I'm 22 years old, originally from Maine in the United States! I study linguistics in university, but have spent the last 6 years working as a chef and have cooked for the top dogs including former US president George Bush and celebrity chef Martha Stuart!

My whole life has been dedicated to traveling, culture, and languages. I'm so passionate about life and adventure - I love hearing other peoples stories and sharing my own, and thrive on new experiences. I'm a total hippy at heart and feel most at home in the water & by the ocean!

I spent a year traveling Iceland as an exchange student when I was 18 which was INCREDIBLE, and have been in Australia for 9 months now traveling freely- I've completely fallen in love with this country! I love where I grew up but I've always felt that it wasn't meant to be permanent. The last couple of years I've just been on the go searching for a place that really feels like home, where I feel 100% like myself... Australia is it and it's the most liberating and scary thing in the world to find that place and have so many hurdles to overcome in order to stay.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

After 9 months of traveling money is really tight. I feel so alive and like myself in Australia, I have three months left on my current work and holiday visa and am in the process of applying to universities as an international student in order to finish my linguistics degree as well as extend my visa. Tuition is anything but cheap- I'm trying to find work on the Gold Coast at the moment in the hopes that I'll be accepted to Griffith University and can switch to a student visa... As soon as I can land myself a job, hopefully in hospitality, the next step will be a place to live and finally, school!

Interests

I'm a massive adrenaline junkie.... Surfing, snowboarding, water skiing, sky diving, bungee jumping.... You name it I've probably done it! I'm super athletic and love anything outdoors- I'm always up for an adventure! I love to cook and be in good company, I could easily sit and talk for hours about anything and everything over a glass of wine.

• dogs
• culture
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• backpacking
• surfing
• scuba diving
• bungee jumping
• skiing
• snowboarding
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

My taste in music is all over the place.... I like it all depending on my mood! I grew up listening to 80's hair bands, l love EDM and going to festivals, I listen to classical when I'm studying, and love to sing the chilled out singer/song writer tunes. I love movies, any genera! I don't read as much as I should, but when I do I am quite picky. I like fast page turners that grab your attention straight away... If after 10 pages I'm not hooked, I'll never finish it.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Have a look at my photos and you'll see that I've had heaps of cool experiences like sky diving and bungee jumping! To me personally, I think the most amazing thing I've done is de-clutter my life to the point where I can live out of a backpack, move 10,000 miles across the world to a new country by myself, and survive on $200 a week. It's not a life that's for everyone but the experiences I've had, the things I've learned, and the people I've met... I wouldn't trade them for anything.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'm an extremely helpful person and definitely like to show my appreciation and pay it forward towards those who help me out... I can cook you an amazing meal (I LOVE cooking for people who appreciate food), help with cleaning, and offer you my company :) I love to meet new people and nothing beats a good conversationalist!

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, New Zealand

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Iceland, United States