dancing is what gives me the most joy consistently. I'm amazed at the pure happiness I feel being whipped around the dance floor. Contra and line dancing are also a beautiful rush. And having recently taken west coast swing lessons, I think it might just be that mastering a dance skill is amazing for my joy.

I love language. Everything about it. That we can utter a series of sounds to convey meaning. That people in different parts of the world came up with a completely different series of sounds to convey the same meaning. The play on words. The feel of some words as they roll off the tongue. One of my favorite words to say is parapluie in French.

Delicious food is another of my loves. I like going out of my way to find a restaurant that has great reviews and interesting food rather than eat at a boring and bland place. I also love creating something tasty with my own cooking skills.

I will always choose mountains over the beach. I didn’t grow up hiking and finally got into it on the road trip around the States. I discovered that I love being outside in nature and so visited a lot of national parks around the country. I also lived near Yosemite National park for a summer and made sure I went hiking in the park every week. Climbing up high to see the view from the top of a mountain is my kind of type two fun.

I've largely removed myself from convenience consumerism and try my best not to produce a large amount of waste. If I think I need something, I try to borrow it from someone or see if I can make do in some other way. If something breaks, I try to fix it before buying a new one. I've gotten my clothes at thrift stores for half of my life, but I rarely spend money on clothes now. Instead I go to clothing swaps and make do with what I have.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

People who share and open their homes are a special breed. We know the world can be a shit show, but just as much as I believe in the bad in the world, I firmly believe in the good.

At the end of the day, visiting new places is a lot of the same idea. See the sights, eat the food. And those are fun things to do, but it's always been so much better to visit a place and meet people who are from there. After my couchsurfing experiences, visiting new places in the generic tourist version was never enough.

Interests

I like to do things in the company of good people. I enjoy all of the following and many other activities in between:

• salsa dancing
• gardening
• live music
• cycling
• hiking
• languages
• volunteering
• learning
• delicious food
• sustainable living
• puns
• discovering street murals
• deep belly laughter

Music, Movies, and Books

Books! I read everything I could get my hands on as a kid. My favorite genres were Adventure/Sci-Fi/Fantasy. I still enjoy those and nowadays bounce between fiction and memoirs.

I grew up on 90s Hip Hop and RnB, so that music will always hold a spot in my heart. Now I like listening to most genres.

I was one of those kids that could tell what time it was by what was on TV, I watched it that much. I still like it, but I know I'll get sucked in, so I now view TV and movies as a social activity. Down to watch something with friends and only a little on my own. Comedies, stand up, documentaries, nature, and cooking shows are some of my favorites.

What I Can Share with Hosts

All of the conversation or silence; your preference. Respect for your place and cleaning up after myself. Travel stories. Laughter. Cooking.

I LEAVE REFERENCES! They are the foundation of knowing which strangers are worth trusting in this sort of exchange.

Countries I’ve Lived In

Antarctica, Australia, United Kingdom, United States

•