I'm Brian, great to meet you :)

My dream is to see the world, and so far it's going pretty well.

I've lived in Ukraine, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Russia, and I have traveled to many other places in the EU. Since 2019 I've been living in Florence where I am working on a PhD in History.

I love meeting new people, and I love hearing their stories.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I am an adventurer. I have climbed mountains blanketed with snow wearing just a pair of jeans, driven through a minefield, crossed the emptiness of the steppe, paddled seas and rivers, and cowered in the middle of a Central Asian thunderstorm. Stories like these are important to me, because they give my life a flavour it otherwise wouldn't have, and give me the feeling that my life is one worth living.

But there are no stories without people, and I feel that there is something wonderful about being able to meet friendly strangers and really experience their home through their eyes and, I hope, leave that place having made a friend for life.

Interests

• writing
• cooking
• music
• kayaking
• history
• hiking,
• adventure!

Music, Movies, and Books

In general, I really like fantasy literature. There's just something about being able to step into a world that has sprung forth from someone else's imagination, and just kind of drinking it up.

In terms of music, I generally listen to jazz or rock. Sting and The Police, as well as Dire Straits and Otis Redding, are big favourites of mine.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Hmmm, difficult to say. Haggling down two Kazakh policemen from 15 days in prison/15,000 tenge fine for trespassing on a reservoir, to an orange and a banana was an outstanding moment in my life.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can share my love of Italian food and music with you!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Stories, laughter, a few recipes, songs? Perhaps an English language lesson? A kayaking buddy?

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russian Federation, Ukraine, United Kingdom