ABOUT ME

I live and work in Bethel, Alaska, the hub village for 56 others in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. I was raised in Fairbanks, in the interior, lived in Anchorage, raised my children in Washington and worked as a public health nurse for five years in Utqiagvik, on the North Slope of Alaska. I made an unsuccessful return to the Seattle area, not adapting well to city traffic, the largeness of the community and lack of immediate access to nature. In rural Alaska, it's easy to establish close friendships and share adventures. Bethel is on the Kuskokwim River and every year hosts the K-300, a dog sled race to Aniak and back. It's a pretty exciting time to come to Bethel, although pretty cold. Summers are beautiful here! Visits to WA to spend time with my children and grandchildren are an incredibly happy contrast to the intense work of public health nursing, so I feel as though I truly have the best of both worlds.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I loved being able to provide an opportunity for travelers to visit Barrow (Utquiagvik) and thoroughly enjoyed learning about their travels. I hope to have some guests here in Bethel as well. I look forward to traveling more in the future and to exploring different parts of the world. Travelers who stayed with me in Barrow were certainly inspiring!

Interests

I enjoy bike riding, hiking, origami, gardening, reading and music. I enjoy conversations on any subjects that are interesting, profound, thought-provoking or uplifting.

Music, Movies, and Books

I enjoy any music with melody and meaning, love mostly feel-good movies and read a lot of books about quantum physics, goal setting, spirituality and occasionally a good novel.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I rode a bicycle with a group of friends from Fairbanks, in the interior of Alaska, to Anchorage, covering 500 miles in five days and also rode a motorcycle with a friend from Seattle to Anchorage...OK, guess that's two things but it would be hard to admit to which was the most fun.

Teach, Learn, Share

I have a Tower Garden that I love tending to. Would love sharing fresh greens with couch surfing guests. I make a couple of simple origami pieces that are fun to share with others...there's always a good stock of paper on hand to share. I'd love learning just about anything a guest or host might like to teach me. I had a wonderful visitor from Muscat, Oman who taught friends and me quite a bit about his culture...one of my favorite couch surfers!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share stories and photographs of life in rural Alaska, my great salad-making and dish-washing skills, companionship exploring your locale and flexibility if you're working or otherwise preoccupied while I'm exploring your amazing locale. I would, of course, bring an origami piece as a gift and would love to teach you how to make one, if you'd like.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Mexico, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States