Hey, I'm Annika! I work in project management at a New York-based nonprofit, but I moved to Chicago last year after two years as a digital nomad, bouncing around with no permanent address, working remotely, and visiting all the people in my life. It was a lot of couches/air mattresses/hostels, and I'm so happy to finally have a home base.

I was born in Toronto, grew up in Michigan, and since graduating university, I've lived in Madrid, Brooklyn, and spent a couple of winters in Mexico (mostly Oaxaca). I've traveled lots within Europe, as well as parts of Central America, but I'm trying to finally spend more time exploring parts of the United States that aren't the Midwest or the East Coast.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love experiencing new places through the eyes of people who live there. Couchsurfing is a great opportunity to make friends and experience different cultures in a way that goes beyond the usual tourist attractions. I do a lot of solo travel, so Couchsurfing's been a way to make new places feel like home, even just for a short amount of time.

Interests

Two of my favorite things in the world are live music (I've been known to travel for concerts) and trying new types of food. I can happily spend hours in a thrift store or at a botanical garden. I've also recently discovered I love hiking, but it's tough to find near Chicago without a car! Otherwise, I like just wandering around a city and letting myself get lost.

• concerts
• coffee
• reading
• traveling
• knitting
• anthropology
• food

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Kevin Garrett, Lucy Rose, Wild Child, James Vincent McMorrow, COIN, Tall Heights, Anderson East, Amos Lee, Shania Twain, Bad Bunny, Karol G

Movies: The Parent Trap, Pride and Prejudice (the 1995 BBC version)

Books: Agatha Christie's Poirot novels, Mountains Beyond Mountains

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Swinging on a vine over a cliff in Nicaragua!

Teach, Learn, Share

I love swapping travel stories - the good and the bad. I'm fluent in English, speak Spanish (I use it for work), and have been working on learning French, so I'm happy to put any of the above to good use. I'm a decent cook and a mediocre guitar player (but I'll teach you some chords if you're a beginner!). I've also recently become an NBA fan, so if you're into basketball, please let me know because my friends are sick of hearing my hot takes on the Toronto Raptors.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, France, Germany, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, Portugal, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, Spain, United States