CURRENT MISSION

studying nursing and not much else right now

ABOUT ME

I'm studying nursing at the University of Pittsburgh second Bachelors degree program. My favorite thing is working as a birth doula helping babies join us in this wide wonderful world in the most gentle, happy way possible. I hope to be a labor and delivery nurse and eventually become a midwife.

PHILOSOPHY

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meaness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whomever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
Jalal ad-Din Rumi

Live simply so that others may simply live.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Potlucks and hanging out with newbies to the city. Hosting people occasionally and surfing when I can get away from work.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've hosted a handful of really cool surfers in the past year. I have also couch surfed in New Orleans, LA, Rochester, NY, Columbus, OH, and Philadelphia, PA. I have also used Hospitality Club to stay and meet with people in Egypt, Morocco, Switzerland, Chicago, and New York City. I have only had positive experiences and I always felt safe and welcome with everyone I stayed with.

Interests

learning languages, dancing (Middle Eastern and Indian dances particularly), human rights, health, bicycling, reading, birth, crocheting, henna art, HIV/AIDS education, carpet making, signed languages, social justice, plant-based diets, yurt, living off the grid.

• arts
• dancing
• education
• human rights
• clubbing
• reading
• surfing
• teaching
• languages
• nursing
• tourism

Music, Movies, and Books

I watch maybe a dozen movies a year (mostly foreign films), listen to a lot of folk, blues, Indian, Arab, African and other international folk and pop music, I try to read something not related to work or school when I can, but recently read A Midwife's Tale that I recieved from a lovely CS guest actually and The Life of Milarepa (a 12th century Buddha).

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Darwaza the giant burning pit of hell, real-life dictatorship and 52 turtles in one afternoon in Turkmenistan were all pretty strange things to experience.

Teach, Learn, Share

Everyone and everything is a teacher.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Jordan, Morocco, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Egypt, India, Turkmenistan, United States