Hi! I'm Samantha and I am currently a student studying abroad in London. I study Global Health and Sociology and hope to someday have a career working with health systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. I am a frequent traveler, as I took a gap year before university in which I traveled and lived abroad in China and Ghana, as well as living and working on farms across America. My favorite place in the world is in Ghana, where I spent the past summer working on a health and wellness project within a boarding school in the Volta region.

I love traveling so that I can experience life in different environments and cultures. My favorite way to get to know a new community is to find outdoor experiences I can partake in, such as hiking or walking through markets or trails. I love music and concerts and have never turned down an adventure!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I would love to be able to travel while I am currently studying abroad as a student. This study abroad experience may be the only time I am able to live in the U.K., so I am trying to make the most of it by traveling wherever I can!

I also love meeting new people and being able to learn from others. Throughout my travels, I have learned so much from the people who have hosted me and it has expanded my perspective in many ways.

Interests

• music
• hiking
• volunteering
• hiking in nature
• explore new places

Music, Movies, and Books

My favorite bands: Portugal the man, The Beatles, Frank Ocean, The Lumineers, Still Woozy
Movies: Across the Universe, Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind, Blue Valentine, Stuck in Love, Mr. Nobody, Call me by your Name
TV shows: How I Met Your Mother, Scrubs, That 70s Show
Books: Tweak by Nic Sheff, Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Last summer I received a grant from my university to do an independent service project of my choice in rural Ghana. I created a health and wellness project which focused on three main components: Getting vaccinations, clean water, and increasing nutrition. I spent over two months living in a boarding school in Hohoe, Ghana, in which I used this grant money to take on these objectives. I was able to reach all of my goals and was able to form the most amazing connections with the kids and teachers. It was the best two months of my life and I have plans to go back next summer!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I have a vast amount of knowledge of global issues surrounding health and community development. I am really passionate about issues such as Malaria and HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa and love to discuss these topics or learn more about other people's interests and passions! I am still young and developing my sense of self and my place in the world so it is great to be able to hear about the things other people love or what helped them gain their own sense of self!

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, China, Ghana, India, Peru, Thailand