CURRENT MISSION

Finding my keys..

ABOUT ME

Another update, November 2013. I have just moved to Guatemala City, working in Maternal and Child Nutrition here. Am SO happy to be back in this wonderful country, full of dear friends and all the Papayas and pineapples I can eat!

Update October 2012 - I have just moved to London to study my masters in Public Health Nutrition - it was hard to give up life in the tropics but I'm very happy to be able to explore everything that London and Europe have to offer!

I've just (Jan 2010) moved to Cairns, North Queensland from Maliana, East Timor - Working in Indigenous Health and loving the wonderful tropical climate, the abundance of mangoes and the super relaxo attitude to everything! Being new to Cairns I feel that I am still exploring it all myself, but have managed to find a few little gems (cafes, bushwalks, beaches etc) that I'd love to share. I'm particularly keen on active pursuits but am also becoming a huge fan of sitting on the deck with a dinner party/newspaper/glass of wine/cup of tea - and watching the fruit bats swoop around the garden in the evening.

PHILOSOPHY

Life is not about finding yourself. It's about inventing yourself.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

On the surfing side I love to make people feel they made the right choice in hosting me by cooking up a storm and being as entertaining as I possibly can. When hosting I love to make people feel comfortable - and welcome! Will try to give you the very best I can of my chosen home city!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

From sharing random road trips to visit strange cults in Venezuela to washing footprints from walls in Ecuador, Bollywood dance offs in India, dinner parties in Spain, Making a wedding dress for one of my favourite couchsurf couple and being the witness at their wedding, learning to make dumplings in Latvia and sharing tents, ice picks and snow gear in Chile. I have made the most amazing friends through this organisation and in the process had some very memorable experiences!

Interests

Travel, nutrition, cultural immersion, food, red wine, strong coffee, trekking, design, art, languages, music, health development, being outside, hiking, diving, hearty chuckles and funny facial expressions.

• arts
• design
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• red wine
• coffee
• fitness
• instructor
• partying
• flying
• gardening
• traveling
• music
• hiking
• camping
• surfing
• scuba diving
• rock climbing
• teaching
• languages
• road trips
• cultural immersion
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

Am a sucker for Wes Anderson films - as far as books go am a fan of Mikhail Bulgakov, Dostoevsky, Arthur Ransome, Adolfo Bioy Casares, Milan Kundera, Isabel Allende, Salman Rushdie and Ian Flemming

Music:
Architecture in Helsinki, Avalanches, Atmosphere, Au revoir Simone, Arcade Fire, Badly Drawn Boy, Boards of Canada, Beastie Boys, Belle and Sebastian, Ben Folds, Coralie Clement, Claire Bowditch, Crowded House, Datarock, De La Soul, Beirut, Bill Callahan, Elliot Smith, Estrella Morente, Francisca Valenzuela, Fionn Regan, Gotan Project, India Aire, Jenny Owen Youngs, Julieta Venegas, Mama Cass, Mariza, Melanie Safka, Nellie McKay, Nina Simone, Ozomatli, Regina Spektor, The Shins, Sia, Van Morrison.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I think there are too many to mention (or remember) but the last ones were definaltey reaching the peak of Mt. Chakaya in the Andes after two days of climbing and camping to see two condors circling above the snow covered cliffs and then reaching Poon Hill in the Himalayas after a trekking for many days, surviving some very very cold temperatures and eating ALOT of Dhal and Rice.. Learning to Dive in East Timor, Climbing to the top of Mt Bartle Friere, the highest mountain in Queensland and flying over bright blue waters and white sand islands in the Torres Strait for work..

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm a qualified English teacher and could probably teach you a little Spanish as well! I used to work as a fitness instructor, I know first aid and love hosting dinner parties so please do ask me to make you a meal!!!

Countries I’ve Visited

Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belize, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kosovo, Latvia, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City State, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Chile, Guatemala, Italy, Spain, Timor-Leste (East Timor), United Kingdom

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