I grew up in Texas and by chance have ended up in the fantastic city of Fayetteville, Arkansas. I attend the University of Arkansas where I'm working on my first bachelor's degree in Horticulture. I'd like to study herbalism in depth and some day run a holistic herbalist apothecary from a biointensive CSA/homestead. I enjoy camping, hiking and rock climbing, basically anything that will get me outside. I haven't done nearly as much travel as I'd like so I'm hoping CS can help me fix that!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I absolutely love the idea of people offering their own spaces to other members of the community. It's a flashback to how things used to be - people would roll into town with their own supplies and experiences and skills to offer and the community would embrace them for the short while. While the opportunity to travel is paramount for me, the chance to meet people is a close second. I love swapping stories and sharing experiences, insights and knowledge with respectful others.

Interests

I love to get outside and go camping, hiking, rock climbing, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, pretty much anything that will get me outside. I even try to incorporate nature walks into my days as much as possible.

I absolutely love the Fayetteville, AR community. I try to always schedule time in to volunteer and give back. Tri Cycle Farms is my favorite place in the city to invest my time - it's an urban teaching farm located one block from my apartment complex that is more focused on growing people than food (though the food that comes out of that place is amazing!). Just the other day my boyfriend and I volunteered with the Watershed Conservation Resource Center collecting wildflower seeds from the wastewater plant's rain gardens to use in stream restoration projects around Northwest Arkansas. We love finding opportunities like that to give back to the community.

I am slowly acquiring the skills that I need to be able to live sustainably. I can my own food from the garden and make my own natural bath products. Once I've had my fill of traveling, I'd like to set up a simple and sustainable homestead.

• fish
• writing
• design
• dining
• cooking
• recipes
• running
• gardening
• traveling
• restoration
• socializing
• crochet
• painting
• investing
• homesteading
• music
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• fishing
• hiking
• canoeing
• kayaking
• camping
• rock climbing
• communications
• medicine
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

My absolute favorite music is that which emerges from my boyfriend's banjo when he jams with or without other musicians. He's incredible. As far as my recorded music goes, I mostly listen to City & Colour and The Schwag or other GD tributes.

I'm not too picky on movies either. I love cartoons (like Adventure Time or Pokemon) and superhero/action films (The Dark Knight, Pacific Rim, etc). I try not to watch too much TV but I find time every now and then to relax with my family and enjoy a good documentary.

I love fantasy books, especially those with underwritten themes and allegorical subtext. The Black Prism is one of my favorite series. Lately though I've been engaging in more academic readings. I'm enjoying A Language Older Than Words by Derrick Jensen right now and it's incredible.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I got accepted into the United State Naval Academy directly out of high school and was going to be naval officer, member of the Class of 2017. During plebe summer (it's like freshmen bootcamp) I became horribly sick and was lucky to live through the ordeal. However, it resulted in my medical separation from the Navy so I never actually had the chance to attend the academy. It's all worked out for the best though - I like the person I am now a lot more than the one I was then, I've come to love Fayetteville and I've met the best boyfriend I could have ever hoped for.

Teach, Learn, Share

I am taking horticulture and sustainability courses at the University of Arkansas and would be happy to share any of my knowledge from those courses. I am also engaging in self-study of herbalism and how to use plants as medicine, which I'm always happy to share about. I crochet and paint and would be happy to share these skills. I speak limited Spanish but my basics are really solid and I could definitely teach them to a beginner. We cook a lot of fresh food in my house and we're always willing to share the experience behind the food! I know a ton of awesome local spots to canoe, kayak, cliff jump, rock climb, hike, fish, forage, and enjoy music with the community. The Ozarks are awesome in all seasons and I love sharing them with people!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I would love to share these various skills and experiences with hosts:
- love of the outdoors
- knowledge of horticulture (growing and caring for plants)
- knowledge of herbalism (theories, applications and some recipes - I can make salves, teas and tinctures with the right tools!)
- crochet skills and products
- I'm pretty great in the kitchen, especially with vegetables
-- canning experience
- social media management training (personal or professional)
- simple web design experience
- prolific writing skills

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Mexico

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States