CURRENT MISSION

I have taken a year's unpaid leave to travel and to think about what to do next with my life...I love my job but feel it's perhaps time for a major change - ???

ABOUT ME

I'm the mother of four grown up children - the youngest is now nearly 19 - and for all sorts of reasons am now taking a temporary break from work and the hamster wheel. I have a really rewarding job as a teacher of children with additional support needs but have decided to step back from it for a while and think about what's next in my life....my employer operates a scheme whereby my job is held open for me to return to for up to 2 years, so it seemed like a no-brainer to take some time out to travel, meet new people and do some thinking. Life is short! - so I'm trying to open myself up to all sorts of new experiences while I trot round (parts of) the globe....

PHILOSOPHY

hmmm....tricky bit, this....someone once said that it's the things you didn't do in life that you regret, not the things you DID do....so at the moment, while I have stepped temporarily off the hamster wheel, I'd like to think that I'm just going to go for it, whatever and wherever it is...I also believe quite strongly that we make our own happiness, so I'm trying to make mine

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm new to CS and hope initially to do some surfing in Finland and perhaps Norway...maybe in Canada, the States and Australia later in the year too? Once I'm back more or less permanently in my home in Scotland (early 2012) I'd like to do some hosting from time to time.

Interests

Travelling...walking...reading...eating...drinking...talking

• chocolate
• walking
• drinking
• reading
• traveling
• surfing
• scuba diving
• teaching

Music, Movies, and Books

This could go on forever....I love Bruce Springsteen, Adele, Maroon 5, Train, A Fine Frenzy, Harry Belafonte, Trini Lopez!!! and lots more...the best books I think I ever read were Philip Pullman's trilogy 'His Dark Materials', and more recently I enjoyed Stieg Larsson's 'Millennium' trilogy (what is it about trilogies?!)...films? aaaargh, a bit out of touch, have loved lots of them and enjoy going to the cinema when I get myself organised to do it

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Have done and seen many memorable things....best of all has been having my four children and seeing them become strong, independent adults...but there have also been starry night skies and tropical rain in Africa and the Caribbean...seeing Bruce Springsteen live in Roundhay Park in Leeds...scuba diving....and long days and evenings spent talking to my best friend on her sofa during the last 27 years (yes, AMAZING)

Teach, Learn, Share

I can bake a mean chocolate cake and am happy to share the recipe and method with anyone!!
I had one basic surfing lesson when I was in California recently and would like to move on to lesson two....any surfers with lots of patience out there?

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, France, Germany, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Spain, Turkey, United States, Venezuela

Countries I’ve Lived In

Barbados, Nigeria, United Kingdom

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