*I promise I'm not a narcissist! I included so many pictures of myself to try to show I'm a real person who does real things, in the absence of any references...for now*
I'm an opportunistic traveler with an open mind and a curious palate. My mama raised me to be polite and interested in the lives of others. My father raised me to be resourceful and reliable. I have a thousand interests and only one lifetime, so I try to invest myself in the best people, places, and activities I can find. The more places I go, the more new things I try, and the more people I meet, the more I realize how little I know! Feeling unsure used to make me feel scared and insecure, but now it excites me; I would love to stay with people who can help me broaden my horizons.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I didn't start traveling until a few years ago; prior to that, I was always focused on school and work. I now firmly believe that traveling is the most important part of my ongoing education and development. That being said, I find resort-style traveling to be a sad imitation of local culture. I'm most interested in gathering real, organic, unique experiences, which I think I can better find through interactions with awesome people who let me sleep on their couch :) Also, I'm trying out the whole traveling alone thing, but sometimes I get lonely and want to have a buddy to explore with (or someone to show me to the best local food places).

Interests

Dancing (ballet, ballroom, drunken)
Reading
Rock climbing
Cooking
Eating
Concerts

• culture
• concerts
• dancing
• ballet dancing
• education
• dining
• cooking
• shopping
• reading
• traveling
• painting
• investing
• rock climbing
• teaching

Music, Movies, and Books

Radiohead/Zero 7/ Gramatik/Foo Fighters
Amelie/The Blues Brothers/The Motorcycle Diaries
Lolita/Perdido Street Station/The United States of Arugula

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

After escaping from a Bangkok taxi driver who kept me in his cab for over two hours, I managed to navigate my way back to my hotel with nothing more than 100 bhat and the address (written in Thai) of the cooking class I had initially been trying to go to. It involved a lot of bowing, luck, the one word of Chinese I know (the word for 'white devil'), and faith in mankind. The short version of it is that I managed to find a river, follow it until I found something that looked on a ferry. I couldn't read any of the signs, but I got on anyway. It turns out that 100 bhat is enough to ride the ferry about a hundred times, so through trial and error I managed to find a stop that linked up to the metro system, and I managed to talk my way into a ticket back to the stop closest to my hotel. Before this experience, I wouldn't have felt confident enough to use couch surfer, but now I feel like I'm at least a level 10 traveler.

Teach, Learn, Share

Yes, yes, and yes! I'm happy to share anything of mine that you think is of value or interest, and I'm constantly amazed by the things I learn from others.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'll happily make you dinner or bake you something delicious. I'm always up for a good conversation or a game (any game, any time; I have four brothers and a competitive streak). I'll proofread your essays, tutor your kids, look at your paint swatches, or give you a second opinion when you're shopping online.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Croatia, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, South Korea, Thailand