I am looking for hosts, but unable to take surfers, at the moment, because I will be traveling :)

It is such a joy to be back on CS looking at all the wonderful profiles and people on here! I will be traveling to Rome in March of 2017 :)

You will see that I am an old school CSer so I've kept the old format below -- I really think it worked better for these profiles ;)

ABOUT ME

I am a native New Yorker who just transitioned from winemaking to....psychology! My focus is really working with people with disabilities and my super hyper focus beyond that is autism.
I will be moving on to a PhD in Childhood Psychology this fall :)
But even though my interests are clinical, I really wanted a hands on approach -- more like a social worker or teacher first. So I am finishing up my MA at Columbia in "education" - it's really counseling for people with disabilities- families etc.

I studied art history and then, after losing the perfect job in art world (at an auction house that went under..and then going 2 years without steady work) I moved to wine as an experiment (and gateway into New Zealand, which I desperately wanted to visit, several years back).
A few years later, I was still in New Zealand...!
But I decided to come back to NYC for a few reasons -- it's too much to write here so we can talk in person for sure if you are curious ;D

I like cheese, swimming, riding my bike around my native New York and buying things I can't afford-- and probably also traveling places and then spending too much money there. Regardless, even though I'm an adult now with an income, I really try to stay in the CS community because I always end up meeting the most amazing people!

I'm a life-long traveler and my parents aren't American, so I often feel pretty out of place in my home country.
I could always use more international friends!

I am turning 31 pretty soon (....but am over the shock of 30 -- but not yet over the shock of the Trump administration...what a year...) so I really need some time away from here as a little reward for having survived :)

This will not me my first trip to Italy (I think it's my... 4th..?) but it WILL be my first time in Rome so I am VERY excited..

PHILOSOPHY

Resist all indulgences, except temptation ;)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I got involved w CS as a surfer, but..when I hosted for the first time, I fell in love w that side of it, too! ...Sort of felt like running a hostel at times - floor space was taken, it was nuts- but always awesome! Summer hosting in NYC is the best. I loved being able to give back to the community. I've met so many amazing people through this site.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've met the most amazing people off of here and I'm thankful for having had those experiences. I've found that meeting a perfect stranger on CS can often feel like seeing your oldest friend.
Meeting up and staying with people I've hosted is also really fulfilling and wonderful
I love when strangers meet and try their best -- there is ALWAYS a point of connection for those w wanderlust :)

Interests

Swimming (I'm a swimmer--it's a big part of my life)
Knitting
Art!
Wine
Whiskey
Wasting too much time in bookshops...
Cheese..though now conflicted bc I went vegan for a while in there!!!

My beautiful boyfriend who is 7 years my junior! ...Sigh.
He is half Italian and also from NYC and he has refused to come to Rome with me as he is "sick of it"
Good thing we are both independent people..? He says Amsterdam this summer interests him more so I can work with more adventure...

• arts
• culture
• writing
• contemporary art
• dining
• wine
• cheese
• vegan
• running
• traveling
• knitting
• cycling
• swimming
• art history
• engineering
• history
• mathematics

Music, Movies, and Books

Books:
Harold and the Purple Crayon
Anything by Kafka, and Simon Schama
I like to read Jane Austin on the beach...as well as the Bronte sisters
Huge Nabokov fan...

Movies:
Street Car Named Desire
Singin' in the Rain
Chaplin...(Except Limelight)
Those are all really retro...

Music..sadly I listen to music mostly when I work:
Os Mutantes
Andrew Bird
Beirut or any Eastern European Gypsy Indie Folk type music
The Magnetic Fields
Henri Vieuxtemps

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

This is a tough question.

Once I made a perfect creme brulee.
Another time I saw Dun Aengus in Ireland and it was one of the best days of my life
Another time I almost died from Crohn's disease while traveling (I am treated now so don't worry..!) -- it was pretty amazing, even if horrific for 2 months!!!
Immortality - can't beat it...

Teach, Learn, Share

I used to know a lot about medieval art, as I studied it. And I also used t0 know about contemporary art, as I used to sell it!

I also know about auto immune conditions, as I have 3! And I know a lot about disability and belonging to minority groups.
I'm generally a very empathetic person, but also no bullshit so people find me pretty easy to talk to :)
I also know a thing or 2 abt wine-- and more than just how to booze on a Friday night, though I'm down for that as well.

But I know nothing about numbers and math, and I'm sure I'd make a very bad engineer :/

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share my wit, wine, and wisdom -- and probably something really kitschy from NYC as a thank you :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Belgium, Cook Islands, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, India, New Zealand, United States