CURRENT MISSION

Another World Is Possible (No poverty, war, climate destruction)

ABOUT ME

I was raised in Philadelphia, US, but different cultures and people from different parts of the world and experiences have alwasy been a significant part of my life. My family and church were advocates together with refugees from Guatemala and El Salvador for human rights when I was a kid and a teenager, and my family belongs to the Lithuanian immigrant/ refugee community in Philadelphia, so I learned early on the value of sharing in deep relationships with people from around the world. In the my volunteer work in international human rights and anti-poverty advocacy in the US, I have been able to travel a lot, to India, Africa, Europe and all over Latin America. I have friends and communities all over the world as a result of this. I am trying to figure out how to sustain my international inclinations as I seek out a career (ESL, teaching, professional human rights work), while staying close to my family and young nephews and nieces in Philadelphia whom I am very close to.

PHILOSOPHY

To love and be loved, to travel and experience all of the wonder in the world, to try to make it better, to to laugh, to think deeply but also love intensely and laugh at myself and others, to share deeply with people around the world and in my own daily life.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am new, but hope to participate as host to visitors (I live with parents so cant offer couch, but am anxious to show people around, get a drink etc. I love my city and this region, and love to share pieces of this community that are not standard tourist things - social history, ethnic culture and communities, class issues, etc.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've been hosted in a few places by folks in CS and have had wonderful hosts and attended some events. Also informally as a host to friends and colleagues in advocacy work, and as a traveller, I have been able to stay on couches and thus meet people around the world. These have been some of my best travel experiences and have led to lifelong friendships. It has been amazing to arrive in a continent and not know where I am going or staying, and then through events, friendships, networks and organizations I work with, and happenstance, find hospitality, friendships and new communities.

Interests

languages, global politics, history, folk dance, folk cultures, education, eating, especially food from other cultures, being in the woods, mountains, nature, music, anything international, my family, my young nieces and nephews, exploring the world, building community, my pets, walking, swimming, reading

I am addicted to languages (my own and others) and could spend forever learning and studying languages, comparing, discussing, theorizing...while of course building relationships and learning about other cultures by learning new languages and strengthening the ones I know/ am learning.

• pets
• culture
• dancing
• education
• human rights
• dining
• walking
• drinking
• politics
• reading
• traveling
• volunteer work
• socializing
• music
• swimming
• teaching
• history
• languages
• study abroad
• volunteering
• parks
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Harry Potter, mysteries, political and folk music (my own culture, Lithuanian, and all others), particulary Irish/ celtic rock and folk/ traditional, Latin American political, Andean, Caribbean. I grew up around the music and culture of Eastern Europe, Ireland, Latin America, American Irish and Jewish, so that music particularly touches me. Through more recent travel, friendships, communities and other experiences, I have also been touched by music and the cultures of North Africa (Maghreb) and the Mashrek (Middle East) and South Asia, especially India, so those cultures are also close to my heart.

Many many books, but hard to name right off. Movies also,

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

World Social Forum (India, Brazil, Amazon, Kenya, Senegal, Venezuela)- 200,000+ people from all over the world sharing our cultures and talking about how to create a world without poverty, exclusion, war and environmental destruction.

Teach, Learn, Share

I would love to learn languages, explore other places, learn about places from people living there, and exchange with people on topics such as politics, social movements, culture, and ways to sustain traveling through study abroad, teaching English, work abroad, volunteering, etc.
I would love to share with others my love and fascination with my city, state and region, and its ethnic, social, cultural history as well as general interest sites, parks, history, ethnic neighborhoods, rural communities and small towns in the region etc. Would love to explore this area with visitors, and or meet over a drink, food etc

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Palestine, Peru, Poland, Senegal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, United Kingdom, Venezuela

Countries I’ve Lived In

El Salvador, Lithuania, United States

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