Hi! My name is Laura. I spend a lot of time writing, drawing, playing video games, and traveling around the United States via car or plane. I'd consider myself pretty smart, confident, logical, and imaginative. I'm currently working on a novel about super heroes, if that tells you anything. I'm also a pescatarian.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Traveling is expensive, and staying in hotels for more than a few days can absolutely break the bank, especially when traveling abroad. But more than that, I believe that by interacting with local populations, my experiences in wherever I'm visiting can be amplified, and I can truly experience life at my destination the way it was meant to be, without any tourist nonsense.

Interests

Writing, reading, drawing, singing, fencing, driving, riding motorcycles, video games (mostly WoW), and politics.

I really like maps? Is that a weird thing to write down I don't really know.

• writing
• books
• singing
• flying
• motorcycles
• politics
• video games
• reading
• traveling
• drawing
• camping
• fencing
• cartography

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Linkin Park/ AFI/ 30StM/ some HU and Radiohead and Anberlin and the Decembrists and and and it all really branches out from there.

Movies: Fight Club/ Marvel movies and by extension superhero movies.

Books: Harry Potter and anything that falls into that genre. I've read a ton of YA fantasy from Percy Jackson to Enders Game to Eragon and beyond. I also read a lot of books about body language and psychology, as I find the mind very interesting. My favorite book of all time is actually The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I'm really lucky to have been able to do a lot and experience a lot of really amazing things in my short life but I'd say one of the neatest would be flying a plane. I amassed a total of 22 hours of single engine flight training before calling it quits after a particularly terrifying solo landing. I've also traveled to Paris and taught at a computer camp, which are some of my personal favorites.

Teach, Learn, Share

Having trouble merging in heavy traffic? Try what I like to call a "Connecticut Merge" (named for the state I have to do it the most in).
1. Put on your blinker. This is so people know you're coming.
2. Slowly but assertively start to move into the other lane. If it's done slowly but with confidence, the other person will have enough time to see you coming and at the same time be forced to let you in.
Out of the literally hundreds of times I've merged in heavy traffic (high speed or slow moving) only one person has tried to play chicken with me. And they lost.
I call that a 100% success rate. Just make sure you have an opening. The key here is picking the right opening to try to merge into and starting to pull over at the right time squeeze your way in. With a little bit of trial and error you'll be crossing 4 lanes of traffic to make that exit in 1/4th of a mile you were about to miss!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'd like to consider myself a good guest. I'm clean, quiet, and polite. I understand etiquette and personal space. Also, I'm willing to try almost anything and I'm also a morning person.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bermuda, Canada, France, Germany, Honduras, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States