CURRENT MISSION

to learn as much as I can about people and the world, and to do as much of this learning as possible over food

ABOUT ME

I recently finished uni, studying food security/sustainability, and then set off to travel for an indeterminate amount of time. I spent 9 months in South East Asia, and can't decide whether the next trip is going back, to South America or the Asian sub-continent (ahh!). My passions are learning and people and learning about people. I love languages, and how they change, and how they shape a culture and a person; I love food and cuisines and think the best way to learn about a person or a people is by sharing a meal with them (especially if drinks are involved!) I feel obliged to look for a job and to start "real life" but I can't really imagine ending my travels - but I'm not much of a planner anyhow, so it should work out.

PHILOSOPHY

I think a mix of these two quotes might be my philosophy, if they really can be reckoned:
The plain fact is that the planet does not need more "successful" people. But it does desperately need more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of every shape and form. It needs people who live well in their places. It needs people of moral courage willing to join the fight to make the world habitable and humane. -David Orr

"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing." — Muhammad Ali

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've acted as a host to several couchsurfers myself and with my many (at last count, 42, I think!?) roommates, and surfed a little in Cambodia and in Australia. Many of my favourite travellers that I meet are on couchsurfing, so I figured I should get my act together and meet some more!

Interests

People. Reading. Water polo. Swimming. Bicycles. Learning. Eating new things. Convincing other people to eat new things. Pretending I'm not scared (I usually am scared). Playing devil's advocate. Provoking debates. Being challenged. Cooking. Baking. Brewing. Potting.

• culture
• dining
• cooking
• baking
• working out
• drinking
• reading
• traveling
• water polo
• swimming
• engineering
• languages
• psychology

Music, Movies, and Books

I've currently just given myself the mission of reading a book about every country in the world. So far: Canada, USA, Burma, South Africa, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Serbia...and more. Am taking recommendations for fiction/non-fiction books!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Living with the Mentawai on Siberut Island off of Sumatra, Indonesia.

Teach, Learn, Share

Food! I know lots about food, growing it and cooking it and preserving it and engineering it (not à la GMOs) and eating it. If you wanna talk/eat food, I'm your lady.
I also know a fair bit about Myers Briggs personality type indicator, and by extension psychology. You will be my favourite person if you want to talk MBTI. (I'm an ENFP)

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Cambodia, Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Norway, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada