CURRENT MISSION

Create and find love, teach and be taught, look, see move.

ABOUT ME

Backpacking is my favorite thing to do. I volunteer taking kids hiking and backpacking. I started bicyling with a ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles, along the coast of Californi. This was a charity bike ride for Arthritis.
When I travel I usually stay in youth hostels partly because of the cost but also to meet people who like to travel the way I do. I travel to meet people more than seeing tourist sights. What I remember from my travels are the people along the way. My last trip was with my husband to Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. Cambodia was my favorite.
My trip before that one was hiking in the Dolomites and Tyrolean Alps. Again, meeting the young people at the youth hostel in Munich was fantastic.
Two years ago I spent a week in Washington DC, visiting all of the Smithsonian Museums.
My favorite place to backpack is in the Sierras. This year I will do a three week trip along the John Muir Trail. I have backpacked around Mt. Rainier, Colorado Rockies, Grand Tetons, and have hiked in many places.
I have two grown children, whom I have taught quality of life and is more important than money.

PHILOSOPHY

I live to give of myself, and to receive what others have to offer. My personal philosophy is that all people are very much the same, no one is better than another. I am working to grow through my prejudices, to find a way out of my limiting beliefs about myself and about other people.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

This will be my first time couchsurfing. I have listened to the wonderful stories my son has related about his amazing couchsurfing experiences. I find them amazing because, like me, he is most interested in meeting the people when he travels, and this is a great way to do that.

Interests

Backpacking, hiking, bicycling, working out at the gym, jogging. I love volunteer work of any kind. Now I take kids out to get to know nature with Inner City Outings, a branch of the Sierra Club. I also volunteer with my Chamber of Commerce, helping my city come together as a community.

• culture
• working out
• walking
• clubbing
• traveling
• volunteer work
• socializing
• cycling
• hiking
• backpacking
• hitchhiking
• volunteering
• au-pair
• lakes

Music, Movies, and Books

I love dancing at clubs to Lady GaGa, Black Eyed Peas, Journey.
I read personal growth and tax books.
I like comedies and love stories--movies.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I was an au pair in Lyon France when I was seventeen. Then I hitchhiked to many countries. I spent almost a month in Romania. I only had one bad experience when I was hitchhiking. I even did it through Italy, though I was a young girl.

I have had amazing backpacking experiences always with other people, getting to know them as I was getting to know nature and myself.
The few times I went backpacking by myself were fantastic. Once I tried to climb a mountain, and was totally amazed that I got down safely. Then it took me a few hours to find my tent. I had pitched it by a lake; however there were 25 lakes.

Teach, Learn, Share

My skills are how to travel on a shoestring, often walking to see a new place and meet new people, especially when you getlost a lot. I am more interested in sharing culture rather than seeing sights. That is what I like to share, my desire to get to know other peole. I am not at all shy with people I do not know. I think we all want to help each other. I feel fantastic when I give to others.