ABOUT ME

I am a PhD student from Vancouver, but studying in Kingston, Ontario. I study political science at Queen's University, and am interested in issues of reconciliation in deeply divided societies.

My partner lives in Vancouver, and we often travel together. His name is Jamison, and he is a mental health worker and a musician.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To meet people from other parts of the world, to gain a better understanding of the places I visit from people who live there, and to make traveling more accessible to everyone. I also think couchsurfing helps with cross-cultural bridge building, which enriches life.

Interests

Learning about other cultures and histories, listening to and playing music, and meeting new people.

With my studies, I focus on conflict transformation, ethnic identity, and processes of reconciliation in post-atrocity societies. I am currently conducting my fieldwork in Bosnia and will be heading to Rwanda next.

• culture
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• political science
• science
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery; A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry; A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Movies: Life Aquatic, The Breakfast Club, The Shawshank Redemption

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Living with a host family in Lusaka, Zambia for a year while volunteering with a local organization.

What I Can Share with Hosts

My passion for learning about new places and people. I love traveling and seeing other ways of engaging with life and other expressions of culture, especially music.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Mozambique, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Zambia