CURRENT MISSION

To feel alive!
To learn first hand from every culture, person and place I possibly can.
To help others.
To live a simple, meaningful life.

What's up!? I'm Gnarly Carly. ;) Travel, dance, relationships and helping others are the things that bring me the most happiness in life and where most of my energy goes. I also love sunshine, beaches, cooking, road trips, sewing, hiking, reading, CouchSurfing, Zumba, laughing, naps, vegetables, change, being bare foot, yoga, Sylvester Stallone movies and sarcasm. ;) I'm pretty chill and try to live a simple life. I just want to explore the world to meet all the incredible people in it, help them out where I can and inspire a few others along the way to do the same. After all, "Cultural exchange is the bridge to enhance the mutual understanding and friendship between the people of different nations".

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Because, "Strangers are just friends you haven't made yet." ♥ I love getting to know new people!

I first joined Couchsurf at age 18 because I was young and trying to make a vacation cheaper. I'll admit it. BUT- I had the most kick ass, genuinely deep connecting experience I had ever had, and have been hooked ever since! I have vacationed in hotels many times since and have learned the clear difference between vacationing and traveling, and think CS is one of the best ways to truly travel. It is such a vulnerable, beautiful way to meet people, help out other travelers, change people's naive stereotypes that anyone who wants to host someone for free is a serial killer, and just hang with some bad ass humans living that CS lifestyle, who understand the deeper meaning of it all.

Interests

Linguistics Major. Languages are so fascinating. Dancer since 5 years old, spent the last 3 years dancing professionally in California! Experienced traveler of 15 years. Passionate humanitarian.

• culture
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• beer
• zumba
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• languages
• volunteering
• road trips
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Love does. The Untethered Soul. Dream Big.

Gladiator, Shawshank Redemption, Wedding Singer, Big Daddy, the Rockys and Rambos. I'm a sucker for classics and nostalgia! Haha.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Married my soul mate on a beach in Mexico. :) Convinced him to quit our jobs and leave the US right after :)

Went 7 years of my 20's off grid without a cell phone haha.

Volunteered in a Syrian refugee camp.

Volunteered teaching dance to special needs kids in Fiji.

Tracked down my childhood neighbors who got deported when I was a kid to Argentina and spent a week with them in their hometown - 10 years later. :)

Hiked through the Himalayan mountains getting slapped in the face by ganja plant after ganja plant ;)
Everest Base Camp!

Studied abroad in Brazil!

Spent Covid with an NGO distributing bags of groceries to families in need in Mexico.

Actively fighting for the human rights of the Palestinian people.

Made it to dancing professionally! Checking that dream off my bucket list was pretty surreal.

Teach, Learn, Share

My background is in dance and Linguistics! I have plenty of other experience/passions as well I'd love to share about as well.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Ideas, Conversations, Memories, Passions, a good laugh or two. Meals, English/Dutch/Portuguese/Spanish practice, hula dance lessons or a nice relaxing, stretchy yoga class! :) Travel stories for days!

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, England, Fiji, France, Gambia, Germany, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, United States, Uruguay

Countries I’ve Lived In

Belgium, Brazil, Fiji, Guinea-Bissau, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, Sri Lanka, United States