I grew up in a medium-sized, mostly conservative town in Minnesota where the number of non-white High School students could easily be counted on one hand. In a town of 16k, this never seemed strange to me - until I left.

I went to school at a liberal arts college in Minnesota, the U of MN Morris, where I acquired my ability to think critically about everything I'd been taught, look past differences in my peers, and respect others for who they are - not what they do, what they look like, or what they believe in. I was surrounded for the first time by people who had a passion for something bigger - travel, social equity, diversity, justice. The four years I spent in Morris, MN changed me for the better.

After graduating in 2013 with a degree in Environmental Studies, I served in two different AmeriCorps programs - one for 3 months (Conservation Corps), and one for 11 months (GreenCorps). I then received my first real-person job offer at a nearby school district.

I now live with my partner in Rosemount, MN, and we have two very dumb (but very sweet) cats.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

In my 3-week trip to Spain in December of 2013, I acquired a passion for travel. I'm on Couchsurfing not only to find accommodations around the world for when I do get to do the RTW trip I've been dreaming of, but also to connect with other travelers and to provide the type of high-quality, friendly accommodations I'd like to find elsewhere.

Interests

I am really into the whole local foods, local businesses scene. I am a sucker for craft and art fairs; my partner and I now know to take cash to these events and once it's gone, it's gone.

I'm into sustainability and conservation. Recycling/composting (I have a worm bin in our town home), water and energy saving, only using what you need, buying used, etc.

I love being outdoors, hiking, fishing - I'd like to get into hunting someday in order to provide meat for myself and family. Breaking a sweat outside energizes me.

• cats
• arts
• culture
• dining
• politics
• traveling
• eating out
• music
• outdoor activities
• fishing
• hiking
• hunting
• environmental studies
• religion

Music, Movies, and Books

I've recently been disappointed in music on the radio (mostly because it's so overplayed), but I tend to enjoy a lot of Sigur Ros, Cloud Cult, Iron and Wine... chill stuff that could easily put me to sleep (it leads to issues on road trips)... That being said, I'm an avid listener of MPR.

I'm a huge Harry Potter nerd, don't even get me started. I'm also in love with Pat Rothfuss's Name of the Wind (Kingkiller Chronicles) and have recently discovered Margaret Atwood. On a different note, I've been rereading the Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor over the last few months (when I can find them at the library) and that's been fun.

I'm not a huge movie person. I tend to get bored half-way through, much to my partner's disappointment. I do watch Doctor Who, Friends, HIMYM, and we've started on Sherlock and Firefly.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I am incredibly proud of myself for the 10 months that my partner was away in Spain studying abroad. We not only made it work, but we came back together stronger and happier than ever before.

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach:
-I can talk for a long time about sustainable food systems, sustainable practices, etc.
-I can potentially teach you tips and tricks to saving water, energy, and other resources

Learn:
-I'd love an opportunity to speak in Spanish
-I'd also love to just hear about others' life experiences

Share:
-Food
-Experiences
-Laughter
-Music

What I Can Share with Hosts

Deep conversation about all types of things (politics! religion! life!), likely a lot of laughter (if you're into that), music, Minnesota Nice Culture :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Mexico, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States