CURRENT MISSION

Explore, learn, create, inspire, share, HAVE A LAUGH!

ABOUT ME

I am a Canadian who is interested in many things: travel, learning new things, perspectives, coffee (everything from how it's grown to how it's extracted and prepared), social and environmental justice, literature, film...the list goes on.I graduated with a bachelor's degree in Psychology in 2009 and am currently studying development and environmental sustainability in Oslo, Norway. My thesis topic will be about the impact direct-trade has on community development and living standards of coffee producers. I'm fortunate to have recently started working part-time for a coffee company that participates in this model of trade. We buy, roast and serve coffee. Direct-trade means travelling to coffee producers several times a year to build long-term and equitable relationships. I'm proud of the work I do and find it incredibly interesting, fascinating and fun!

PHILOSOPHY

Listen, know why you think things, be engaged, take responsibility, HAVE FUN, be adventurous, do things you're afraid of and don't be afraid to laugh at yourself sometimes - everyone has it hard every once in a while; things are rarely as bad/embarrassing as they initially appear.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I've surfed several times and had fantastic experiences. I have hosted a couple of times (positive experiences so far) and while I don't live in the best apartment (student housing) for hosting, I will do my best to continue.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I love seeing places from a local's perspective and have met some pretty fantastic people through this project.

Interests

coffee, literature, film, social theory, travel, education in its various forms

• literature
• education
• coffee
• modeling
• traveling
• teaching
• psychology
• sociology

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: Oldboy, Coen Brothers, Wes Anderson, Bubba Ho-Tep, most Kubrick, Wall-E, There Will Be Blood, most Tarantino (especially Pulp Fiction), Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, The Departed, Battle Royale

Music: Hot Chip, Fleet Foxes, Daft Punk, The Knife, Grizzly Bear, LCD Soundsystem, Broken Social Scene, Caribou, Girl Talk, Animal Collective, !!!, Bon Iver, Of Montreal, Sunset Rubdown, Dungen, Les Savy Fav, Wolf Parade, Simian Mobile Disco, Cut Copy. Most POP music because let's face it: it's great to dance and sing-a-long to (particularly Annie, Lady Gaga and Rihanna). Though I thoroughly dislike Justin Bieber. I can't figure out the obsession with him.

Books: The Brothers Karamazov (Dostoevsky); War & Peace (Tolstoy); Kafka on the Shore (Murakami); Le Petit Prince (Exupéry); Anne of Green Gables (Montgomery); East of Eden (Steinbeck); The Poisonwood Bible (Kingsolver); A Wrinkle in Time (L'Engle); Post Office (Bukowski); Where the Wild Things Are (Sendak); On the Road (Kerouac); Diary of Anne Frank

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I love how small moments seems insignificant at the time but are generally the ones that are most cherished. What almost all of mine have in common is that they were shared with others.

Having said that, I was mesmerized during a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon. That place is mind-blowing/out-of-this-world.

Teach, Learn, Share

I want to learn more about coffee. If you know coffee-related things, teach me!

Alternatively, I can share what I know about coffee, as well as what I've learned from studying psychology, sociology, philosophy, being an engaged human being.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Russian Federation, Spain, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, Finland, New Zealand, Norway

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