CURRENT MISSION

I want to master salsa dancing and the other Latin partner dance styles! I want to motivate people to improve their English speaking and writing skills. And I want to learn the customs and social dynamics of the cities that I visit and reside in.

ABOUT ME

Most people know me for my smile and friendliness. I make sure to say hello and introduce myself to a stranger if we've come across each other before or, of course, if he or she intrigues me from the get-go. What's important to me is not traveling to multiple places in a short-term, touristy kind of way; I want to know a city intimately when I visit, so I normally live there for at least a couple of months and seek out locals and expats. I feel most at home when I'm having a conversation with an immigrant or where I'm the immigrant!

PHILOSOPHY

I want to make a positive impact on the world, however small. I majored in social work in order to work with immigrants and refugees, helping them to get resettled in a new, complicated environment. I also see teaching language as making a difference; by knowing another language, people can tap into all sorts of cultural knowledge that they otherwise couldn't access.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I value the meetups. There are the big group get-togethers; I remember making important connections on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro and at Ankert bar on a snowy night in Budapest. I would like to do more of the actual couchsurfing and hosting part!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

An ideal Couchsurfing experience would be a time to practice a new language, have plenty of interesting conversations and cultural exchanges, learn how to cook new meals, and help my host with any day-to-day stuff to get authentic exposure into what living long-term in a place is like.

Interests

I play guitar and drums, and I listen to a lot of music. I like to read and learn about the world and its people through history and news. I write poetry. Being engaged with community and interacting with all kinds of people occupies the majority of my energy, time, and passion! I like to go to festivals and community events. And I partner dance.

• culture
• dancing
• salsa dancing
• partying
• cultural immersion
• learning languages
• learning new things
• teaching english

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Way too much. Right now, I'm really into Brazilian Tropicalia music (one of the big reasons I chose Brazil to travel to first), but I love indie music- Animal Collective, Sufjan Stevens, Toro y Moi, Washed Out, etc.- and good hip hop- Mos Def and Talib Kweli, Chance the Rapper, Nas, my Tucson friends who freestyle and beatbox for hours!
Movies: My favorites are "Brazil" (which actually has nothing to do with Brasil), "Magnolia," and "Birdman."
Books: I've always been into history and psychology. Only recently, I've gotten into poetry- Dorianne Laux and Charles Bukowski especially- and fiction. My favorite book is "Everything is Illuminated" by Jonathan Safran Foer.

Teach, Learn, Share

My favorite conversations are about how people live and interact with others. I really enjoy learning the geography and culture of a city; whenever I go to a new place, I usually find the alternative weekly and hit up as many free events as I can. I want to be aware of customs and live like a local.

Countries I’ve Visited

Mexico

Countries I’ve Lived In

Brazil, Hungary