I'm a fiction writer and freelance translator currently working on my PhD in History.
Briefly to my biography: born and raised in NYC, I grew up biculturally and bilingually. My adult life has been split mostly between New York and Berlin, with several stops along the way. I received my BA in History in the backwoods of New Hampshire and my MFA in Creative Writing in the rolling hills of Virginia. I'm currently based generally in Berlin, though I housesit frequently, with stints everywhere from Hanoi to Istanbul to rural Mississippi.
The essential need in my life at the moment is quiet space for reading and writing. Since the library isn't open forever, housesitting is a good alternative. That -- along with a penchant for travel and a belief in the symbiotic nature of housesitting -- is what motivates this profile.
I've tended gardens, apartments, pets, inboxes, aging grandparents, crying children and much, much more. References available.
In general, I'm full of experience with and love for animals. In Virginia, my little hut was in the middle of a wildlife refuge for wounded animals; I had black bears and deer right outside my door and often had to dress their wounds or hand-feed them several times a day. The farm also boarded horses, so while I don't ride myself, I have some experience with caring for horses.
I myself grew up around cats, dogs, rabbits, ferrets, lizards, rats -- some ours, some strays. I'm too peripatetic for responsible pet ownership at this point in my life, but in the future for sure. In the meantime: as many petsitting gigs as possible so I can get and give some animal love!
I've been a struggling writer for almost a decade; to survive this long, I’ve had to be resourceful, responsible and maintain a sense of humor. I won't list all my odd jobs, but here are a few relevant highlights: line cook at B&B in rural Virginia, waitress at a remote beach resort in Vietnam, manager of a cafe in southern France, landscaper in New Hampshire, housepainter in Vermont, waitress in Anatolia. Last winter, I sold Christmas trees on the streets of New York, and this winter, I lived and worked in a bookstore on Santorini. I can deal with pretty much anything that's thrown at me, and I'm good at adapting to any and all circumstances. I just spent a month couchsurfing through Iran!
I've worked in England, France, Italy, Germany, Vietnam, Turkey and the US. My German is fluent and my French is proficient. I did study Spanish for a few years, but it's pretty rusty at the moment. I have a quick ear for language, though, and am willing to put in the hours.