I'm a current undergraduate student studying atmospheric science at the University of Maryland, College Park near Washington D.C., USA. I love traveling and exploring the world whenever I get a chance.

One of my life goals is to visit all 7 continents. Unfortunately, I'm only at two so far, but plenty of time to see more. I also want to visit all 50 states in the USA, and I've probably hit about half so far.

My academic experience right now is learning about weather, climate, the atmosphere, and energy. I've been forecasting the weather for over 50k people on Facebook since my junior year of high school, and have loved all of it. Except when I miss a forecast (which happens :( ) and people yell at me.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I enjoy meeting people from all over the world, and getting a more local experience in a new place. I am often traveling on a budget, and would rather make a new friend than stay in an expensive hotel.

I have yet to have my first experience with couchsurfing, which is why my profile is a little incomplete, but you have to start somewhere! I have had friends and family recommend using this, and as I start traveling more I thought I would give this a try. I think the kind of people I meet will have similar life attitudes and interests!

Interests

Traveling, hiking, kayaking, skiing, storm chasing, nature photography, just being outside. I enjoy seeing new scenery and landscapes as well as learning about different weather patterns across the country and the world. Inside, I like to learn about different cultures, and my favorite way to do that is through food and stories. I enjoy cooking and exploring new foods while talking with someone about a cool experience.

• photography
• dining
• cooking
• recipes
• traveling
• socializing
• hiking
• kayaking
• skiing
• rock climbing
• languages
• science
• tours

Music, Movies, and Books

Indie/Alternative Rock, but I'll enjoy most music. I don't watch movies much, but the best one I've seen recently was Interstellar. I keep up with a few TV shows, my favorite is Game of Thrones. I wish I had more time to read for leisure, but textbooks are my primary reading at the moment.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

My coolest experience so far was probably climbing Volcan Baru in Panama. After an exhausting previous night/day on buses from Panama City to Boquete in the western part of the country, my friends and I left at 11:30pm for a long hike up to the highest point in Panama. We hiked up a steep trail through the night, and reached the top just as the sun was coming up. Despite the cold and brutal winds, seeing the sun rise above the clouds was one of the most beautiful and incredible experiences of my life.

After reaching the bottom around noon, we found that the person who was supposed to call us a taxi back to town was missing. We ended up cramming 4 people into the trunk of a jeep doing tours of the volcano for the 5 mile drive back into town. Since we were so physically exhausted, that was one of the kindest gifts to us!

Teach, Learn, Share

Happy to talk about the weather, learn about local weather and scenery. I love exchanging ideas and cultural experiences through discussion and food. While my language skills aren't great, I am trying to learn Spanish so I can at least have 2 languages under my belt to use while traveling.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Stories, recipes, inspiration for adventures all over the country and the world

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, Costa Rica, France, Italy, Netherlands, Panama

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States