Hello! I'm Aidan, a friendly/(slightly awkward?)/cat-loving guy originally from a small city in British Columbia, Canada. Growing up somewhere so small I always felt a little trapped, and I dreamed of travelling the world and meeting new people. Traveling has now become a passion for me, and I've spent time studying in Montreal and in Paris. I also love hiking, chatting about politics, sports (especially hockey), lounging in parks, and eating food! Friends often describe me as chill and/or easy-going, sometimes a little quiet but with a talkative streak once you get me started. :)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To be honest, I initially joined couchsurfing because I wanted to be able to travel on a student budget. I've now learned that there's so much more to the community than that! I'm on couchsurfing because it's a community of so many friendly people, all joined by our shared desire to meet others and explore the world. I get even more thrilled to be part of this community with every new person I meet. I really value being able to meet locals in new cities-- it's a great way to make friends and to get to learn so much more about the city than you ever could while staying in a hostel and just going to touristy places!

Interests

• beer
• politics
• socializing
• music
• hiking
• sports
• hockey
• sustainability
• meeting new people
• vegetarian/vegan food

Music, Movies, and Books

Music:

I'll listen to just about any kind of music (except country lol). Lately I've really been feeling a pretty wide range of pop/indie/synthpop/punk stuff, and some of my favourite artists are Strfkr, Computer Magic, Beyoncé, and Downtown Boys. Always down to get campy to 70s/80s jams, grunge it out to 90s music, sing-along to the hits of the early 2000s, etc etc

Books:
Choosing favourite books is hard! A couple that stick out off the top of my head are The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein, The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel, and 1984 by George Orwell.

Movies:
Tangerine, Mean Girls, The Usual Suspects, Dead Poets Society.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I spent a year living in a sustainability collective, sharing a house with 9 other people and trying to be good to ourselves, each other, and the planet. I know it doesn't sound like the most glamorous thing but it was so cool to see how 10 people (most of us not having known many of the others before we all moved in together!) could reduce our energy footprint, resolve conflicts through dialogue, and try to combat systems of oppression at the household level.

I also spent this past January hitchhiking from Paris to Tirana, Albania, and back ;D

What I Can Share with Hosts

I would love to be a language exchange partner in either French, English, or (pretty rudimentary) Spanish! I can also make some pretty solid vegan food and would love to cook for you. Of course I'm also very down to share stories, perspectives, thoughts, etc!

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, Montenegro, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, France