CURRENT MISSION

To see and understand people for who they are -- and to be humbled by the beauty that exists in every one of us

ABOUT ME

I'm a 4th-year university student in Vancouver, Canada who loves to visit new places, try new food, and wander new streets. I've lived in Paris, France for 4 months on exchange and have become an avid traveller ever since! I've seen lots of places in Europe but there are still so many destinations to get to...

Overall I'd describe myself as an enthusiastic and warm individual. The more life goes on, the more I realize I seek the simpler things in life: good food, good wine, good cheese (especially goat cheese or camembert), sunshine, and a good documentary or book to curl up to. I love living in Vancouver but I wish we got more sun -- then I could more frequently enjoy basking in the sunshine!

My personal goal in life is to become an English teacher then guidance counsellor for high school students. I love working with youth and I absolutely love helping people realize their potential and reach their goals. I actually hope that CS will help me reach this goal, since I look forward to conversing with people one-on-one and understanding them for who they really are. The more people I can connect with personally, the more listening skills I employ & the better tuned I become to people's unique personalities.

PHILOSOPHY

A few quotes have stuck with me through the good and bad times alike. a few cliches and corny quotes never hurt anybody -- and I find it's often the corniest that turn out to hold the most truth.

Mind over matter

Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time

If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden

just a fun one...

“But I don’t want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.
"Oh, you can’t help that," said the Cat: "we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad."
"How do you know I’m mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, or you wouldn’t have come here.”

and the one that i think many Couchsurfers will be able to relate to...

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
- Mark Twain

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I haven't yet had my very own couchsurfing experience, which is why I'm eager to start. I've heard great things about Couchsurfing.org and love the idea of being able to connect with someone who truly knows a city & see the city from their expert eyes. When I lived in Paris and did a lot of travelling throughout Europe, I never got the opportunity to stay with CS hosts (read: my travel buddies preferred glitzy hostels..) so I'm really eager to start. The CS mission is totally in line with what I look for when I travel (i.e. to meet genuine people, to see the city from as many perspectives as possible, to figure out what the locals do & eat & perceive the world), and I aim to become a lifelong CSer.

When I finally get my own place I know I'll continue the cycle. And to all my future hosts: I will go out of the way to accommodate your travels to my corner of the world, should you decide to venture out here! Reciprocity, my friend.

Interests

Cycling, skiing, hiking, camping, snowshoeing, anything to do with nature... and food, especially macarons. (I blame Paris for making me a macaron fiend.) I don't think I've ever tried something I didn't like. Photography, especially landscape photography. Documentaries. Psychology is my passion. Cheese, wine, chocolate, craft beer -- you know, the best things in life.

After hitting NYC for the very first time this April, I also plan on getting to Southeast Asia for a few months some time in the near future. I'm avid about travelling and especially love the culture shock. That's why, during my exchange experience in Europe, I travelled to Morocco -- it wouldn't be a true travelling experience without some culture shock and change in perspective. I loved seeing the dilapidated buildings, the dirt roads, the scooters whizzing by and honking everywhere, and the way that religion pervaded the Moroccan lifestyle to a much greater extent than I'd seen any religion influence any culture I'd yet been immersed in. My four months spent in Europe were great but my sojourn to Morocco was a huge part of what made it so memorable.

Back to SE Asia: I can't wait to eat all the street food in Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia! Pho is my 2nd favourite food (aside from mashed potatoes.. I could swim in mashed potatoes) and to get it from the SOURCE would be sublime... (I guess you can tell that food is a huge part of my travels..) In addition, Asia is such an insane place and I love it. The hustle and bustle, the busy marketplaces and busy streets, the same rapid exchanges that have been going on for hundreds (thousands?) of years, the authentic and dirty appearance of it all.. I don't think you could ask for more.

• cats
• culture
• books
• photography
• documentaries
• beauty
• dining
• chocolate
• wine
• cheese
• beer
• walking
• gardening
• traveling
• guitar
• cycling
• hiking
• camping
• sailing
• skiing
• snowshoeing
• swimming
• teaching
• psychology
• religion

Music, Movies, and Books

When it comes to movies I'm a bit of a masochist, I must say.. I tend to enjoy indulging in dramatic films that leave me feeling like someone's kicked me in the stomach. that being said:
Blue Valentine
Requiem for a Dream
The Wrestler
The Hours
The Town
Closer
The Fighter
Silence of the Lambs
The Shining

and of course, Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Stumbled upon a man playing Spanish guitar in Parc Guell, Barcelona on a blissfully sunny day in December. He had been playing in that same park for 20 years. The unexpected moments we spent listening to his guitar were magical.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Japan, Morocco, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, France