I love to chat. I like dogs over cats usually, and I would love to have a garden when I get older.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I graduated from college in May and I am taking a year to travel in Southeast Asia. I used to run track & field for my university, but I've since renounced the ways of high-impact sports and would like to devote time to learning about ways other cultures have formulated spiritual and physical practices of R&R and wellness.

Interests

I enjoy walking. I enjoy chewing gum. Sometimes I can do both at the same time.

I also love to write thank-you notes and visit old friends and drink coffee and go for short jogs in big new places! I know how to ski on water and snow, but I don't do a lot of either anymore. I much prefer nowadays to sit and read. I'd love to start bird-watching or fly-fishing (catch and release of course), but both efforts require more patience than I can usually muster.

• pets
• cats
• dogs
• festivals
• coffee
• running
• walking
• drinking
• flying
• gardening
• chess
• traveling
• music
• folk music
• outdoor activities
• fishing
• skiing
• sports
• track and field
• geology

Music, Movies, and Books

I listen to stuff my dad played when I was a kid: classic rock like Emerson Lake & Palmer and Boston and Stephen Stills, as well as slightly angsty powerful female vocalists like Alanis Morissette and Fiona Apple and Sade. My favorite movie is "Once." My favorite books to travel with are fanciful fiction novels by Tom Robbins and Christopher Moore. The book I just finished was "Jitterbug Perfume" by Robbins, a book about cycles of the moon, magic scents, the mythical Pan, ancient Bohemia, immortality, and beets.

I have a current favourite book, "Cosmicomics" because it reminds me to stay up and pay attention to the moon and stars.

One spot I dream about the most often is a tiny wooden sauna under a blue moon on the banks of a lake near Pälkäne, Finland.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I drove a car from Boston, Massachusetts (NE USA) to Kelowna, British Columbia (SW Canada). Along the way, I had a "burn-rubber to burn daylight" motto. I would haul tail and drive 14 hours in a single day only to then spend 2 days sitting in the sunshine or shuffling around farmers markets looking for local honeys to bring to my host in the next destination. I also had a habit of taking spontaneous 4+ hour detours just to get coffee with an old friend.

One of the most memorable places I've ever visited was the Isle of Eigg off the northern coast of Scotland. I attended a music festival called The "Howlin' Fling" in the summer of 2014, and I have never danced more in my life. I love good folk music, outdoor cinemas, and salted sea fog air, so the festival was truly the time of my life. I enjoy getting to know new places and new people whenever I get the chance.

Teach, Learn, Share

Some fun facts about me:
I can peel an orange in one piece.
I once owned a pet ostrich.*
I kept hives of honeybees at Harvard University for 3 years.
I can throw a Frisbee with my toes.

*I hand-raised a baby ostrich (scientific name- "Struthio camelus," family name- "BirdaBirda Murphy"). It was a good companion and guardian of the property all things (giant poops) considered. There are some great stories associated with this family pet.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Hmm, tangible skills...well, I could help consult about a good spot to set-up an apiary in your backyard. I also know a thing or two about bugs and rocks (amateur entomologist and geologist.) I am a student of Thai massage and am always happy to practice. Lastly, I have found that I enjoy playing chess, but I lose often regardless of the skill level of my opponent, so that's always fun for you.

Regardless of the level of communication, I love to sit and share with whomever I meet.

Here is my favorite toast:
"La santé! Eh, nous l’avons déjà... Buvons à notre intelligence!"
--Cheers to our health...eh, we have that already. Let's drink to our greater intelligence!

Looking forward to meeting you if you'll give me the chance!

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macao, Netherlands, Panama, Scotland, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Thailand, United States