CURRENT MISSION

Create spaces to build community, inspire creativity, and help people own their full potential

ABOUT ME

I am a free spirit and an old soul in a 22-year old body. I was born in San Francisco, California, but starting traveling at the age of 5 (to Bali, Indonesia and then to China and Tibet at age 8), and have lived in Barcelona and Vancouver for the past 4 years.

I am an artist who is passionate about local communities, reinventing business and education, and designing good experiences. Through the vehicle of powerful conversation, I believe anything is possible. My vision is to curate extraordinary experiences that build community, inspire innovation, and drive human potential and systemic change. I'm also committed to long-term thinking and doing, beyond our current perception of sustainable.

I want to live every day like its my last, and not take anything for granted. I like to know myself as an optimistic, ambitious and loving citizen of the world, born from the most incredible parents, and let out into the world to create change and love others.

To learn more, you can read my blog: www.tingkelly.com

PHILOSOPHY

You create your life. You are in charge. You don't find yourself, you make yourself. Everybody has their fears and faults, but it's HOW we deal with our circumstances and situation, and how we love others, not just oneself.

Imagination and curiosity are the most precious things on earth.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am a firm believer in 'give and you will receive' and so I am so happy to be offering a couch in my humble apartment in San Francisco to responsible travelers passing through. In exchange, as an avid traveler, I would love to be able to stay with other generous CS members in various countries that I visit, and get to step into the shoes of a local and share experiences and life stories.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I couchsurfed for a year while traveling through Europe and can attribute my deepest relationships, stories and memories to my experience with incredible CS hosts. I am so grateful and humbled by the amazing generosity of my hosts.

Interests

Off the beaten track traveling, dark chocolate, typography, urban planning and architecture, film and digital photography, investigative journalism, skiing and figure skating, hot yoga, urban farming, alternative education, holistic nutrition, the science of cooking and baking, foreign films and documentaries, foreign languages and of course, traveling + having powerful conversations with incredible people.

• arts
• architecture
• photography
• documentaries
• education
• cooking
• chocolate
• baking
• yoga
• movies
• traveling
• blogging
• skiing
• track and field
• swimming
• business
• teaching
• journalism
• languages
• science
• wwoof

Music, Movies, and Books

{MUSIC}
Belle & Sebastian, Ben Howard, Cold War Kids, Iron & Wine, Andrew Bird, The Roots, the XX, Bob Dylan, Norah Jones, Ditty Bops, John Mayer, Led Zeppelin, Coldplay, Ray Charles, Feist, Kings Of Leon, Bon Iver, Buena Vista Social Club, Lykki Li, Laura Marling, Florence and the Machine.

{MOVIES}
Amelie, Chocolat, Ferris Beuller's Day Off, Across the Universe, Walk the Line, Ray, The Goonies, Planet Earth, Princess Mononoke, The Princess Bride.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Most challenging: I taught English to indigenous children in a small village in Taiwan for 6 months and lived under very minimal circumstances.

Most surreal: Learning the art of winemaking, viticulture and Italian cooking in a gorgeous villa in Piemonte, Italy (via WWOOF) for 2 months.

Most adventurous: Going trekking in Burma, Laos and Vietnam with my boyfriend. Swimming in caves, living in villages, riding elephants, renting scooters through 1,000 temples. Amazing!

Teach, Learn, Share

I used to work for a gourmet chocolate startup in SF called TCHO. I'd be happy to teach you all about chocolate and even do a chocolate tasting with you! I know some of the best chocolate shops in the world and would be so happy to share stories with you!

I can also teach you cheesemaking, bread-making and photography.
http://tingkelly.wordpress.com/

Countries I’ve Visited

China, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Ecuador, France, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Virgin Islands, British

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, Spain, Taiwan, United States

•