CURRENT MISSION

Creating the possibility of power, patience, compassion and inspiration

ABOUT ME

We are a small family of three who are eager to share our little craftsman in North Portland with those from all over the world. Having a three-year-old has kept us from traveling as much over the past few years (though we did make it to Germany for a month last November!), so bringing the world to our doorstep makes us smile for the time being.

I'm a mom, a teacher, a tutor, a writer, and a lover of all things and movements that succeed in guaranteeing the future of our fragile planet. Can't get my mind around the term activist, though I have been known to support those that do, and do my part to build community in our neighborhood.

I'm currently at home during the days with our 3 year old daughter, Kaya, and work a couple nights a week, tutoring German or Spanish.

My husband is a physical therapist and works during the week.

We're both very passionate about the outdoors, and many things active: biking, hiking, running, backpacking, camping. Geoff's quite fond of photography, and I have a serious passion for writing.

At our house, we love meat, but are very conscious of where it comes from. Last year, we became CSA members at a family farm in Junction City, Oregon, and are very happy with our decision to support small, local, family farming. We are also careful to avoid pesticides and most things nasty that gets put in food these days (not to mention other things...)!

We love our house...it's small, but the upstairs is spacious and airy, with skylights and big windows. That's where our double futon is where you could find yourself sleeping one day...it's quite far from being "accessible", with a more of a ship's ladder than a stairway--but it's fun if you're up for the adventure.

Our daughter is very 3: sweet, loving and independent, all in one. She and I speak German with each other, and with her dad (and most everyone else), she speaks English. She loves to meet new people, though she's very shy at first. Being a pretty typical toddler, she loves coloring, play-doh, and playing hide-n-seek. She also loves to camp, hang out by the fire, and spend time at our cabin, exploring. All in all, she's pretty awesome...!

Whoever chooses to surf our futon, or offer to share their couch with us, will be 'subjected' to all the ups and downs of toddlerhood--smiles, questions, mood-swings, and curiosity. Naturally, we're eager to share space with someone that wants to do a lot more than just tolerate her, someone who enjoys children and could enjoy being with us in our relatively toddler-focused lifestyle.

PHILOSOPHY

Wow. This is a good one. At this point, I would say that I'm living my life so that I can make a real difference for this planet. Granted, there's always the whole mom-thing, too...but when I take that line of thought out, my goal there is to raise our daughter to not only respect the planet and every single living thing on it, but to really get to a place where she feels the connection between it all...and thus, the importance of treading lightly (yet, with powerful energy!).

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

We are new to this venture, but excited about the possibilities involved in the whole thing! If someone drops me a line, and the timing works out, then we're all for it.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've had lots of people come stay with me over the years, and I've always been excited by having visitors. We're finally getting our feet wet with this official couch surfing endeavor, and have hosted a few times, quite happily. I get excited about sharing the places I love, and being able to share my perspective on our city and our world. More importantly, I love being able to learn about and from others about theirs.
As for crashing on couches, I've done my fair share of that, too...though it's been a while! It's a lot easier to get out and about in this world without a toddler...

Interests

I love to hike, backpack, explore, laugh, be silly, cook, run, do zumba, dance, eat meat, play, sleep, recycle, re-use, speak German, hear my daughter speak it to me, teach, learn, think, meditate, and garden. Being the moment can be a true challenge, but it's what I strive for the most.

• writing
• photography
• coloring
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• running
• meditation
• zumba
• gardening
• traveling
• socializing
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• backpacking
• camping
• surfing
• teaching

Music, Movies, and Books

Eckhart Tolle, Cradle to Cradle, Playful Parenting, Animal-Vegetable-Miracle, Hook, Some Kind of Wonderful

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Watched the sun rise on top of Mount Hood and cast a shadow on the valley floor...

Teach, Learn, Share

I love to meet people who are passionate about life, and simultaneously open to taking in the world with an attitude that demonstrates compassion and curiosity.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Canada, Cook Islands, Czech Republic, Ecuador, France, Italy, Liechtenstein, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Costa Rica, Germany, United States

•