Hi there :-) I'm Dean. I'm hoping to gather as many experiences I can as I travel around this world. The more people I meet, whether their couch or mine, the better! You never know what you can learn :-)

-Current mission-

Back from Asia & Europe, now domestic bliss, work, rest, revive and head back out into the world :-)

-Philosophy-

Life's short, and so rich and full it blows my mind :-)

State of mind filters reality:
Even when life is "shit", if we have a frame of reference that can accept and endure this, we can move through incredible trials. When life is "great", when we perceive this deeply, and can drink in the Love, we make the richness of life all the greater :-)

Grow plants. It's good for you, we eat them, everybody needs them.

Each One Teach One.
F*ck the war <3

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I had so many wonderful people do so many wonderful things. How could I not want to give back?

I like to volunteer wherever possible. My current project is the '1000 hours' project - I'm donating 1000 hours of my time to encourage others to donate their own time, toward helping build the society that we collectively envision. This could be planting in community gardens, helping little old ladies cross the road, or just as importantly - taking care of and loving yourself :-) The question we are setting out to discover is - what limits us, what propels us forward? What takes the seed of intention and makes it flourish, and how can we share the fruit of our dreams with the world around us?

Interests

Avid muso. Listening to + playing + dancing to music.
Photography, travelling, capoeira, sciences (biol, chem, philosophy, politics, physics, all of it!).
People :-)
Spirit!
Meditation and esoterica (I am generally a skeptic, but a good scientist is always open to the Mystery).
Yoga, mountain biking.
Keen gamer, whether chess, cards or digital. Have even been known to stream from time to time.

I've taught myself web design and am currently working my passion for photography in together with what little I know about web in the hopes of starting a small sustainable business :-)

• culture
• books
• poetry
• singing
• photography
• documentaries
• capoeira
• causes
• yoga
• partying
• flying
• politics
• reading
• traveling
• music
• guitar
• drums
• biology
• physics
• volunteering
• buddhism

Music, Movies, and Books

Music:
Mos Def, The Black Keys, Muse, Coldplay, Bob Marley, Tool, System of a Down, Bonobo, The White Stripes, OTT, Radiohead, Portishead, John Butler Trio, Fat Freddy's Drop... The list goes on.

Shakey Graves. Watch him. Right now. ;-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5R81LPVEBQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R5nDq4XkJk

Daniela Andrade <3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzxag7U3Snk

The Civil Wars!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ad0AAtveWM

Books:
Enders Game!!! Best book ever. Stephen King is definitely a favorite author. The Wheel of Time & Liveship series.

Movies:
Fight Club ;-)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Active participant in the greatest show on earth ;-)

New Zealand Aotearoa, my home, is one of the most beautiful places in the world if I do say so myself. Google Fiordland and see what I mean.

Navigating a 40ft catamaran by starlight off the East coast of Australia. Tai Chi on the deck as the sun rises.

Seeing forked lightening 300 metres away from while flying from Singapore to Malaysia!

Fell in a love a bunch of times ;-)

Teach, Learn, Share

I've been studying and practicing zen recently, and as a student of behaviour from a scientific perspective, so far it has been a super useful toolset when examining/understanding the causes of suffering, and integrating with peaceful experience :) Always happy to play yoga with someone, or jam on guitar, singing, dancing, drumming...

I'm a big fan of sustainability and technological culture also. Some cool things to check out if you are interested are "The garbage warrior" and "The Clean Bin Project" if you haven't already seen them.

Cooking!

What I Can Share with Hosts

My passion, my skills, my time. And strawberries ;-)

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Australia, Chile, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Portugal, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Germany, New Zealand, United States