CURRENT MISSION

To see the world from every perspective possible!

ABOUT ME

I grew up in the rural areas of North Carolina in a bit of a sheltered home before attending Duke University--go Blue Devils! While there, I was exposed to people of many nationalities--Greek, Turkish, Chinese, etc.--and became very keen on learning as much as I could about other cultures and the world!

I moved to Las Vegas from North Carolina in June 2010 to play poker professionally and did that for about two years before deciding to pursue different passions. Las Vegas was a great city for my growth and curiosities, but by September 2013, I was ready for the next chapter . I moved back to Charlotte, NC, where I was preparing to apply for my Ph.D. in psychology. I got so far as being accepted into a top program but ultimately decided the entrepreneurial route would be more fulfilling. I moved back to Las Vegas to build my entrepreneurial empire, but quickly grew restless being back in the same spot and moved four hours west to Los Angeles! LA is a lot of fun if you're rich, ludicrously attractive, or looking to make it in the soul-sucking entertainment industry. Since I had a soul, I decided to cleanse it by spending a summer in Montana before figuring my life out. That summer--one of the best I've ever had--is now over, and I am back in the Raleigh where I can be close to my family and alma mater! I am extremely grateful for the time I had in those other areas, because it allowed me to return home with the experiences and viewpoints of those respective places.

I consider my life very blessed and lucky as I was able to pursue a passion like poker for 2-3 years and still be able to pursue my psychology and writing dreams.

I love meeting people of different ethnicities and nationalities and showing them a good time! I love life and having a great time--the best way to sum me up is if I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it as best as I can, so if it means showing people around, you're going to see the best parts of Raleigh!

My ultimate goals in life are to sell 10 million books, travel to every continent (sadly only 2/7 on that mark so far), cage dive with great white sharks and hike from the northernmost point on Alaska to the southernmost point in Chile.

PHILOSOPHY

I have two simple life rules:

1. Be a good person.
2. Be happy.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I strive to maintain an active presence in the CS community in Raleigh. I also try and take two big trips a year somewhere outside the USA.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

With one exception, my Couchsurfing experience has been nothing but positive, amazing and a strong learning experience. Every person has a unique story to tell, and I enjoy learning from that experience.

Interests

I love sports, martial arts, writing, exploring, learning and meeting new people.

• arts
• writing
• books
• dining
• cooking
• traveling
• socializing
• poker
• hiking
• skydiving
• sports
• martial arts
• psychology

Music, Movies, and Books

I'm super easy to please so this list would include almost anything mainstream, but let's see...

Movies--The Dark Knight Trilogy (really anything Christopher Nolan's done), Ted, Star Wars, Side Effects

Music--for relaxation: Michael Buble and Josh Groban; for entertainment: Pitbull, Flo Rida, Deadmau5, LMFAO; for exercise: Breaking Benjamin and Disturbed

Books--NONFICTION: The Sound and the Noise, by Nate Silver; Leading with the Heart, by Coach K; Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand; Triumphs of Experience by George Valiant

FICTION: Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole; The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho; The Silo series by Hugh Howey; The Kastori Chronicles (which is cheating because that's by me ;-) )

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Skydiving! There is something oddly serene about jumping out of an airplane 12,000 feet above ground with only a parachute to save you from certain death.

I've also written several books and can describe that experience to you.

Teach, Learn, Share

I love to cook, and though I can only make a few dishes, I will share my favorite chicken and steak recipe and possibly a desert recipe. :-)

I can also teach you some Muay Thai and jujitsu self-defense if you would like.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Stories of Vegas and Los Angeles, poker tips, writing tips, good food... nothing too crazy :-)

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belize, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, United States

•