I grew up and live in Northern Virginia, about thirty minutes outside of DC. I really enjoy being close to DC for the museums, art, theatre, coffee, architecture, baseball, etc.; but not so much for the traffic and congestion.

I lived in Lancaster, PA for about two years in my younger adulthood, studying and working professionally in some of the local theatres up there. I continued performing after moving back to VA, but haven't been active in theatre since Covid (which freed me up to pursue my undergrad in business administration) but I'm hoping to get back into it again soon. I also worked with special needs adults for the past six years, and as a barista for two, and I really loved both.

I enjoy serving people through hospitality. I'm inspired by good conversation over a cup of tea or home-cooked meal, and I try to provide people with a sense of comfort and escape.

In my daily life, I find routine and rest through physical movement, carefully preparing a cup of coffee or matcha/tea, listening to podcasts or audio books; and either spending quality time alone, or with friends/family. I used to draw constantly when I was younger, and I'm trying to get back into that again as well. My favorite forms of movement are swimming, dancing, and doing yoga.

I also enjoy early mornings, reading (working on this), singing loudly, biking, rollerblading, baking, trying new foods, making a space feel cozy and beautiful, and attending live performances (sometimes concerts, but especially ballets and musicals).

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I enjoy getting to know people of various backgrounds and walks of life. CS is such a neat way to travel and experience a city from the heart of its people. I'm not in a position where I can currently host but I hope to some day.

Interests

Many are already mentioned above; but dancing, performing, and art in general.

• performing arts
• cooking
• baking
• yoga
• flowers
• reading
• swimming
• history
• art
• dance
• rollerblading
• vintage fashion
• kombucha

Music, Movies, and Books

Some bands/artists I frequent: Lana Del Rey, Ariana Grande (I'm especially crazy about these two), Kings Kaleidoscope, NEEDTOBREATHE, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, ABBA, Olivia Rodrigo, and Natalia Lafourcade. I also really love musicals. Some of my favorites include Fiddler on the Roof, Oklahoma, Meet Me in St. Louis, Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera, Hamilton, Little Women, Finding Neverland, Mamma Mia, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

I haven't yet seen many movies or shows, but I really enjoy the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, as well as BBC's series The Way We Live Today, and their series Bleak House. Some favorite movies include The Godfather films (I, II), The Patriot, The Mission, Holes, and Mean Girls. I'm also a huge fan of The Phantom of the Opera filmed at the Royal Albert Hall; as well as Kenneth Branagh's film adaptations of Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing, the American Conservatory Theater's filmed production of Taming of the Shrew, and the 1955 (film) and 1999 (filmed stage) versions of Oklahoma. I also love Steel Magnolias, White Christmas, and the documentary film They Shall Not Grow Old. In general, podcasts are my main form of entertainment.

I'm also not a great reader, but some of my favorite books so far include The Brother's Karamazov, Crime and Punishment (the Anthony Heald audiobook reading is absolutely the best), Jane Eyre, Up From Slavery, To Kill a Mockingbird, Little Women, all of the Jane Austen novels, Heart of a Goof, Beautiful Boy (of which Anthony Heald does another great audiobook reading), and The Hunger Games and Harry Potter series. I recently picked up the book Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking: A Memoir of Food and Longing, by Anya von Bremzen; I'm really loving it so far.

I’m very inspired by the works of Michelangelo, Botticelli, Steve Dikto, Norman Rockwell, Mikhail Nesterov, and Nicholas Roeric; and of the art/architecture of the early Byzantine period.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I haven't had social media since I was 19. Not necessarily "amazing," but it was a good decision for me.

Teach, Learn, Share

I have pretty bad imposter syndrome lol, but I can do my best to share what I know. I very much enjoy learning from the people I meet, and I'm very clean and respectful of other people's homes.

Don't let the theatre persona fool you; I really do love people, but I'm also quite introverted. If I need to take breaks from hanging out or conversing, it's probably just because I'm running out of social steam. A little alone time for me goes a long way.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Conversation and homemade food!

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Montenegro, Spain