I am Jessie, and welcome to my profile! I am currently taking a semester-long leave of absence from Elmhurst College in Illinois in order to explore healthcare-related jobs from within a hospital. I am working at Sanford Health in Sioux Falls to decide between attending Medical School or Dental School after I complete my undergraduate degree in Biology. I will be backpacking Europe this summer, so feel free to message me with any location suggestions! I was born in Hong Kong and grew up in South Dakota, but I have also lived in Australia and Korea. Learning is a passion of mine: I have a strong background in math and science but also love to read and write. I strive to expand my mind in as many ways a possible to contribute to society as a global citizen. My friends say I'm very "chill" but I get excited easily about travel and stories!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

People inspire me more than anything, and I love to hear about others' lives and their stories. I joined Couchsurfing because I am backpacking Europe for a month (for the first time!) with two friends and would love to meet some great local hosts and hear their priceless insights.

Interests

Certified: Small Dinghy Sailor, Junior Open Water Diver

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Of Monsters and Men, The Rubens, Queen, Styx, The PianoGuys, new musical soundtracks, Film Scores (The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, etc.)
Movies: The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Moonlight, The Emporer's New Groove, Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Books: HP series, The Mortal Instruments Series, Just Listen, The Book of Awesome

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I hiked half of Australia's Bibbulmun Track right out of high school- 500km in a month.

Teach, Learn, Share

I recommend all the TEDtalks you can possibly watch, but "The Power of Introverts" by Susan Cain is one of my favorites.

What I Can Share with Hosts

My own experiences and a reasoned, measured opinion.

Countries I’ve Visited

Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Hong Kong, South Korea, United States