CURRENT MISSION

to challenge what has become comfortable/easy in my life. I'm working to push my boundaries and expand on my potential.

ABOUT ME

From Gainesville, Florida.
Worked in Syracuse, NY all summer and just picked up a job here NYC.
Need a place to stay until I van get on my feet, any time is fantastic. The friend I was staying through has fallen through. This isn't the ideal platform/situation to ask for a couch, but I thought I should give it a try as I have surfed in the past as a visitor during my travels.

Clean, kind, quiet, and will hopefully not be around much as I'm working constantly. Hoping to find some kind people to help me as my living situation has completely fallen through and looking to bounce around the month of September while I save enough from my new job to get my own space (and then return all of the wonderful couch-surfing karma!) I don't want to just use someone's couch and not know the person- let me make you dinner and let's hang out!

25, just finished an AA in journalism (though that's not at all what I'm pursuing).
Have lived in Gainesville, Germany, France, and most recently the North East.

Background in music and theater. Started a theater company in Gainesville and have been involved on and off stage for over 14 years. Other creative outlets: singing, playing crappy covers on tenor guitar and ukulele (youtube.com/user/lemondrop1011/videos), painting, sketching, and a problem with glitter glue. I'm usually found nose deep in my nook (yeah- digital. When you read a lot and move around a lot it becomes a lot lighter and efficient!) I have recently started to look forward to running in the morning. It's a great outlet for stress even though the majority of the run I can be heard cursing the running gods.

PHILOSOPHY

"Can't tell the birds from the blossoms."
Tom Waits

"...In a time of sceptic moths and cynic rusts,
And fatted lives that of their sweetness tire,
In a world of flying loves and fading lusts,
It is something to be sure of a desire."
G.K. Chesterton, The Great Minimum

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."
Flannery O’Connor

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Once I settle down again and have a place, I would love to host again. Currently just need a few weeks (one place or many! whatever is easiest!) to gain footing in the city (housing leads/saving and more connections) and am not really in the position to sublease as I still have a place until October in Florida.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I stayed with a few hosts while traveling in France and Europe and I was overjoyed at how welcoming and warm people were. I have hosted while living in Gainesville (officially and unofficially) and I met some really wonderful and interesting people. I cannot wait to pass my good couch-surfing karma on.

Interests

The usuals: tasty noms, intriguing words, interesting characters, the hustle. (and a good glass of wine to pull it all together.)

• birds
• culture
• singing
• theater
• sketching
• wine
• running
• flying
• traveling
• eating out
• painting
• music
• guitar
• surfing
• journalism

Music, Movies, and Books

last.fm/user/hanbanesty

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I once worked on a sheep farm in the department of Creuse, France. I was immersed in the language and culture- no internet, cell reception, or native english speakers. Just me, 200+ sheep, and a handful of French farmers. The family I was with hosted travelers through chambres d'hotes & gites (like a b&b), allowing me to constantly meet a mixture of people. It was an expanding and thrilling experience.

Teach, Learn, Share

I know a little about a lot of things...
best summarized by Kierkegaard, "Naturally every person desires to work according to his abilities in this world, but it follows from this that he wishes to develop his abilities in a particular direction, namely, in that which is best suited to him as an individual. But which is that? Here I am confronted with a big question mark. Here I stand like Hercules—not at a crossroads—no, but at a multitude of roads, and therefore it is all the harder to choose the right one. Perhaps it is my misfortune in life that I am interested in far too many things rather than definitely in any one thing. My interests are not all subordinated to one but are all coordinate."

I'm always open to new facets of living, creativity, expression. (And, equally willing to share what I've learned so far.)

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Germany, United States