CURRENT MISSION

Soaking up this beautiful life!

ABOUT ME

I'm originally from the small town of Cedar Hill, Missouri. I was interested in Spanish at an early age, and started studying it at 13 years old. Since then I've had the opportunity to spend two summers working and studying in Costa Rica and an entire year living in Murcia, Spain through a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship. I've taught Spanish while studying for my Masters degree at Marquette University, and will finish up my studies this coming May. After that... I'll have to make the hard decision of entering the real world or continuing for a Doctorate.

For now, I can thank my incredible grandparents and some frequent flyer miles for getting me a round-trip ticket from Milwaukee to Madrid for only $59. With a deal like that, how can I resist another adventure?

PHILOSOPHY

"Cuando le toca, le toca."

That's something my Spanish professor once told me in Costa Rica, and it translates more or less to "When it's your time, it's your time."
In essence, we never know when this life can be taken from us. It can be robbed from us in an instant, and that means we have to enjoy every moment. We have to focus on the good and the beautiful of this life.

Live without fear!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I tried couchsurfing for the first time in Athens with a friend and loved it. I then went on to surf in Austria, Hungary, Germany, Ireland, England, Denmark, Poland, and France. Since I've got roommates that aren't quite comfortable with the idea, I've yet to host someone... but I've met with many people traveling through Murcia, Spain, and have had a blast getting to know so many new and interesting people.

Couchsurfing, to me, is so much better than staying in hostels or hotels. It obviously makes travel more affordable, but that's such a small benefit compared to the experience with local people that actually live in the area. I like to see how people really live in other countries, rather than just seeing all the typical tourist sites.

Interests

Hiking, biking, beer-drinking, boating, camping, cooking, singing (I love karaoke!). Sometimes dancing. Teaching and learning, especially when it comes to languages.

• culture
• singing
• perfumes
• dancing
• cooking
• breakfast
• beer
• working out
• drinking
• boating
• traveling
• karaoke
• cycling
• hiking
• camping
• hunting
• teaching
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

I'm super original and am in love with the Beatles. Coldplay is also the bomb-diggity. I'm not afraid to shake my tailfeather to some good oldies or even the embarrasingly awful club music they play on the radio. I pretty much enjoy everything, except for heavy metal and most rap.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I once saw a shooting star while riding on the back of a camel in Morocco. What are the odds of that?!

I've also recently lost about 65 pounds in the last year. Decided my lifestyle just wasn't up to par, and started to eat better and work out more. I've got a ways to go still, but being healthier is just so nice.

Teach, Learn, Share

These are all words that I love. I currently teach Spanish (we're on summer break) and spent half of the summer teaching ESL to students from India and Suadi Arabia. I love sharing my language and culture with others, along with learning about the cultures of others.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I have a really positive outlook on life, and I'd be more than happy to share my culture from the US. Contrary to what some believe, we don't eat hamburgers for breakfast every day! I'd really just love to spend time with local people from the countries I visit. Maybe we could cook together?

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Mexico, Morocco, Poland, Spain, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

Costa Rica, Spain, United States