CURRENT MISSION

To always live like a traveler even when I'm in my hometown. To always live like an artist even when I am not creating art.

ABOUT ME

Some things that I love: listening to people's stories, thinking about life and art and travel and having philosophical conversations, discovering local inexpensive coffee shops, bars and restaurants on backstreets, unexpected crazy adventures, train stations, airports, and border towns (the feeling of in-between-ness!)

I always want to get better at the things I am interested in and learn about these things more deeply. When considering a new experience, my question is not so much "will I enjoy it?" but "will it be interesting/will I learn something from it?"

I'm very determined to pursue what I am passionate about, and live the life that I want. I think it is possible!

As a guest, I am clean, respect your home, and leave everything as I found it. I am happy to hang out with hosts or to do my own thing if you are busy.

PHILOSOPHY

Let the beauty you love be what you do.

Что привело меня на Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I have surfed a couple of times, both really great experiences! I have met up with couchsurfers where I live, in San Francisco-- I've shown people around and given advice on living and traveling here, etc. I really enjoy this because I get to connect with the travel life even when not traveling. I will offer my couch when my living situation permits it, which unfortunately right now it does not. Currently on a long trip in Europe with my violin, seeking out as many musical experiences as I can, and as many writing-worthy experiences as I can. Hope that couchsurfing can take me deeper into what the trip already is.

I am on couchsurfing because the most important thing to me when I travel is to "feel" countries with my heart...not just to understand the history or see all the sights. Usually there is a moment where I can say ok I feel it now...and usually this happens when spending time with locals.

Интересы

literature, writing poetry and travel stories, classical music, busking, hiking (especially loooong journeys), swimming in nature especially when things have turquoise water, arranging flowers, going to flower markets in other countries, picking flowers when I'm not supposed to, gin, coconut, animals, overland border crossings, motorbikes, travel and what travel means to different people...

• cats
• literature
• flowers
• classical music
• busking
• trains
• philosphy
• creative writing
• long distance hiking

Музыка, кино и книги

Books: The Great Gatsby, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, The God of Small Things, An Equal Music, The Catcher in the Rye, The Little Prince, anything by Kafka or Beckett, Paul Theroux's travel writing

Music: Hudson Taylor, Manos Hadjidakis, Beriut, Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Keane,
The Beatles, James Taylor, CLASSICAL (especially chamber music).

Movies: I have a feeling I haven't discovered my favorite movies yet. I just haven't seen enough of them, but I like movies.

Классная вещь, которую я сделал(-а)

One is too hard! Here's 3:

going by myself to stay for a day in a remote Laotian village-- they sacrificed a chicken to celebrate my arrival and the village shaman got really drunk on rice wine.

Staying up all night jamming with local musicians on the steps of a cathedral in Croatia. As the sun was coming up one guitarist taught me to play a folk song that came "from these walls" as he said.

Arriving in Mumbai after a 20-hour train ride in "ordinary class" (no assigned seats, no limit on passengers). I slept on the floor of the train like the locals, with a little boy kicking me in the head the whole time.

Учу, учусь, делюсь опытом и информацией

I traveled for almost a year in Asia and lived in Korea for a couple years. So if anyone is planning a trip to Asia and wants some tips, I'm happy to share my experiences.

I work sometimes as an ESL teacher and would be happy to help you with your English if you would like! Or edit anything you need edited, I love editing.

Learning... I am always very happy to get travel tips and insider knowledge on any place in the world.

Где я побывал(-а)

Albania, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Montenegro, Myanmar, Nepal, Portugal, Scotland, Slovakia, Thailand, Viet Nam

Где я жил(-а)

Canada, South Korea, United States