I am not your typical teenager.
Who I Am
The first time I knew I loved adventure was when I returned from a 200-mile bike trip around Lake Champlain and wanted to do it again. Until then, adventure had always been someone else's passion. Now it was mine. I was homeschooled until I was 11, and I got my education by experiencing other environments and cultures. I swam on my own for the first time in Thailand. I learned to speak Spanish in Guatemala and French in France. My first sailing trip was from Grenada to Saint Martin. My first backpacking trip was in Alaska. I learned about the pyramids by spending time in Egypt. It sounds like that would have made me an explorer from the start, but it made me want stability, four walls and a roof, and a daily routine. Only when I had my fill of that did I decide to put myself out into the unknown. So who am I? I am both shy and bold. I like social media and shopping and hanging out with my friends. I have seen The Fault in our Stars at least 8 times. I love the band Walk Off the Earth. I like the Youtube channel Yes Theory. I enjoy skippering boats and being the only female lift operator at my local ski resort. I don’t like the stress leading up to a running race. I love independence and figuring things out on my own.
More About Me
Full name: Zoe Savannah Greenhouse
Born: February 10th, 2003
Height: 5’ 1. My comeback is that I’m taller than my mom.
Home: Burlington, Vermont
Hobbies: Playing guitar, drawing, photography, hiking, surfing
Sports: Alpine skiing, cross country running, sailing
Jobs: Sailing instructor, lifeguard, lift operator & ski instructor
Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, CPR & First Aid, lifeguard, small boat sailing instructor
Biggest fear: Losing my family
Biggest accomplishments: Hiking the Colorado Trail, biking 200 miles, learning French & Spanish
Aspirations: Be 5’2, run a 5K in 22 minutes, learn about the connection between happiness and the outdoors
#unordinary
Up until sixth grade, I was homeschooled. With my mom, I traveled to places like Thailand, Bali, Sumatra, Guatemala, and Alaska. By the time I was 10, I’d had more exposure to different people, places, and cultures than many adults.
But by then, the concept of being “normal” and “cool” had become prominent in my life, and I became more and more self-conscious about my unusual life. I wanted to be like all the other kids my age. I wanted to be normal.
#schoolinggonewrong
Over the next five years, I attended four different schools. I did what I thought I wanted: I spent my days going to classes I wasn’t particularly interested in. Over time I began to realize that this lifestyle wasn’t for me. I didn’t feel like it was preparing me for anything except dealing with piles of uninteresting work.
#trailblazingforlife
One night during the summer before my junior year, I realized that my longing to fit in was holding me back from my full potential. At that moment, a whole new world opened up for me.
What I did next surprised me. I turned down my place at a high-end private school and decided to blaze my own trail. Literally.