CURRENT MISSION

Satisfying my travel bug by hosting others when I can't be on the road.

ABOUT ME

I grew up in a very small town called Laurens, Iowa made quasi famous for the David Lynch, Walt Disney film "The Straight Story". Even as a child, I was curious to get out and see the world. During college, I studied abroad in Merida, Mexico and Granada, Spain. In grad school, I participated in a seminar in Bangalore, India.

I moved to the Twin Cities from Iowa in 1998 after college where I've held a variety of jobs involving international business. I've traveled to over 40 countries. I speak Spanish, Portuguese and am studying Italian now. Some of my favorite travel locations are, but not limited to: Mexico, Bali, Thailand, Kenya and India.

With my current job, I do travel about once a month abroad, so I am on the road often but am interested in hosting couchsurfers as time permits.

I am 37 years old, and I live in my home with my husband how is 41. We have two cats and no kids.

PHILOSOPHY

I am a very goal driven person, and I've been fortunate to find a job where I can apply my skills and travel the world. I feel very blessed to have a job that I love and husband who makes for an excellent travel companion.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

If you come to my house on the weekends, I would love to show you around the Twin Cities. In my job, we host a lot of international visitors, so I know the places to take people to see and experience Minnesota life.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I am completely new to couchsurfing. I hosted a friend lately who traveled around the US couchsurfing, and she has got me interested in trying it out.

Interests

My hobbies include: Travel, fine dining, wine and reading a good book.

• animals
• cats
• books
• dining
• wine
• fine dining
• reading
• traveling
• business

Music, Movies, and Books

Favorite movies: When Harry Met Sally, Gone with the Wind, foreign films
Music: Adele, world music like Caetano Veloso, Omara Portunondo, Radio Africa, Gipsy Kings.
Books: Blindness by Jose Saramago, Empire Falls by Richard Russo, East of Eden by John Steinbeck and Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

They all involve animals:
1. Rode an elephant in Bali
2. Held a koala in Australia
3. Walked a cheetah in South Africa
4. Fed a tame white rhino in Kenya.

Teach, Learn, Share

My husband lived in California for a few years, so we have traveled California wine country extensively. We have our own wine cellar and are well versed in wines. We've also visited wine regions in Italy, South Africa, Mexico and Australia.