Hi everyone out there,

I'm Max, I'm a 3rd-generation New Yorker who's taken every opportunity to get away that I could, typically on a shoestring budget. I'm an artist with feet on the ground and head in the clouds who has no idea how to talk about himself. I love quiet time with myself and solo traveling, writing or painting in my to-go watercolor kit, and making close connections with people, new and old.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

First and foremost, I love new people, new minds, new hearts. There's so much to life that can only be reflected on properly with people in different environments, leading very different lives. The last two years, I've been very tied down to New York City, trying to make money as a creative professional, get by as a young adult, and grow in my local environment. But the need to "get gone" and run around this wide world has settled in significantly, but I don't want to do it all alone - I want to meet strangers. Naturally, I'm also on a limited budget and have tried to fill my coffers to enable me to travel as much as possible, but I'm hoping that Couchsurfing will be an all-in-one wonder-deal that will allow me to meet folks and move around cheaply to enable me more time to wander.

Interests

• writing
• swing dancing
• meditation
• reading
• painting
• live music
• folk music
• cycling
• hiking
• swimming
• mountains
• art
• forests
• skinny dipping
• indie rock
• sculpture
• getting lost
• journaling
• indie films
• sharing experiences

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Really all sorts of stuff. Folk/indie/world music/synthy psychedelia, such as: Big Thief; Leonard Cohen; Lhasa De Sela; Rupa; Julie Byrne; Bob Dylan; General Elektriks; Men I Trust... and so much more.

Books: Italo Calvino's "Invisible Cities" and "If On a Winter's Night a Traveler"; Anne Carson's "Autobiography of Red"; Karen Tei Yamashita's "Through the Arc of the Rainforest"; Paul Auster's "Mister Vertigo"; Alan Lightman's "Einstein's Dreams"; Kurt Vonnegut's "Cat's Cradle" and "God Bless You Mr. Rosewater"; Murakami in general; Patti Smith’s “Just Kids”.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

In the classic sense, I skinnydipped in the Great Salt Lake with 8 friends while on a roadtrip cross-country where we essentially couchsurfed or camped out the entire way.

Something I'm really proud of: I sooort of saved a truck driver’s life after he ran off the road at 3 am in front of me.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm not sure I can quite teach my painting, but I'd be happy to paint with you and try and teach you how to see :) I bring my supplies with me usually. I love to swing dance as well, and would be happy to teach that! I'd love to learn a simple instrument if anyone can teach that - I have no musical training sadly.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Myself, my mind, ideas, stories, experiences. I love to share stories and I love to make new ones, I hope my host might be open to that!

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, France, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States