Well-traveled, globally-knowledgeable ESL teacher. I teach English to adults from around the world, and some of my greatest friends now are former students.

I love to sing, and nearly any conversation can remind me of a song.

I also love wines and wine-tastings. I rarely drink any other alcohol besides wine, but at least one varietal can be paired to any food!

I'm active. I like to walk, ride my bike, swim (but NOT in Lake Michigan - much too cold for me!!) and dance.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love traveling, and I really enjoy conversations with people who have viewpoints and opinions from outside the USA or outside Chicago.

I'm hosting now, and would love to Surf in the near future! My goal is to go to one new country, state, or place each year.

Interests

Some of my favorite things:
My brother, good wine, flowers (especially lilies!), my fabulous & delightful feather pillow, my bicycle, and myriad other things beginning in 's': sushi, the sun, swimming, singing, songs, Spanish cheeses (especially Manchego!), sleeping, and of course, my spex.

• singing
• dancing
• dining
• wine
• drinking
• flowers
• traveling
• cycling
• swimming
• teaching

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: Pretty much anything by Hemingway, "11-22-63," Stephen King's first foray into historical fiction, "Bossypants" was hilarious, "Wasted" was deep, and "The Elegance of the Hedgehog" made me cry. (And no, that last one isn't actually about hedgehogs... I don't know how it got that title; I'll just say it was translated from French, and leave it at that!) I read a lot, I mostly non-fiction and historical fiction.

Movies: hmmm. I like complex movies - movies that make you think. That said, it's easier to write about what movies I *don't* like, rather than movies I love... I strongly dislike sci-fi and fantasy. I've never seen any "Lord of the Rings" movies or Avatar. The first "Harry Potter" was a bit of a stretch for me... 😳

Shows: I don't have a TV, so I watch everything on my laptop. Favorites include: Mad Men, Criminal Minds, Breaking Bad, Law & Order: SVU...

Music: most anything, tho I'm not too keen on rap or hip-hop.

Food: sushi! And many other Asian cuisines. I love ice cream/gelato, but don't care for milk chocolate.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Within the course of 14 months, I climbed Mt. Fuji (Japan), the Great Wall (north of Beijing, China), and the Himilayas (between India and Tibet). Fabulous experiences, all with different folks!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I've recently moved into a 2-bedroom, 2-bath apartment in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, near Obama's house. It's a quick ride on the Express bus to downtown. I have only signed on to be here til the end of August however, so I am not sure where I'll be or whether I'll be able to host folks after that.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, China, Dominican Republic, France, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Japan, Spain, United States