"You can't not know who you are, so you cling to hard-matter identity. You become a Christian, Muslim, Jew. You're an Indian, Egyptian, Italian, American. You're a heterosexual or a homosexual, or you never have sex. Or at least, that's what you say when you identify yourself. You become part of an "us." In order to be secure, you defend against "them." You cling to your land because it is your secure place. You must fight anyone who encroaches upon it. You become your nation. You become your religion. You become whatever it is that will freeze you, numb you and protect you from doubt or change. But all this does, actually, is shut down your mind. In reality, it does not really make you safer." --Eve Ensler

I want to be comfortable with not knowing who I am. I want to feel at home in ambiguity and insecurity. I want to make connections with people and not with identities and groups. . . I want "a description of myself" to not be my age and location and occupation, but my thoughts and relationships and dreams :)

That being saiddddd - I'm about to embark on an Appalachian Trail thru hike attempt! And then headed to law school to study Public Interest law. Always trying to connect with people who are doing and thinking and reading cool things.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I found CouchSurfing a few years ago while WWOOFing/HelpXing around Europe - I love the community that's built through this site and I'm on here for more of the same!

I've surfed in England, Scotland, France, Belgium, and across northern Europe in a campervan for a week ;) Been to meetups/gatherings in Brussels, Cardiff, and Belfast. Met a lot of really fantastic people I would never have met otherwise. I've also hosted some really lovely people here in Seattle!

Interests

Just having a good time and adventuring :) -- I like being around people, hiking, kayaking, cycling, reading, farming, traveling, hearing stories, eating, exploring, having a pint, swimming, lively arguments and interesting conversations, discovering new things to be interested in :) playing rugby, frisbee, banjo, anything active and outside and with groups of people, live music, lots more I am sure :)

• animals
• writing
• cooking
• reading
• traveling
• music
• live music
• cycling
• hiking
• kayaking
• jewish
• rugby
• swimming
• law
• religion

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Tallest Man, Jose Gonzalez, Jon Allen, Alabama Shakes, The Head and the Heart, Phil Ochs, The Tragically Hip, Great Lake Swimmers, Old Crow Medicine Show, Neutral Milk Hotel, etc, etc etc :)

Books: Poisonwood Bible, The Book Thief, Shantaram, lots :)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Single most amazing thing I have ever seen was off the West Coast of Vancouver Island. I was on a week long kayak trip in this small group of islands. We paddled out of this bay and found ourselves within 100 yards of a massive humpback whale. Unbelievable. I have never seen an animal so huge or so close.

Teach, Learn, Share

I've got very basic knowledge of a wide and bizarre variety of subjects, but am not an expert on anything :) from milking goats and spinning wool to drywalling to recognizing lynx tracks in the snow to writing grants to writing legal pleadings to digging trenches to editing essays. . . My interests are all over the place, but I am always interested in learning something new (its sticking with it that's the issue).

I'd like to learn about anything :) I love to talk with people that make me think about something in a new way!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can cook! And converse! And explore! I've gone on some great adventures with hosts and stay in contact with a few :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Northern Ireland, Poland, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, United States