CURRENT MISSION

To experience every place I visit as a local, not a tourist

ABOUT ME

I have grown up living in Africa and Asia and have been stuck working for the past decade without the chance to travel. I am finally getting the opportunity to travel to several countries I have never before visited and would like to meet as many people from the local areas as possible. While the famous sites are interesting enough, I am more fascinated with the special hideaways - tiny, unique bars, beautiful, scenic swimming holes, hidden beach coves, etc.

I absolutely adore food so would love to know where the best/most authentic places to eat are in each city. Consequently, I am also happy to share dishes from my country with any of my hosts. We can always go out to eat or just stay in and cook.

PHILOSOPHY

1) Live life to the fullest, then work to pay it off. Too many of my friends are so concerned about working now and saving that they will never get the chance to enjoy travelling without doddering about, complaining about how old they are!

2) Do unto others as they would have done unto them. We all have different motivations and values, so just because I want people to treat me a certain way does not necessarily mean they also want to be treated that way in return.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

This is my first time with CS so for now I will be surfing, but in the future I would love to return the favor and host.

Interests

I love to eat (and eat and eat) and learn how to cook new dishes. I used to own and operate a restaurant and may do so again soon, so any crazy new recipes I encounter may end up on my menu. Travelling provides me the opportunity to experience new flavors as well as new cultures, so I am able to combine two of my great passions. I also compete regularly in volleyball so if I have the opportunity to play wherever I am, I will. I have started playing squash recently and although I am terrible, if you are looking for a game, I'll be ready.

• dining
• cooking
• recipes
• traveling
• whitewater rafting
• surfing
• racquetball
• volleyball
• swimming
• beaches
• squash

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: Cinema Paradiso, Shawshank Redemption, Dumb and Dumber

Music: Anything by Paul Simon, The Gaslight Anthem, The Killers

Books: All Stephen King, currently reading the Song of Ice and Firenovels by American author George R. R. Martin.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

There are so many amazing places in this world, and I've been fortunate enough to see so many of the natural wonders. If you ever get a chance to go to the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe and visit the Victoria Falls, do it. The Mosi-O-Tunia (cloud that thunders) is so huge and there are so many fun things to do nearby, from safaris, to bunji jumping to whitewater rafting, it's a truly terrific trip. But even with all these places in the world, as an American, I sometimes take for granted all the amazing and beautiful places in my own country - the Grand Canyon and Half Dome in Yosemity National Park to just name a few...

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Latvia, Malawi, Maldives, Namibia, Poland, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

Chad, Malaysia, Pakistan, United States, Zambia

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