I was born and raised in New York and am currently attending graduate school in Montana. I love outdoor activities and really enjoy a heated game of dominoes. I have an appreciation for the intensity of cities and the solitude of nature. Food. I love food, cooking it, eating it, and simply being around it! Salsa dancing is something I'm always working on. I love literature, mostly dead authors, and am trying to read more poetry. My favorite philosopher is Betrand Russell and I like strong coffee. That's a smattering of who I am as a person.

Philosophy: Life is short, eat well and be kind.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm on couchsurfing because it's a nice way to meet people from all over the world and build a small community. I'm new to couchsurfing but from what I've heard, it's all about getting to know people and that appeals to me. Plus, couchsurfing will allow me to gain some first-hand cultural experience and practice Spanish. I grew up in a big family and really enjoy social environments; I'm definitely an extrovert.

Interests

My interests are broad and varied. I love to cook, eat, salsa dance, read literature, occasionally torture myself with Bikram yoga, camp, hike, ski, rock climb, drink wine (beer and cocktails too), laugh, visit museums, pester my niece and nephews, and on and on...

• literature
• poetry
• dancing
• salsa dancing
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• beer
• cocktails
• coffee
• yoga
• drinking
• socializing
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• camping
• skiing
• philosophy

Music, Movies, and Books

I'm more of a book person than a movie person. I love Charles Bukowski, Kurt Vonnegut, Toni Morrison, Hemingway, Faulkner, Ismail Kadare, Ruth Reichl, Nikolai Gogol, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and plenty more.

Music: Like most people, I enjoy a lot of music. I like old-school hip-hop, jazz, blues, world music, a little bit of pop (Justin Timberlake, guilty pleasure), little bit of country (old school), and salsa music.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Well, I'll tell you about the hardest thing I've ever done. I have spent five months in the sweltering heat of a remote village in Senegal. That was a cake walk compared to teaching. For one summer, I taught 10-13 year olds in an inner-city school in south Philadelphia. It may not seem like much, but it was the hardest damn thing I've ever done.

Teach, Learn, Share

I am passionate about life and its many nuanced beauties. I believe that sharing space with someone and talking to people from various backgrounds helps create a rich and deep world to live in. I can teach you some random bits of Albanian that you are likely to never need ; )

What I Can Share with Hosts

I grew up in a large family, three brothers and a sister (I also have 33 first cousins). Anyway, I know a thing or two about sharing. I'd be happy to share knowledge, sarcasm, jokes, wine, food, and well, just about most things.

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Canada, England, Fiji, France, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Senegal, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

Senegal, United States