Hi Everyone! My name is Rachelle, and I am 28 years old, currently living in The Hague, Netherlands, doing a masters degree in Agrarian, Food, and Environmental Studies. I'm originally from a city just south of Chicago, but I've spent time living in New York, Montana, as well as a study abroad stint in Durban, South Africa.

I am an adventurous, dependable, and cheerful person who thrives on lively conversations and good company. I enjoy meeting new people and can be a fun and engaging guest, but I am also independent and very capable of entertaining myself when the need arises. I unfortunately am not able to host right now because I am sharing a small studio with a roommate in a dorm building, but once I relocate after graduation, I will hopefully be able to host when I'm settled in a new home!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is my favorite way of traveling! I struggle with the reality that space is a commodity and that it is 'normal' to pay large sums of money for a few square feet to sleep for a night. I like that couchsurfing allows travel to be relational, free, and based on mutual exchange, which takes it outside the logics of capital. :) And while I've stayed in hostels in many cities across the world, I much prefer interacting with local people when visiting a new place, as opposed to other travelers. I enjoy couchsurfing because it allows me to make real connections with people and to see the places I'm visiting from the eyes of someone who knows and loves them.

Interests

I am a curious person who likes to learn a little bit about many things more so than having a mastery of any one topic. Some of my hobbies are knitting, sewing, and clothes-making, food fermentation and scratch cooking, agroecology and biodynamic/regenerative food production, as well as some new interest in utility-oriented art forms like pottery, woodworking, and metal-smithing. I really love being outdoors, hiking, running and exploring new landscapes by taking long runs on back roads. I'm an avid astrology follower and can do birth chart readings for fun! I also really love all topics related to the body and 'alternative' forms of healing. I practice Reiki and have gone through a long and intensive process with my own body where I have recovered from several debilitating chronic health conditions. I am really passionate about the body, trauma, and holistic forms of healing. I'm always excited to learn more about healing traditions outside of the Western medical model, and my dream is to eventually become a practitioner of many of the modalities which have helped me over the years. Finally, I have a passion and interest for grassroots social movements and pushing the moral arc of society forward. :)

• running
• reading
• traveling
• hiking
• backpacking
• food
• friends

Music, Movies, and Books

There are many books that I enjoy! I am mostly a non-fiction reader, although am very open to suggestions on good fiction books to start with! Some of my favorite books are The Myth of Normal, Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Injustice, The Alchemist, and The Art of Fermentation.

Some of my favorite bands are Rising Appalachia, The Wood Brothers, The Tallest Man on Earth, Caamp, Shakey Graves, HAIM, Waxahatchee, Lake Street Dive, Brandi Carlile, and the Goo Goo Dolls.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

-Enjoy late night tea and conversations with my host mom in Sandanezwe, South Africa
-Hike Mt Elbert in Colorado - a 14,000 foot adventure!
-Feel like I'm at the tip of the world in the Scottish highlands
-Hike through Croatian wine country and biking along the Adriatic sea

Teach, Learn, Share

Conversation, lively debates, food, music exchange, and anything you'd like to share on the topics I am familiar with!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Good company and great conversation! I am easy to get along with, and look forward to sharing stories, learning from others, and being inspired by all the adventures of my fellow couch surfers. I also can share astrology, astrology readings, or can give a short reiki session, if desired! :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, England, France, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Scotland, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

Netherlands, South Africa, United States