CURRENT MISSION

To be happy :)

ABOUT ME

I am a Biology PhD student at the University of Miami. Not a place I ever would have ever seen myself living, but I am adventuresome and always open to new experiences. I am crafty, fun, and don't mind getting a little dirt on me. I am vegetarian and I love experimenting with interesting and different recipes and ingredients to produce tasty and healthy food. I have a cute kitty who is very playful, and I grow bananas in my backyard. I also love figuring out how the world works. My current research focuses on insects that rely on intracellular bacteria for survival, how exactly the insects and bacteria interact together, and how their interactions have shaped their genomes. In the past, I conducted research on spider evolution and diversity, and spider venom toxin evolution. I have traveled near and far to collect spiders for my research. I am considerate and respectful of other people, customs and cultures, especially when I am a guest in their home. I have lived and traveled in many places, both in the United States and abroad, and I always prefer staying with locals rather than in hostels and hotels because it is the best way to get to know the place and culture, and especially because I like meeting new people and learning new perspectives. Whenever I travel to a new country, even for just a few days, I make it a point to learn at least a few words in the local language and not just assume that everyone speaks English, or in the case of West Africa, French. I have found that being able to converse in the local language opens up opportunities to the richest interactions and experiences for both me and others. I have lived with host families in Valencia, Spain, and in Dakar, Senegal. In Valencia, I was an exchange student for a year in 1999-2000 and completed my junior year in High School. I am still in touch with my host family and visit them whenever I have an opportunity. I went to Dakar as a University student and lived with a wonderful host family from Mali that welcomed me and eventually treated me as one of the family by making me wash dishes :) . I am not afraid to spend time getting to know people who do not speak a language I know fluently. There are other ways of communicating. My biggest dream is to live in a completely sustainable, waste-free community and to have my own personal spice garden.

PHILOSOPHY

Things usually fall into place.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I have hosted once and it was super fun! I am going to surf this week, so I will report back when I have some more experience!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have been in contact with some CS people in College Station, Texas for a short trip I am taking there in a few weeks, and everyone who has answered my couch request has been super welcoming and friendly, and they have all seemed like interesting people I would love to meet and hang out with. I see this as a place not only to find places to stay while traveling or helping out fellow travelers when they are in my town, but to meet wonderful and lasting friends.

Interests

Traveling (duh!), camping, hiking, cooking vegetarian and vegan food, experimental cooking with new and interesting ingredients, gardening, eating home-grown and home-cooked meals, making and fixing things myself, sewing my own clothes, quilting, catching cool bugs, listening to accordions, playing piano, biking and critical mass, writing computer programs that make my life easier, eating mangoes, science, not watching TV, learning and speaking other languages, etc.

• insects
• culture
• writing
• dining
• cooking
• recipes
• indian food
• vegetarian
• vegan
• gardening
• clothing
• tv
• traveling
• survival
• piano
• cycling
• hiking
• camping
• biology
• languages
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

Some books I've enjoyed recently: Shantaram, High Tide in Tucson, The Ghost Map, Wonderful Life, The Orchid Thief

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Looking up at the stars with no electricity for miles.
Looking across the Florida Everglades from a helicopter.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach some basic bike maintenance skills, about cooking Indian food, and how to identify spiders. I am interested in learning to play the fiddle, improving my foreign language skills, and learning any tasty and healthy vegetarian recipe.

Countries I’ve Visited

Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, India, Mali, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, Panama, Senegal, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Senegal, Spain, United States