CURRENT MISSION

Currently I am a) trying to find a place to live in Vancouver; b) reading books by queer Canadian women and writing reviews on my website; c) planning some travels with friends; d) applying to do a Master's in library and information science

ABOUT ME

I'm a somewhat shy, kind person who loves reading, hiking, creative vegetarian cooking, yoga, traveling, live music, biking, and running. I grew up in the Gulf Islands and lived in Victoria for a while, but have also spent a few years in Halifax and loved it. I love spending time with friends too, and have a small but really close group of friends. I have a hard time deciding whether I prefer the city and the country, since I appreciate things about both (queers in one! tall trees in the other!). I do love being outside, but that can also happen on my bike in the city.

I’m a perpetual literature student from Canada’s west coast. I have an honours BA in English and German from the University of Victoria and an MA in English from Dalhousie University in Halifax (yes, living near the ocean is a necessity for me). I also have half of a PhD in English, a program that I recently decided to not continue, for reasons not related to my love of literature, which remains pretty strong. This love is pretty inclusive, but I am especially partial to that which is queer, feminist, Canadian and/or written by women.

PHILOSOPHY

I think the closest thing I have to a personal philosophy is queer feminism.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm new to couch surfing, but have some friends who have had great experiences surfing and hosting, so I'd like to get into it. I hope to be able to host once I'm settled in Vancouver next month!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've met some really cool people that friends were hosting in Vancouver on Pride weekend in August. I've also met some new friends recently who met each other through couch surfing! So far that's the extent of my experiences, but I hope to have some great stories to relate soon!

Interests

In no particular order I love: books, hiking, nature, ashtanga yoga, feminism, live music, running, being creative in the kitchen, and biking. Also, books some more.

• writing
• books
• literature
• womens rights
• cooking
• vegetarian
• yoga
• running
• reading
• traveling
• music
• live music
• cycling
• hiking
• surfing
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

I love books and music! Also some movies and tv shows. But especially books.

Some of my favourite books are: Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, The Slow Fix by Ivan E. Coyote, Pool-Hopping by Anne Fleming, Kiss of the Fur Queen by Tomson Highway, No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July, Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald, Cereus Blooms at Night by Shani Mootoo, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, Monkey Beach by Eden Robinson, Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters, Bottle Rocket Hearts by Zoe Whittall, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson, and Orlando by Virginia Woolf. I'm also partial to lesbian/bi young adult fiction, Jane Austen, the Brontes, Harriet the Spy, and Harry Potter.

I love listening to Neko Case, Kathleen Edwards, Florence + the Machine, Emily Wells, Brandi Carlile, Cat Power, Regina Spektor, Bon Iver, Sarah Harmer, Kaki King, Tracy Chapman, Hey Rosetta, Austra, Sigur Ros, First Aid Kit, Uh Huh Her, Feist, The National, Ani DiFranco, and Austra. As you can see, I like mostly (queer) women artists, and a few select musically awesome men.

Movies and TV shows? Some that I enjoy are: Lip Service, Battlestar Galactica, Freaks and Geeks, But I'm a Cheerleader, the BBC versions of Pride and Prejudice and Tipping the Velvet, The Breakfast Club, Me and You and Everyone We Know, Run Lola Run, New Waterford Girl, and Tank Girl.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Seeing the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea meet at the most Northen tip of New Zealand was pretty amazing. Also, getting asked for directions like I was a local while on the Strassenbaun in Germany when I was living there was a pretty rad traveling moment.

Teach, Learn, Share

Writing and editing are definitely my most honed skills! I'm really good at analysing any given poem or book. Just ask. (: Also, I'm pretty skilled at explaining feminist and queer theories. I'd like to learn more practical skills (mine aren't so much practical, in case you couldn't tell).