I grew up on a farm on the edge of the town that I still live in. My parents have a strong passion for teaching and helping connect our community with real, organic foods. I now basically do the same. My full-time job is working for a non-profit called Lower Columbia School Gardens where I get to teach kids everything from how to read labels for real ingredients to basic cooking schools to growing vegetables and art. A lot of the rest of my time is spent on the farm just enjoying the place and helping my folks with jobs they can't keep up on, but on a farm we are NEVER caught up. We are also at the Farmers Market on Saturdays where my sister and I help out.

My sister and I live together in a house near one of the schools I work at and when we have free time we escape to the woods or the creek to take photos and hike or stay in town for tennis and skateboarding. We also love to travel and help those in need at home and in our travels.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I get to travel once or twice a year and prefer home-stays and hostels above staying in a hotel. I love to be able to experience the full culture of a place and think the best way to do that is talk to locals and see how they live. I would also like to host when it fits into my schedule and show visitors around the area.

Interests

• reading
• teaching
• travelling
• nature
• friends
• family
• kids
• vegetarian cooking
• vegan cooking
• organic farming
• cooking and baking

Music, Movies, and Books

I like a lot of genres from classic rock and classic alternative to modern alternative and punk. I collect records and most of them are classic rock but I am picking up some more broadened styles recently.

My sister and I are fans and frequent reciters of Classic Disney. We also watch suspense, mystery, mystery, fantasy...

If I have a book in my hands it's most likely on whole or raw foods, or learning how to do a new art project or learning new info on how to do what I already do - teaching and growing.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

This year will be our family's 3rd annual Sunflower Sunday gathering. We plant a big field of sunflowers with paths and invite the town to come take photos and pick bouquets and they can leave whatever donation they like to finance our next mission trip. My family and I travelled to Peru 2 years ago and took a lot of supplies donated by us and friends to people that were really in need. We stayed with a family we met and visited orphanages on the outskirts of the city and villages up the Amazon that don't usually see other people. It was an amazing experience and we hope to go back to visit there again soon if finances allow, to visit friends and bring more donations.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share information and experiences of the places I've been to, where I live, and what I have learned in my life so far.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, Belize, Guatemala, Haiti, Peru