I'm a friendly, happy guy enjoying the freedom of being self-employed. In 2019 I will embark on a year+ long journey around the world, traveling slowly and attempting to immerse myself in new communities.

I got the bug for the outdoors as an Eagle Scout but I'm also a sucker for a good Netflix binge.

I love everything about cooking - shopping for food, preparing new and old recipes, serving people, and sharing in the joy of the meal.

I love to do things with my hands and create. I've dabbled in candle making, pottery and ceramics, and most recently laser engraving and etching. I've been homebrewing beer and other cultured foods for the past 6 years.

I love to read both for enjoyment and to learn new things about the world, improve myself and my habits, and discover new ideas.

I try to live frugally and maintain a balance between enjoying life now and saving for the future. I've grown to love personal finance and learning about the behaviors that contribute to long-term sustainable money management and balancing material wealth with daily happiness.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm looking to connect with people and truly live in a community when I visit.
I like to share stories and meet new people.

I hope to save money and prolong my travels by sharing what I can in exchange for a place to stay. I'm happy to contribute and help as best I can with my time and talents.

When I've got a home base again, I hope to welcome people of all backgrounds to share their experiences and learn about my city.

Interests

• cooking
• reading
• pottery
• homebrewing
• hiking
• business
• travel
• biking
• ceramics
• digital marketing
• financial independence

Music, Movies, and Books

I love most kinds of music. I'm especially fond of modern funky groups like Snarky Puppy, Vulfpeck, and Lettuce. I love soulful tunes from the Wood Brothers and Tedeschi Trucks Band.

My favorite fiction books are science fiction writers like Ian M Banks, Frank Herbert, and Robert Heinlein.

My favorite non-fiction books are those about behavioral psychology, practical economics, personal development, and personal finance.

Recent favorite books:
- "Stranger in a Strange Land" by Robert Heinlein
- "The Four Agreements" by don Miguel Ruiz
- "The Player of Games" by Ian M Banks
- "Why we sleep" by Matthew Walker
- "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I spent an amazing summer living with a family in Spain. I took Spanish courses, explored cities, and spent a few weeks hiking the Camino de Santiago with a group of friends. This hike was both challenging and rewarding. Each day I walked for 6-8 hours through towns, countryside, and cities. After hiking I stayed in hostels and met new friends hiking like I was or living in the places I stopped. I arrived in Santiago de Compostela exhausted and exhilarated, knowing I'd be back one day to hike again. I returned for another camino 4 years later and look forward to my next.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach digital marketing of all kinds (advertising, content creation, websites, and more), business fundamentals, and personal finance.

I'm not an expert cook but I can teach some basics.

I can teach homebrewing - I've brewed over 50 batches of beer, wine, mead, and non-alcoholic beverages
like kombucha and water kefir.

I'd love to learn non-english conversational language, new recipes, and stories about where you've lived and visited.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'm happy to help with household chores, cleaning, cooking, and projects of all kinds.

If my experience with digital marketing, software project management, and business fundamentals are helpful I'll gladly share these as well.

I'd love to share stories, recipes, walks, outdoor activities, and book and music recommendations.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Canada, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Italy, Nicaragua, Spain, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

Spain, United States