CURRENT MISSION

To meet new friends from around the world and consume as many new foods as I possibly can.

ABOUT ME

A young professional who enjoys food and travel more than anything else. My graduate research focused on culinary tourism as an act of boundary-crossing through food. My studies are a huge part of who I am, so you can always get my attention when talking about local food and farmers markets.

I can be awkward in new situations which is what makes traveling all that more interesting - it's a constant challenge and learning experience! It's one of things I love about Couchsurfing - it pushes me into new, social territory and I'm nearly always rewarded for stepping outside my immediate comfort zone of academia and home. A wallflower who every now and then flutters away like a social butterfly.

Just your average law-abiding citizen, who gets carried away telling stories and talks kinda loud, who dreams big and is constantly trying to be more organized.

PHILOSOPHY

I've always needed a life philosophy, but haven't got one solidified yet. But in general, I don't think life is about finding yourself. I think it's more about gaining the confidence to live the way you want to be.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I have hosted in Seattle and NYC. I am hopeful that couchsurfing helps foster cross-cultural communication and understanding. Traveling should be about more than checking the "must-sees" off your list and getting that perfect photo (although that's fun too).

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I learn something new about myself with every couch-surfing experience. Hosting keeps me engaged and excited about my own town as I see it again and again through the fresh eyes of visitors, and surfing throws me into new and unplanned situations, where riding out the waves of spontaneity can challenge preconceived notions of "the way I am."

Hosted in New York
Lauren and Alex - Wilmington, NC (October 2010)
Julia and Berni - Vienna, Austria (February 2011)

Hosted in Seattle:
Chad and Julia - Colorado Springs, CO (June 2009)
Dani, Vince, Julia and Berni - Vienna, Austria (July 2009)
Donna and Steve - Chichester, England (July 2009)
Dmitry and Liz - Montclair, NJ (July 2009)
Marie and Johannes - Copenhagen, Denmark (July 2009)
Alex and Franzi - Plauen, Germany (July/August 2009)
Christie and Andy - Flagstaff, AZ (August, 2009)

Surfed with:
Rachel in New York, NY (July 2009)

Interests

Anything revolving around food, taking photographs of new and interesting places, walking through markets and along waterfronts, picnics, hiking the mountains and having interesting conversations while sitting in outdoor cafes.

• dining
• cooking
• walking
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• surfing
• agriculture
• languages
• law
• tourism
• mountains

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

In the summer of 2007, we packed everything we owned into our car and tent-camped across the United States for three months. It was the most enriching experience of our lives, thus far.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you how to cook regional American dishes and about the botany in the area.

I love to learn words in new languages and about foods from around the world.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Canada, Ecuador, Finland, France, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Qatar, United States

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