My name is Nicholas Vrzalik, I'm 22 years old, and I live in San Antonio, Texas, USA. I was born here, and I've lived here all my life, though my family and I have always made our home further out in the surrounding rural areas. Recently I moved into San Antonio to be closer to my work, but I still miss living with my family out in the country.
I work as a kind of receptionist/mail processor/IT guy for an insurance MGA here in San Antonio, but I went to trade school for computer programming. I haven't touched computer code in a while, though, so I'm probably pretty rusty.
That's what I do for work, but the most important part of my day is going to Mass afterwards at a Catholic church near where I live. Going to Mass is the greatest thing I could ever do; it is where we bless God, and where He blesses us: the communion of God and man. Nothing could ever be more important, and I get to go every day. It is my greatest blessing!
On the weekends I also go home to Elmendorf (not too far outside San Antonio) to teach catechism to the kids at the Catholic church there. Basically, I get to teach them about the Catholic faith, and what it means to be Catholic! It's a ton of fun, and one of my favorite things to do.

Something a little less known about me is that I was homeschooled, which means that instead of going to a public or charter school, I was taught at home. I don't know how common that is elsewhere, but at least here it isn't the norm. It worked out pretty well for my brother and I, though! And it allowed us to stay home to help take care of my grandparents, who also taught us a great deal. I'm very happy that I had the chance to do that.

I've also worked a fairly good sampling of careers. So far I've worked as a grill cook, a ranch-hand, a physics and mathematics tutor, in the oil industry, as an aide in a nursing home, and now I have a desk job and answer phones all day. It's a rather new experience! As long as it's not dishonest, and the pay is enough to make rent, I think I'd be okay working anywhere. I work to live, not live to work.

In the same way, I don't think I could really call myself a traveler. I mean, technically I am, since I have to travel to go places, but it isn't who I am, or what I aspire for, or a way for me to discover myself. My answer to those things is God. Travelers, I think, have no ties to any particular place because the world is their home, and their roots are wide, drawing from anywhere and everywhere; I have no ties because my home is the Blessed Virgin Mary. I suppose I'm more like a pilgrim, then.***I'm still in the process of setting up my profile. More to come!***

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Places are not defined by the landmarks or resources in them, but by the people who live there. Really, it's people who make it a "place" at all! I can read a book or look at pictures and know the historical details of a city, but no book in the world can make me know a people or a person, except perhaps if they wrote it. And even then, I'd want to meet you! That's what I think Couchsurfing does: it brings you to meet people, and not things. People are God's greatest creation, no matter where they come from or what they're like, and I would love to know the diversity of my brothers and sisters. I'd love to know you! And that goes for hosting and traveling. :)

As for the way I travel, I try to keep things pretty simple. I don't bring anything more than a backpack, I eat whatever is cheap, I wash clothes and bathe whenever and however makes the most sense, I'm as quiet or as loud as the circumstances are, and I think I can sleep anywhere (I haven't proven it yet). If you like visiting or going out to do things with your guests, I'll gladly oblige, and if you prefer to let me explore on my own, I'll gladly oblige.
I usually travel by myself, although if I was wanting to bring a friend or relative I'd be sure to ask permission first. I'll never bring a girl, though, as that wouldn't be appropriate for me.
I'm Catholic, and I try to go to Mass every day if it's possible. I probably won't need any help getting there, but if you offered I wouldn't say no!

Music, Movies, and Books

I actually don't listen to very much music, so I don't know what my favorite kind would be. I love good movies, though! I don't really have much time to watch them anymore, but I see a good one here and there. I'm not too picky about what kind, either: it could be an action movie, or mystery, romance, comedy, animated movies for kids, musicals, whatever! I just like a good story. Some of my family's favorites are "The Princess Bride," "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (the Disney version), "Swiss Family Robinson," and the Marvel movies (but not Iron Man 2 or 3). I also like "Much Ado About Nothing" (Kenneth Branagh) and "Les Miserables," and many others, too.
As for books, again, I don't really have a lot of time. When I do get to read, though, I like to study theology, philosophy, and history. I also like to stay somewhat aware of new discoveries and advancements being made in different fields, so I'll read articles about those things when I find them. Finally, as a Catholic, I like to read about the lives of the saints: the people who came before us and lived lives of heroic virtue, totally for God. That's how I want to live, because that's how God is; He gives me all that He is, and I want to give Him all that I am. Nothing will ever be as great as that.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

After we graduated from high school, two friends and I realized that we would soon be moving into adult lives of responsibilities and duties, especially one of them who had just recently married, and that we probably wouldn't be able to do a whole lot together for much longer. We spontaneously decided to all go on a road trip together, and the four of us (his wife came, too) left a week later. We drove all the way through Texas, then into New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, and Oregon. When we made it to Oregon, we spent the night at the foot of Mt. Hood, then went up the next morning to play in the snow in shorts and t-shirts, with sandals for shoes. Then we headed south through Nevada and into California, where we spent the next morning swimming in the Pacific with the whole beach of Los Angeles to ourselves. We then headed back east through the deserts in Arizona, back through New Mexico, and finally home again in San Antonio. The whole trip only took four days, but I think we drove about four thousand miles, and slept in the van the whole way. With all of the things we saw and did, and with the way we were driving, that's probably the craziest thing I've ever done.

Countries I’ve Visited

Mexico

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States