Scrappy grad student, animal lover + master odd jobber

About this sitter

I'm a fiction writer and freelance translator currently finishing my PhD in History.

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. Though Berlin is my home base, I housesit frequently, with stints everywhere from Hanoi to Istanbul to rural Mississippi.

Why they want to house sit

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.

Their experience

I've tended gardens, apartments, pets, email inboxes, aging grandparents, crying children and 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; I don't ride myself, but have some experience caring for them.

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!

My odd-jobbing has run the gamut from clearing leeches out of ponds to helping homesteaders clear new properties, selling Christmas trees on the streets of New York City to selling vintage clothes for an itinerant salesman.

What can they bring to the assignment

Sass, snazz, and reliability.

I've been a freelance writer and translator for 15+ years; 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. I spent one winter selling Christmas trees on the streets of New York, and one winter living and working 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. A few years back, I 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 good enough for the basics. 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.