I am Jayde, a PhD student and an occasional pinot-noir enthusiast with a green thumb and bad dance moves. I live in 'the Homestead' with my partner, Tod, a tinkering engineer who loves bike-polo and stove-top espresso. We are also joined by Kyle, a former child tv star and current nature doco cameraman and producer, and Braydon - another nature doco man who loves yoga at the buttcrack of dawn and cooking complicated dishes.

Our home is casually disorganised, not the cleanest, and we get caught up in the moment to the point where sometimes conversation over dinner ends up with our plates cold but conversation flowing! We are an earth-conscious, LGBTQI friendly household and primarily eat vegetarian meals together (we're a bunch of low meat eating omnivores). We prefer to host in the weekend so that we have a chance to get to know you because we are all pretty busy during the week!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I haven't actually done that much couchsurfing myself, but I have hosted people (unofficially) from all over the world in my student flat in New Zealand. They recommended I join couchsurfing and give it a go! So far I have had a blast, it is great being able to stay with people from all different cultures and receive their recommendations of things they think I really really MUST do.

Tod and I will be exploring the West Coast of the USA in July-Dec 2017 and would love recommendations of great adventures.

Tod is a very active host on warmshowers (couchsurfing for cycle tourists: warmshowers.org/users/tod.coxhead). We have had a great time sharing our home with a number of people from all walks of life!

Interests

I enjoy comparing the price of ricotta in supermarkets all over the world; strong, sweet, dark coffee; red wine, food, festivals, and cooking. I study psychology and anthropology and I am the master of procrastination. I am an apprentice beekeeper and have a bit of a green thumb.

I still play on the swings at the park.

• arts
• festivals
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• red wine
• coffee
• traveling
• cycling
• hiking
• bikes
• beekeeping
• opshopping

Music, Movies, and Books

We have our radio tuned in to Radio1, love SciFi ish movies and tv shows, and despite having a hallway full of books - I fear to admit, I am a kindle convert.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Watching my beautiful god-baby being born. Horrid and amazing all at the same time.

Standing on a peak at Mt. Cook, New Zealand with a mountain parrot (Kea) trying to steal my key tag!

Being surrounded by far too many people at the Louvre, getting overwhelmed and then being a typical kiwi by taking my shoes off and exploring the art barefoot because my feet hurt.

Travelling by myself across Europe, meeting people, eating food, and talking to strangers.

Teach, Learn, Share

I don't really have many discernable skills.. But my flatmates and I can give amazing recommendations for traveling in NZ (especially things that are a bit off the beaten track)! I have been told I am a good cook but I don't follow recipes so I am rubbish at baking. Tod has a full workshop and is a volunteer bike mechanic at a community bike workshop.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I could cook us dinner?!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Cambodia, Czech Republic, Fiji, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Malaysia, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Slovakia, Spain, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Czech Republic, New Zealand

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