CURRENT MISSION

Creating community

ABOUT ME

I enjoy exploring new communities, and travel both for fun and for work. I work for a non-profit health organization, overseeing resource development and managing a racial health equity program across six states. I love the outdoors and in my free time enjoy cycling, hiking, backpacking, and swimming. When I travel, I enjoy exploring neighborhoods and eating delicious foods from as many cultures as I can, in addition to seeing the typical sights. My favorite new food discovery is Afghani cuisine and I'm on an on-going mission to try the Ethiopian food in as many places as possible. Due to frequent travel however, I also often get restaurant fatigue and love to cook. Farmer's markets are one of my favorite "site-seeing" destinations anywhere I go. I also enjoy listening to live music, especially folk, bluegrass, and americana and love to dance as well. I enjoy meeting new people and am very outgoing but am also happy exploring independently.

PHILOSOPHY

I've been pretty focused on social justice lately, so I keep coming back to a phrase that I heard someone say at a conference this past year: "We all do better when we all do better."

Warum ich bei Couchsurfing bin

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Hosting and hanging out with couch surfers. I like to cook and am happy to cook with new friends. In general I really like to meet new people, so I've found as I travel that I do this even when not couchsurfing. During a recent hostel stay, I spent a lot of time with the hostel owners and their friends, having nice conversations and helping out in their community garden plot.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I started hosting a little before leaving the U.S. I hope to host again when I have a place for travelers to stay. I've also hung out with couch surfers who friends have hosted in my adopted hometown. Although not through couchsurfing, I recently hosted cyclists from Guatemala during the Tour of the Gila cycling race. I've had amazing experiences surfing in Prague, Germany and Spain this summer.

Interessen

hiking, biking, swimming, cooking, backpacking, farmer's markets, laughter yoga (yes, it's a thing)

• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• vegetarian
• yoga
• gardening
• traveling
• music
• live music
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• backpacking
• surfing
• swimming

Musik, Filme und Bücher

Music - folk and bluegrass are my favorites but I'm pretty flexible.

Books - Anne of Green Gables has been my favorite since childhood. I also enjoy a variety of fiction and non-fiction, especially books about people and their experiences.

Eine tolle Erfahrung, die ich gemacht habe

I'm easily amazed. Cooking couscous with a woman in Fes, Morocco with whom I didn't share a single language in common ranks pretty high. Of course, so do the views on almost every hike. Most recently, I've been amazed by the number of beautiful experiences I've had meeting and talking to new people as I travel.

Lehren, lernen, teilen

I'm a pretty good vegetarian cook and am quite creative when it comes to adapting dishes for food sensitivities.

I'm always looking to learn more and share a discussion about social and health equity/social justice. I also want to learn to use a sewing machine some day soon.

Länder, die ich besucht habe

Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Vatican City State

Länder, in denen ich gelebt habe

Spain

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