CURRENT MISSION

To do what you love and love what you do!

ABOUT ME

My best friends would say I'm hardworking, love my dog, play a great game of soccer and can't cook anything worth eating. I abide by the "7 Word Rule" at Toll Booths (ask me about it if you don't know) always and try to live as authentically as possible (even when that means having difficult conversations when people would prefer to ignore the truth).

I studied Psychology in undergraduate and will begin a Social Psych PhD program this fall at UCLA! I absolutely love school, mostly because I see it as an opportunity to better prepare myself for making a positive impact on the world. Currently, I research how pharmaceutical funding has negatively impacted the creation of the DSM-V (the Bible of diagnosing mental disorders). I also teach rock climbing to children from poor neighborhoods in Boston and coach a college JV soccer team. Needless to say, with three jobs, I'm super busy and look forward to any chance I can get to travel and meet new people!

PHILOSOPHY

I truly believe everything happens for a reason. You have choices every day; it bothers me to hear people complain about situations they could get themselves out of. To live life happy, you need to surround yourself with the people who support you and the activities that make you smile. I also believe in dating karma; a sorority sister once said it me best. She explained that she was not too upset over a recent break up because she had been "training" her boyfriend to be a better future husband for someone else while someone else out in the world was at the same time training her future fiance. Some day, her dating karma would pay off and she would meet Mr. Right. Moral of the story: live with no regrets and treat everyone as you would like to be treated.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I have never "officially" couch surfed, although in my time rock climbing and traveling, I have stayed on the floors and couches of many a friends of friends of friends. I enjoy meeting new people; it excites me to see what people feel passionate about. I look forward to beginning my CS journey!

Interests

I love life's little moments: a great cup of coffee; listening to a friend gush over his physics project; blue pens; sunrises and sunsets in new places; a good game of backgammon. I like watching my dog run and play with other puppies; their dance seems so beautiful and joyous. I enjoy celebrating the moments, intentional or not, that bring a smile to your face. In my free time, besides going for hikes, I play competitive soccer and "social" dodgeball.

• dogs
• writing
• books
• folklore
• dancing
• cooking
• coffee
• running
• coach
• walking
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• canoeing
• rock climbing
• soccer
• history
• physics
• psychology
• study abroad
• tourism
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

I love Bridget Jones' Diary, 50 First Dates, Chicago, and When Harry Met Sally. I also feel positively about old school 90s music and the White Panda (although their newer album is decidedly less good than Pandamonum). As far as books, Tom Robbins takes the cake in my opinion.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

In no particular order:
1) Living with a Count and Countess in Paris, France. During my study abroad semester, I lived with a historian-certified Count and Countess who could trace their aristocracy back to the 13th century. My host mother, at 65, had never worn pants before in her life and my host father made infuriatingly chauvinistic comments in keeping with archaic, French tradition. I was writing for a travel guide at the time and had invited my host mom to come visit Disneyland Paris with me, which I needed to write up for my book. She showed up the day before our trip with a brand new pair of pants from H&M; her willingness to shed long-held cultural beliefs to share my world outlook for the day truly awed me. Needless to say, her husband was far from happy...

2) Watching sunrise from the Appalachian Trail. Although I have yet to realize my dream of hiking the entire AT, in college, I had the opportunity to lead Freshman Outdoor Orientation trips. I and a co-leader would take ten eager freshmen into the Maine wilderness for a half-canoeing, half-hiking weeklong adventure. Some of my most favorite memories include sunrise over the mountains and watching the pre-morning fog burn off the lake, surrounded by the faint cries of loons and no signs of humanity.

3) Visiting the Roman baths and Colosseum. I felt overwhelmed imagining the breadth of life to have passed before me on the shattered stone floor.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can share my desire to explore and openness for exchange of ideas. I am also happy to offer my dog walking skills to any host kind enough to open their home to me. I cannot cook, with the exception of a mean omelette which I am happy to share. I also speak French (once fluently) and would LOVE the opportunity to practice.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, China, France, Italy, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, United States