Hi,

I am from Bethesda, MD right outside of Washington, DC in the United States. I recently graduated from the University of Vermont majoring in Animal Science. Currently I work as a Veterinary Technician's Assistant at an emergency vet clinic and am applying to vet school in the fall. Assuming I get into vet school then I have this year off and am planning on traveling around Europe from September-November possibly. I would be so thankful for anyone who is willing to host me and would be happy to help any way I can. It also would be great to have any visitors in DC as a sort of cultural exchange. I love meeting new people and traveling, so hopefully this works out!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I am on Couchsurfing to find different places in Europe from September-November of 2016. Currently I am planning on traveling to Finland, Sweden, Germany, and the Czech Republic, but am also considering Albania and Spain. In all of these countries I do have friends to stay with from my university and an internship I did. However, to travel to other parts of the country it would be great to have a host. I am definitely easy going person and am willing to be as accommodating as I can be as a guest.

Interests

• animals
• singing
• running
• zumba
• reading
• traveling
• eating out
• hiking
• medicine
• volunteering
• biking
• comedy

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: I like all kinds of music. Some include: Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Justin Timeberlake, Shakira, Marc Anthony, Carrie Underwood, One Republic, Coldplay, Bruno Mars, Adele, P!NK, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Drake, Young the Giant, musicals, latin music. I would say my musical taste is all over the place.

Movies: I love comedies like Trainwreck, Bridesmaids, Anchorman, Zoolander, the Hangover, Sisters, Wedding Crashers, etc. I also like historical dramas I would say and some action films.

Books: With books I'm all over the place too. I like: the Life of Pi, In the Time of the Butterflies, the Spirit Catches You as You Fall Down, Jurassic Park, comedy books, and the Harry Potter series. I recently have been getting more into nonfiction and have read: the New Jim Crow, On Call (about a doctor's residency), and Conservation is our Government Now (about the impacts of conservation on local communities)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

It's hard to pick one but at the emergency veterinary clinic there are so many amazing stories that I have been proud to be a part of such as bottle feeding kittens who were going to the shelter, drawing blood from a greyhound, and watching different surgeries like when a dog ingested several corn cobs. All these memories with these animals have definitely impacted me in some way. I also find the cases to be fascinating.

I also got to see Saturday Night Live, a sketch show, in New York City. To see SNL live we had to sleep out on the streets of New York City in front of Rockefeller plaza. The only thing was that it rained so we had to get shower curtains and make little tents to protect ourselves from the rain. So after staying up all night we got the tickets to see the see the show live and it was simply incredible how all of the moving parts work to make the different scenes. Definitely was cool to see all the actors and comedians be in the different scenes.

Teach, Learn, Share

Another thing about me is that I also volunteered at a zoo for a long time. Many times people think zoos are "evil" institutions and only do harm. I think people don't realize that many zoos (not all zoos) are actually doing a lot of work to protect animals in captivity and in the wild through conservation, education, and fundraising. Although zoos are not ideal, I believe, that they are able to serve as little "islands of biodiversity" so to speak to protect many different species which are affected by humans. I think that the welfare of animals in zoos needs to be addressed, but I think zoos have done a lot of good. There also are organizations that try to ensure that zoos do good work such as the Associations for Zoos and Aquariums which is an American-based organization. Previously, I have been volunteered at Smithsonian's National Zoo in the Invertebrate House, Bird House, and Vet clinic and I have seen a lot of the great work that many caring people do on a daily basis. Furthering these institutions is definitely a way to protect many endangered species in the future.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share my knowledge and experiences regarding life as an American student. I am also very open-minded and love hearing about people's experiences all around the world. I love meeting new people. I hope to share insights and experiences from the USA and show that the US is full of diverse views and might not be what is presented in the media. I also can give any advice on traveling to the USA ( to the best of my ability of course). I also am willing to help out around the house if necessary in exchange for my free stay. Can't wait to see what happens next with CouchSurfing.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Ireland, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States