*I am away from Toronto for most of JUNE 2018*

Hi :) I'm Rebekah. I am a positive, responsible and respectful person! I believe and practice my life in a way that understands the inherent dignity and worth of all humans. I work hard to keep my world filled with *clean energy*. I grew up in a community-focused family with 3 siblings (raised to share well). I'm always up for an adventure!

I have a strong relationship with my bicycle and a passion for engaging with nature. I have a good heart, deep patience and strong moral code. I fully enjoy healthy discussions and am always open to considering different views. My favourite thing people say about me is how much they love my *light*.

"When you learn something and it is of value to you, you have a moral obligation to share it with others."

"I am the captain of my ship and the master of my fate."

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I travel quite a bit for fun and work and always find hotels a bit of a cold box! Often if I am travelling, I am probably on my way to or from a conference about social services, aging or dementia. After a few years of hotels/hostels and hearing about couchsurfing I am giving it a try. I very much enjoy meeting new people and strongly feel that time spent with local folks is better than any tourist attraction!

Interests

• arts
• culture
• street art
• environment
• gardening
• politics
• reading
• music
• live music
• public policy
• social work
• volunteering
• food
• social justice
• local food
• learning
• museums
• good conversation
• community
• art galleries
• gemstones

Music, Movies, and Books

I love almost all music. Some fave songs:
- "Little Wing" - Jimi Hendrix
- "Over the Hills and Far Away - Led Zeppelin
- "The End of the World" - Skeeter Davis
- "I Can See Clearly Now" - Johnny Nash
- anything by Leon Bridges, Lauryn Hill and Nina Simone
- I also love to dance and happy to nod my head and groove

Movies: I watched Harriet the Spy excessively as a child... and then Grease almost everyday of Grade 3. I love Marvel movies but honestly do not watch movies a lot at all (raised without TV). I like documentaries and adore Planet Earth.

Books:
Alice in Wonderland
- Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
- anything by Roald Dahl
- The Bell Jay by Sylvia Plath

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I spent a few years as a strong advocate with World Young Leaders in Dementia (WYLD). I travelled to present at the first conference (ever!) addressing dementia in Nigeria, Africa. I also served as a WYLD global ambassador in Hungary and Japan.

Now I am a 'local' ambassador in my community and help community centres work collaboratively to access funds to support older people with social contacts and services to stay at home as long as possible. The world is an exciting place and the work I do at home everyday is just as amazing (and important) to me.

I also did ToughMudder... and lived.

Teach, Learn, Share

Hmm... well! I know a fair bit about the following topics (mostly Canadian context): social work, grant writing, community development and organization, psychology and brains, project management, nutrition, farming, collective impact, entrepreneurship, counselling or psychotherapy. I enjoy physical activity in general (too many to list), learning about others and opportunities to grow.

Looking forward to learning anything and everything. I like getting older :)

What I Can Share with Hosts

I am happy to purchase groceries, cook and share a meal together. I would love to have walks, conversations, wine/tea/beer together. If free, would love a buddy to go to art galleries and museums with! (By bicycle would be lovely.)
I am an excellent listener with a genuine curiosity and interest in who you are and what makes you YOU!
I will continuously share my gratitude for your generosity.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belize, Cuba, England, France, Honduras, Hungary, Mexico, Nigeria, Spain, United States, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada