🌍 ABOUT ME

Hey hey!
I’m Heidi, a travel-obsessed ✈️ fitness coach 💪 turned "active travel" content creator
I'm from the USA, but currently based in Sofia, Bulgaria 🇧🇬 (well... when I’m not off adventuring!).

I’m the voice behind several audio walking tours on the VoiceMap app 🎙️—so you can literally take me along in your ears as you explore places like:

✅ Sofia, Bulgaria – Hidden ruins, street art & local culture
✅ Antalya, Turkiye – History, fortresses, and secret spots
✅ Chicago, USA - Vibe with street art and Mexican cuisine in the Pilsen neighborhood
✅Sarajevo, Bosnia - Ottoman bazaars, war-torn streets, and stories of resilience
👉👉👉More Balkan tours coming soon...

🎧 Wanna hear one? You can open a tour page and click "preview" to listen to some tracks:
👉https://voicemap.me/publisher/heidi-nicklaus

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🏃‍♀️ WHAT I'M DOING IN LIFE

Working on my visa to live full-time in Sofia, Bulgaria. It's truly my new home and I'm so excited for when I get to finally live there year-round!

"But Heidi, what do you 'do?'"
I've most recently responded to that common question with: "....whatever I want!" haha

Truly, though, I’m working on my Heidi Runs Abroad LLC business...

I'm building my active travel/travel fitness brand with my blog and newsletter. Everything from:
🌋 sunrise volcano hikes
🌌 marathons under the midnight sun
✈️ how to stay healthy on the road

CHECK IT OUT HERE:
📝 Blog: https://heidirunsabroad.com/
📬 Newsletter inspiration on healthy, budget travel every other week:
🎙️ Audio walking tours: https://heidirunsabroad.com/audio-walking-tours/

Subscribe to my newsletter
👉https://heidirunsabroad.com/newsletter/

And of course…creating walking tours, climbing mountains, and fueling my addiction to group fitness.

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💼 PREVIOUSLY....
Before this newest era of life...

I spent 10 years working in Residence Life at Rutgers University in New Jersey 🏫—mentoring RAs, running leadership programs, and loving campus life.

When a departmental restructure hit, I took the leap 🌈 and went on a 4.5-month solo trip that turned into...well...a lifestyle 😅

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🌍 TRAVEL STYLE

✨ Started with EF Ultimate Break group tours in 2016
✨ Evolved to full-blown DIY international travel
✨ Now a huge fan of solo adventures with hiking boots & a podcast in one ear

Favorite hikes:
🥾 Peaks of the Balkans – solo, 6 days across Albania/Kosovo/Montenegro
🪨 Koncheto Ridge, Pirin Mountains, Bulgaria – epic & slightly terrifying
🌄 Highline Trail, Glacier NP, USA – views for daysss

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🧘‍♀️ FITNESS AS MY LOVE LANGUAGE

I teach 4 kinds of Les Mills fitness classes:
💥 BodyCombat (MMA-style cardio)
🏋️‍♀️ BodyPump (barbell strength)
🧘‍♀️ BodyBalance (yoga/Pilates fusion)
🧿 Core (functional core strength)

I also traveled to Bali in January 2025 to complete my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training.
If you’re a fellow instructor or gym junkie—we’ve got to chat.

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🌟HOSTING/SURFING

I've been surfing for 2.5 years since I quit my job and I love it! 🌱
Currently not hosting full-time (visa process + travels), but I’m open to meetups, coffee walks, or gym sessions if we cross paths.

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🎒 RANDOM FACTS

😻 I am obsessed with CATS. I will basically try and approach and pet every street cat I see. I once had a cat in Istanbul sleeping on my lap for about 2 hours...
☕ I used to hate coffee in college and now I WILL ask a random barista at a favorite coffee shop where they get their espresso beans (Europe = espresso ❤)
🍫 I have such a big sweet tooth. I love desserts...
📚 I love all topics: psychology, anthropology, travel, sustainability, and wellness
🪴I'm not vegetarian, but often get asked if I am. I just really love vegetables and tofu (and other plant based proteins)
🤣 I apparently have good posture and based on my build (broad shoulders and muscles from weightlifting), people commonly ask me if I was in the military hahaha (nope!)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I sometimes travel solo and am interested in connecting with folks from the area. I'm pretty low maintenance so I don't mind crashing on a couch! So far the hosts I've met on CS have been absolutely wonderful! On my 4.5 month solo trip, the CS connections I made were my favorite part of my trip.

Interests

• cats
• running
• hiking
• group fitness
• snorekling
• sustainbility

Music, Movies, and Books

Favorite music: Taylor Swift
Movies: Thor Ragnarok, She's the Man, Man Up
Books: Harry Potter

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I ran the Midnight Sun Marathon in Norway - it happens at night with 24/7 daylight! If I was going to train my butt off for it, I wanted to go someplace new, someplace cool, and have a very unique experience. This fit the bill and was totally worth it!

Teach, Learn, Share

I've been a group fitness instructor for 9+ years. If you're familiar with the company, I teach 4 different Les Mills classes. Essentially I teach classes choreographed to music (yoga, mixed martial arts, weight lifting, and a core class). I would love to share that with others!

What I Can Share with Hosts

During my stay, I'd be more than happy to teach a personal class to you so you can experience it as well! I exercise daily (whether it be one of these classes, heavy weight lifting, running, walking, stretching, or hiking). I find that this is a great way to connect with others as well :)

I also enjoy talking about American culture, psychology and adult development, and all things travel (and much more). I would love to share with you, ask questions, and answer any questions you might have for me (I'll pretty much talk about anything).

Also, if you have a cat....I will share my severe affection for them.

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Austria, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey

Countries I’ve Lived In

Bulgaria, United States