I'm Ben, I'm 32, and I'm currently taking a break from academia to go travelling for a while. Absolutely no idea where this adventure is going to take me, but I'm very excited to get out there and hopefully meet some amazing people.

I study cognitive science currently but have a background philosophy and English Literature. I'm fascinated by characters, psychology, and all the mysterious inner workings of the mind. I mainly work on mental health and I hope one day I can help make the world a more compassionate place for people who are suffering.

Outside work I love to read and play chess. I read novels and poetry mainly and still have a keen interest in literature, especially classic English and American lit. I love the outdoors, and spend a lot of my time camping and hiking, and especially love to see the rural parts of the world. I'm an experienced hiker and love a challenge. Ask me about the time I was nearly eaten by a grizzly bear!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm on couchsurfing because I'm about to go on the trip of a lifetime and I want to meet as many wonderful and interesting and likeminded people as possible. I definitely don't want to be cloistered away in hotels and I want to get a real experience of the places I'm visiting and the people that live there. Right now I can't accomodate at my home (I'm about to leave for a year anyway) but when I return I will definitely be returning the favour.

Interests

• literature
• chess
• music
• travel
• the outdoors

Music, Movies, and Books

Oooo there's a lot to name here. Authors: Kerouac, Melville, Burrows, Bukowski, McCarthy, Morrisson, Fitzgerald, Austen, Bronte, Byron, Wordsworth, David Foster Wallace, Arthur C Clarke. JP Sartre, Camus, Nabokov, Hunter Thompson.

Movies: The Wrestler, fight Club, Titanic, Leon, Seven. I'm not a huge film buff but I do love discovering new films, especially foreign movies and indie films. Fave TV shows are The Wire, Breaking Bad, The Sopranos. I love documentaries about travelling or the environment, David Attenborough is a god.

Music: I love pretty much all music, but especially classical, old school hip hop and metal. I've recently discovered a new love for electronic music too.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I drove across America for two months camping every night. I slept in bag on the north rim of the grand canyon and saw the milky way, and I was nearly eaten by a bear in Wyoming. I drove across the Golden Gate bridge at sunrise on new years day. It was an amazing trip which gave me a lot of very happy memories and some friendships that will last a lifetime.

Teach, Learn, Share

Not sure what to write here, but I'm a lifelong learner and I know that staying with people around the world will enrich me as a person beyond measure. I believe every event in life hides a lesson and I try and live my life in a way such that I can always find those lessons.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I like to think that I can share my knowledge of the things I've studied, namely science, philosophy and literature. I enjoy conversation and sharing stories, especially travel stories. I'm outgoing and trusting and honest with everyone I meet.

I can also offer chess lessons.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Norway, Scotland, Spain, Turkey, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United Kingdom, United States