Hey y'all,

My name is Catherine. I am originally from Montreal, Quebec. I absolutely love meeting new people and experiencing different cultures. I hope to surf and host extensively throughout my life!

**As of JUNE of this year, I started traveling the West Coast with my partner Dai, whose CS profile you can find here: https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/daijiro-tsushima. We unfortunately can't host any travelers for now but we plan on doing so once we head back to Michigan this coming AUGUST/SEPTEMBER and are settled back into our lives in DETROIT! Given that I only started using the CS platform in FEBRUARY 2018 when I started my USA ROAD TRIP, which would explain the current absence of GUEST references, I am very excited to give back to this beautiful community of travelers once I am back home! **

A bit about me. I grew up in Montreal where I went to school and university and where I worked and participated for 2 years in the city's rich culture and rave scenes. I am bilingual in both French and English and am a Canadian and American dual citizen.

I moved to the U.S a bit over 2 years ago to start my travels across the world. I lived with my brother, who is training to become a surgeon, in St. Louis Missouri for 5 months in 2016 to save money and set myself up. During that time, I served in 2 restaurants and trained intensively to be an English teacher by getting my TEFL certificate.

After that, in the summer of 2016, I moved to Detroit, Michigan, the mecca for afro-centric music and dance subcultures like techno, hip hop, soul, funk, and Motown, amongst others. I have lived there for a year and half biking everywhere and juggling between different jobs, principally as a grassroots community worker at a DIY recycling drop-off center, and as a server at the infamous Supino Pizzeria (it's literally the best pizza I've ever eaten in my life!). During that time, I also interviewed artists and community builders from the city and wrote their portraits. I networked in the city's rich and diverse underground cultural scene, organized a major free party in a community park, established myself in a dope little apartment with two awesome roommates, and made life-long friendships.

I have however, been dreaming to travel across the USA since I was 16. The time has come for me to do it. My first stop was D.C to visit my parents and plan an itinerary. After that, I went to NYC to see my sister and Pittsburg to see friends. Since mid Febuary throughout the month of March, I have been visiting the South (Richmond, Raleigh, Charleston, Savannah, Atlanta, Miami, Nashville, NOLA), Texas (Austin and San Antonio). I then travelled through New Mexico (Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos) and Colorado (Southern Colorado, Loveland, Fort Collins, Boulder, Denver) for a month. The Southwest is dope! In May, I returned to Detroit to refuel on life a little and hit the road again in early June with Dai, my best friend and partner from Detroit, who is a chef and professional bboy and house stepper. We made our way through Southern Utah up to the Bay Area and plan on being on the West Coast (Cali, as well as Oregon, Washington and Vancouver if possible) throughout the month of July before heading back to Michigan in by mid/late August.

The goal is to be in Detroit to set up shop for another year, before moving to Germany to teach English as a Second Language. Asia and South America are also on the list eventually!

One day, I would like to do my masters in NYC at the New School in Journalism, Documentary, Social Entrepreneurship... Something along those lines...

That's me and my goals in a nutshell I guess ... :)

Cheers!!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Originally I chose Couchsurfing because I have heard from some of my friends, including my roommate Adam in Detroit, that it's the best way to travel cheap and meet amazing people.

I am now reaching close to 10 Couchsurfing experiences as a surfer. I must say I have almost nothing but good experiences! Everyone in the community is so giving and unique :)

Because I had so many American destinations in mind, I have definitely benefitted both experientially and financially from Couchsurfing across the country over doing hostels or hotels.

I am very sociable, outgoing and adaptable, whilst also being very considerate, clean, and respectful.

I aim to be a host when I return to Detroit Michigan in August.

Interests

I am a bit of a music head. There is not a moment in the day when I am not plugged into music (see below for specifics)

I am definitely a rave and vinyl culture advocate. I love all dance genres that surround these underground cultures, that is, house step, breaking, jit, voguing, latin, etc.

I love museums and visual arts, especially contemporary art, as well as, cinema, and theatre. I also love reading, especially documentary literature these days.

I like to keep fit by commuting on my bike, running, dancing, and playing soccer if I have a ball and a field nearby.

I like to live as waste free as I can by reusing, reducing, recycling, and composting.

I am definitely a social justice advocate in regards to issues surrounding the environment, as well as, racial, gender and class inequalities.

I'm sure I could blabber on, but I think that gives y'all an idea :)

• literature
• contemporary art
• music festivals
• environment
• raves
• reading
• traveling
• live music
• electronic music
• jazz
• hip-hop music
• food
• cinema
• dance
• social justice
• house music
• theatre
• funk
• techno
• indie music
• recycling
• learning new languages
• art museums
• independent cinema
• world cinema
• soul music
• vinyl records
• composting
• playing soccer
• visiting museums

Music, Movies, and Books

I am really into old school techno and house music, but also electronica, hip hop, soul, funk, jazz, modern and traditional African and Latin musics, trip hop, synth pop, punk, rock, grunge, and the list goes on. Going to music shows is a big part of my life.

Movies that I am really into: Flashdance, Into the Wild, Fight Club, I Am Not Your Negro, Hidden Figures, The Post, A Single Man, Universal Techno, High Tech Soul, etc.

Books: The Stranger, The Myth of Sisyphus (Albert Camus), La Femme indépendante (Simone de Beauvoir), Chien Blanc (Roman Gary), Le Petit Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry), Detroit City is the Place to Be (Mark Binelli), Rant and Stranger than Fiction (Chuck Palahniuk), 1984 (George Orwell), etc.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

On July 29th of 2017, I organized a major free party at the infamous Lincoln Street Art Park in Detroit, a community park where waste and abandoned materials have been used to build artistic installations. I collaborated with 4 local DJs and friends of mine to organize the party. We called the party "Doin' it in the Park" to refer to Blackbyrds famous track "Rock Creek Park". The concept was simple: 4 DJs in a park spinning vinyl all night long, just like in the early days of raves and hip hop jams. We flyered all the way up to the day of the party. No online promotion until the day of the event. Only then were we therefore allowed to share a Facebook event. Regardless, four five hundred people showed up by 2am. We partied to a beautiful music selection till 6am. Everything went smoothly. There were no interventions.

My friends in Detroit remember it as one of the dopest parties they had gone to in the city in a long time. Reminded them of the good old times of free parties and abandoned factory raves.

Teach, Learn, Share

Conversations, good vibes, love. Music and cultural knowledge. Long walks and/or bike rides.

"The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion." - Albert Camus

"I rebel; therefore I exist." - Albert Camus

English translations of quotes by my favorite French author, Albert Camus (1913-1960).

What I Can Share with Hosts

My knowledge of the Detroit music scene, how to speak French, the basics of house stepping.

Knowledge about Recycling and composting.

I am a very clean, considerate and respectful person. I am also very dynamic and love to visit and discover new places and meet people.

I am very respectful of differences and strive to honor people's socio-cultural backgrounds without judgment

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Cambodia, Canada, France, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Canada, United States