i’m a student in the US, studying abroad in France this semester. i’m majoring in politics and economics!

when i travel i’m pretty low maintenance, but i like to stay busy and do/see as many things as possible. i grew up w parents who are huge hikers, so nearly every family trip has been to some mountain range… we’ve done the smoky mountains, the appalachians, and the grand canyon in america. i do love heights (rollercoasters, rockclimbing, i even went bungee jumping when i was 11) and i can appreciate nature, but personally i’m a beach girl! water heals me, and i think it heals everyone. islands are great but not very accessible, so i’m a big lake fan too. recently i was gifted a camera so i’ve been into photography. i enjoy cultural activities as well—i love to learn about a place’s people, history, traditions, local spots, etc. and especially a place’s food. i’ll try anything! i used to be vegetarian, and i still don’t eat much meat - veggies and plant-based foods are my favorite, but i also have a huge sweet tooth and genuinely can’t live without fruit

i have a cat at home and he is the love of my life :)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

looking for places to stay in Barcelona, maybe Madrid also

Music, Movies, and Books

i mostly listen to pop, indie, and hip hop, but i can give great classical recs (as a pianist)! obviously my all time favorite is la campanella (whose isn’t?) but a new top favorite is alborada del gracioso. i heard it live for the first time last year and it was a magical experience

i’ll probably watch any movie that’s a book adaptation. i don’t see movies/shows that often, but on netflix rn i’m watching gilmore girls (team jess) and miraculous (in french)

i’m a huge reader! i’m more into classics (my final project for an english class was a 30 page essay analysis of Great Expectations, when everyone else chose to make presentations or write poems… i’m a dickens and austen fanatic) than modern-day stuff (but i’ve definitely read pretty much all the dystopia/fantasy books from the last decade; like actually 95% of the goodreads list, i checked). best recommendations from the past year - Pachinko, Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Scythe series. book that changed my life - Demian. i’ve gotten through half The Little Prince in french, and my goal one day is to read The Three Musketeers in french. i’ll talk about anything you’ve read or i’ve read ever.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

cut my hair above the shoulders for the first time since i was 5!

Teach, Learn, Share

the two things i’ve done since i was 5 are piano and rockclimbing, though i haven’t had time to do much of either since i came to Paris this year. still, they’re a huge part of who i am, and i will offer anything i can if you ask me about those! background - i used to play piano for competitions/performances as a kid, but my technique has definitely eroded recently from lack of practice. now i just play whatever i want, whether it’s the typical classical romantic or baroque, or pop covers, or disney instrumentals… i love a good soundtrack. as for climbing, i definitely lean toward bouldering, but have a fair share of experience in top-roping too. i mostly hit up indoor gyms, but once climbed outdoors in alaska! my hands were freezing. would do it again

i love love love art and museums - i know a bit about some artists/art and can share, but would be amazing to learn too. huge fan of impression/post-impression - Sisley has always been one of my favorites (his colors! unmatched) , Cezanne has really grown on me (after seeing his works in so many museums), and i’ve discovered the genius of Renoir very recently in his still life fruits. i also love islamic/arabic art, but haven’t had much opportunity to see it irl. idk what it is abt the geometric patterns but they hypnotize me. i’m rly into the architecture specifically (honeycomb muqarnas!) and the persian books. my dream is to see alhambra in granada and the arches in cordoba

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands, China, England, France, Hungary, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Puerto Rico, Scotland, Turks and Caicos Islands, United States, Virgin Islands, British

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, United States