I am a cosmetology/barber instructor and dabbling artist/amateur philosopher with a passion for travel. I love discovering new places and new food. I am a non pretentious person with a good sense of humor and a love of conversation and have been known to hear peoples life stories within minutes of meeting them. I guess it’s a hairdresser thing, but I love it! I consider bringing people together one of my main missions in life. At my work I love having an impact on my students and expanding their view of the world. The relationships I have with clients new and old make my days special. There is always something I can help someone with or some way I can add value. Some folks might think hairdressers are not smart or that we are shallow, but I assure you that stereotype has no place in the world I live in.
I am happily married and have been with husband Johnny since 2004. After 12 years of life together we finally got married on April 11 2016 at the Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy. When I was young I visited the fountain alone and threw a coin in at the spot which would one day host our nuptials. I vowed to return one day with the person I loved. In 2014 I brought Johnny there and we saw a couple get engaged, which inspired him to propose later that year on our 10 year love anniversary during a walk on the Capitol grounds by our house.
We have a corgi named Deuce and a cat named Hobie- short for hobo kitty because she came from a feral colony.
They are both wonderful creatures even if Deuce borks too much and terrorizes the deer and Hobie is undoubtedly obsessed with me. They are as close to having children as we intend to get in this life.
We usually go on a month long trip each year, but goal is a month each quarter. We love to make friends traveling and reconnect different places in the world. We would love to do other extended trips to specific places, like Iceland, to sink in a bit deeper, but right now do everything so cheap to try and balance with our income. I don’t discount that anything is possible though. I’ve had enough ‘impossible’ things happen for me that I know the Universe works in mysterious ways and sometimes you just have to make space for the possibility and trust. Big dreams, I know, but you got to put it out there. Right now we are getting ready for a trip that I didn’t think would happen this year. This summer, I had an interesting experience where my phone lit up with a typed note that said Bb, Sanmu shi, Chiba. This happened at the exact moment that I asked the question “where will I find my tribe?’’ I was just pondering it, while I thought about finding direction on places I should visit. I was driving at the time, so when I got home and actually looked at what lit up my screen I laughed out loud. The screen wasn’t a text, or a message from someone, it was just a blank screen with the type on it. My initials are bb, so it was definitely for me. We had some health problems in the family and decided not to travel in 2020 so I would never know what this message meant. Until about a month ago, when a client gifted me with a week stay anywhere in the world. We both decided that seeing the cherry blossoms in Japan was something we would not be able to do otherwise and booked tickets before I could confirm dates and places with the lady who was giving us the stay. We had planned for Osaka, but strange forces prevented me from booking the tickets. My iPad crashed on the confirmation page, 64 hour flight times only... then tickets jumped by 1000$ each...then the airline wouldn’t sell them to me anymore! Nothing was working, so I decided not to force it, to wait and see how it might unfold. The next day a surprise snowstorm had the school I teach at close for the day. I knew it was time to book the flights. I picked up my iPad and tried something different. A flight to Tokyo, which Johnny had no desire to visit so I hadn’t looked into. Perfect flight times, good price, booked it easily. I finally found a way to get ahold of the lady offering us the stay only to hear that it was no longer possible! But wait... what town was nearby Tokyo? Sanmu Shi, Chiba. There is one bed and breakfast there, marked “B.b.’’, just like in the message, and I have booked it for our last 2 nights in Japan. It has 2 rooms. After booking I thought ‘’ok, now I guess I did my part and the universe will fill in the details!” That was a couple weeks ago. Yesterday while on my iPad, a second screen popped up, completely unprovoked, showing the property in Sanmu on our dates. Loud writing declared it was ‘’completely booked!’’. Whoever will be there with us is now scheduled to be there. As this is the end of April 20 and I’m writing this in February, I don’t know how it all will play out yet. But I will update!
Johnny cooks professionally, and loves to create new dishes inspired by our travels. If you host us, he would enjoy to cook with you! We eat well around here, despite being some of the most frugal people you will meet.
Johnny speaks some Spanish, and I try to learn pretty much any languages native to the places we visit...to mixed results.
We like to explore places at our own pace, sometimes we just go on night walks with a bag of beer, or post up in a square or outdoor cafe for people watching. We usually find a bar that is ‘our bar’ in whatever place we go. Occasionally we do epic kereoke performances at drag clubs in Iceland...ok, that was only once😉.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I’m on Couchsurfing to open the door to unique experiences, people and places. I am hoping to find some people to connect with in the places we visit, and maybe be able to stay with them. I would like to have my husband experience this too, so that he will realize how awesome it is and let us open our home to host others. I feel like hosting would be a great way to bring the spirit of adventure and travel into our regular lives. Unfortunately, he cooked for the homeless in our community for 8 years and left a bit broken hearted and distrustful of people, so I think it will be a process for him to understand why I think having strangers stay in our home is a good idea. I, on the other hand, have more than once had the experience of complete strangers inviting me home to stay with them and it has led to some of the best experiences and friendships that I have had. I am not naive, not everyone is sunshine and rainbows, but in my experience, like attracts like and I don’t often meet people I don’t like.

Interests

• meditation
• sauna
• traveling
• painting
• digital art
• conciousness
• hairdressing
• painting and drawing
• medicinal plants
• food and drinks
• delicious
• existance
• postmaterialism

Music, Movies, and Books

I like lots of music from old punk to jazz, classical, blue grass, rock, world music, ska, alternative, soul... pretty much anything but top of the pops does it for me.
Books are a bit more difficult. I used to read a book everyday, but now I never seem to finish them! Some of my favorite books have been Shantaram, crime and punishment and the Harry Potter books. I’m sure I’m forgetting hundreds, but those were what came to mind. I feel like I read less these days, but my focus in life has changed, and I try to spend more time together with my husband and animals or on my personal time meditating now.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

One amazing thing I’ve done is still going on. It’s living an unconventional life. I chose a long time ago that I did not agree with the expectations foisted upon me by society, and have found that it is in fact true that the rules that govern reality are an illusion and a product of our culturescape. Things people say are not possible definitely are not possible for them, but those truths are not true for me. I have lived an unbelievable life, and continue to do so. When you put good things out there, and you trust in possibilities there is no limit to what can flow into your life. Not everything in life is magical, sometimes it hurts, sometimes it throws you a curveball, sometimes you feel like the terrible things are never going to go away, but I try to value it anyway and work towards positive outcomes. I am very grateful for the life I have.

Teach, Learn, Share

I would love to learn about your culture, and how you experience it. What is special to the area? I love to hear your story, what is your experience of life. What are your plans or ideas on how you would like to live? I love to share good food, drinks and conversations. We both work during the week, but if Johnny eventually let’s us host people, weekends are probably easier for us to do something. We are also open to a house exchange to visit other places!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can teach you how to meditate or help you find ways to enjoy life more. I love to listen and help. I know a little about a lot of things, and a lot about a few things. I can obviously do your hair, or teach you how to do hair. I can draw a caricature of you, or your pet. I am good with animals and can take care of them for you, or just snuggle them! I come with Johnny, who is a fabulous cook and can teach you how to cook something, cook with you or learn how to cook something from you.

Countries I’ve Visited

Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Cayman Islands, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Scotland, Sint Maarten (Dutch part), Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Turks and Caicos Islands, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Germany