CURRENT MISSION

To say yes to adventure. To clamber around the world.

ABOUT ME

I'm from the tiny but staunch island chain of New Zealand and am travelling with my girlfriend Penelope around the world for the next 3 years.
We are about to do the big American road trip - with hopefully some couch surfing and WOOFing along the way. We're both from big families and are used to having a lot of people around - generally loud ones.
Our lives were very settled in New Zealand. Nice flat, good flatmates, a cat (who we miss terribly!), professional jobs that we were working our way up through, but it has been 4 years since university and a settled life can only stay interesting for so long. I tend to like a plan, which we only have a very broad one at the moment, but am starting to get into this 'unemployed world traveler' gig.

PHILOSOPHY

That kindness, humour and generosity are always in style.
I can certainly be skeptical, but try hard not to be automatically cynical about ideas.
I'm a big believer in education (in all its forms) and that we never stop learning.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Trying to get out there and into the world.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

None at the moment! We went to the Dallas Premiere of 'One couch at a time' and that was enough to convince me to give this a go - Pen was already pretty keen.
Love the idea of hosting as well when we finally get settled somewhere with a couch - probably Canada, and then in NZ in a few years.

Interests

I love to bake and then eat large amounts of delicious things. When I have a sewing machine, I'm keen on making clothes / bags / costumes.

I really like to clamber (like climbing, but much less serious). Scaling fences, trees, benches and jungle gyms. This links to mine and Pen's newish foray into parkour - not the building-leaping kind, but the idea of exploring your surroundings in new ways and pushing physical boundaries without being reckless.

I'm also pretty keen on technology and the internet - particularly to keep up with pop culture and the use within classrooms to build creativity. I've been writing a blog about our experiences as well as taking millions of photos. I'm really loving the time to write.

• cats
• culture
• writing
• tattoos
• education
• cooking
• running
• gyms
• clothing
• technology
• traveling
• blogging
• surfing
• rock climbing
• teaching

Music, Movies, and Books

LOVE books. I have an appreciation for big classics, science fiction + fantasy as well as trashy romances.
Music - anything / everything! Huge fan of anything with a beat to dance to.
Love movies, have met very few I couldn't watch (except horror, I always get too involved and can't convince myself it's not real).
Have spent more hours than healthy watching British panel game shows. Adore British comedians.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

It's a tie between my tattoos that I love but were ridiculously painful - only because I'm a wuss about pain, and watching (and hopefully helping) all my nieces and nephews grow up.

Also we just saw 4 year old kids riding sheep at the Hip Hop Rodeo, that was cray.

Teach, Learn, Share

I love to write, and to discuss the structure and purpose of writing as well as personal voice.
I'm great with kids, both with structured teaching and totally innovative, creative projects.
I have a lot of practical domestic skills - cooking, sewing, household running (that one's much less fun).
Would like to learn Spanish - since I'm moving there and Pen is much further along.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Greece, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

New Zealand, United States