CURRENT MISSION

"I see my path, but I don't know where it leads. Not knowing where I'm going is what inspires me to travel it."

ABOUT ME

I am a friendly, outgoing individual who loves meeting new people and making new connections. I love to laugh and be silly! I have a passion for travel and adventure, and I try to connect with all aspects of life. Connection is the key to my happiness, and that involves connecting with myself, my surroundings, other cultures, and especially with other people. I love time outdoors, whether rain or shine. I am equally comfortable in the wilds as I am in bustling cities.

Because I travel extensively, I am often asked what I do professionally, to be able to afford such travels. The simple answer is: I live frugally and make a little money go a long way. The more complex answer is that I work in Antarctica for half the year, and have no tangible way to spend the meagre money I earn whilst there!

Things you might also like to know about me: I have a strong background in academia and hold undergraduate degrees in biology and anthropology from the University of Colorado, Denver, USA. I also hold a Masters Degree in Biomedicine from the London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK. I serve as a consultant and academic researcher from time to time, primarily in Europe.

I love to travel, which is another way of saying that I love to learn. I believe we are all students and all teachers. I have much to learn, and I strive to be the best person I can be, in the best and worst circumstances life provides.

PHILOSOPHY

I believe that we humans are, at our core, fundamentally caring and giving, with a natural inclination toward cooperation. For me, selfishness is something we learn, which opens up the possibility that self-interest and selfishness can be unlearned. As such, we can unlearn these habits and connect more thoroughly with humankind. Love is the way, and I not only choose love and promote peace, but I strive to give to others an increasingly more humble and open version of myself in all aspects of my life.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I look forward to participating in the CS Project by meeting many people through my adventures, and by opening up my home and time to others as they live their own adventures in life. I hope to contribute beyond offering a place to stay. I hope to share my knowledge of places and my experiences with others so that their adventures are all the more memorable. I am a proficient photographer and climber, and hope to get out climbing or go on a photo-adventure with others on here.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

My CouchSurfing adventures are just about to begin! As of now, my only experience has been meeting many wonderful people who have visited and stayed with my best friend in my home town of Denver, Colorado, USA, whom he met as part of the CS Project.

I have travelled extensively throughout Europe and the Americas, meeting many wonderful people along the way. I know that CS will introduce me to even more wonderful people, and I know CS will broaden my perspective and enrich my life through future CS connections.

Drop me a line; I'd love to connect!

Interests

I have a diverse collection of interests. I am a photographer and love capturing images of people and places alike. I have traditionally been a landscape photographer, but lately I have come to return to my long-lost love of black and white abstract film photography, an moreover, street photography. Actually, I have been a street photographer for some time; I just didn't call myself that! I am also a climber, with a love for rock and ice alike. I have a very adventurous spirit, and alpine climbing nourishes this best. I also ride motorcycles and love going trail riding on enduro bikes. am also a dedicated student who is interested in promoting social justice in general, and in understanding the ways that health is defined differently across cultures and the ways that modern medicine affects people differentially throughout the world. I firmly believe in equality. Yes: equality in (insert what you like here) as well.

I love to surf (which I'm terrible at!), hike, run, explore city streets, write, listen to live/DJ music, camp, walk in the rain, write poetry from time to time, watch trees blow in the breeze, watch clouds amble by, climb! (ice, rock, mountains), take photographs, swim (or just float around in water), snowboard, sit on rooftops, drink wine and eat strong cheeses, enjoy coffee and tea, cook, have deep and stimulating conversations with friends and strangers alike, and above all, I am interested in adventure, in travel, in seeing all parts of the world and gaining the perspective of as many people as possible.

• photography
• documentaries
• beauty
• dancing
• cooking
• wine
• coffee
• running
• drinking
• traveling
• music
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• camping
• snowboarding
• rock climbing
• swimming
• anthropology
• biology
• economics
• languages
• medicine
• political science
• science
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

I love to read, with a specific focus on nonfiction books about history, philosophy, sociology and anthropology, and a host of books pertaining to global health and social justice. I also have an unhealthy obsession with Cormack McCarthy and his Border series. The poetry of Pablo Neruda has a special place in my heart, and I never travel without some of his poetry with me. I read journals on mountaineering, and I love National Geographic. When I'm not reading these, I'm reading world news. I like to stay current, and with today's technology, it's easier and more essential than ever to stay current.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Hmmm... so many rich memories to pick from...

The first thing to come to mind is the time I watched the sun set behind a bank of dark grey columnar clouds stretching high into the stratosphere as I floated in platinum waters in the Pacific Ocean, off the cost of Costa Rica. Just when I thought the sun had descended below the horizon, for the briefest of moments its light broke free, and through a minuscule hole in the clouds a ray shot out and ignited the Pacific, turned platinum to aqua-green with little, dancing red sparkles all around me. I was about a kilometer from the coast, alone swimming in the ocean save for my friend on his surfboard nearby, and in that moment I felt the great breath of life flow throughout me. It was then and is still, beyond the power of language to describe the beauty of that moment -- how that moment impacted me and my life every day since. I still find myself years later seeking out such moments, mindful that they might exist just around the corner, an unexpected and hyper-brief view through the looking glass of inexplicable beauty.

Teach, Learn, Share

I would love to go climbing with others, as I am quite proficient in climbing rock and I am becoming more and more comfortable on ice. What I'd really like is to take someone that has never been into the wild places and show them how beautiful it is and how to enjoy time out there in relative comfort. I have much experience in mountainous places around the world. If you need any help on projects at home, I can also share my knowledge of remodeling and construction: I worked as a subcontractor in new construction for many years before returning to school.

What I strive to learn more is a language -- any language, all languages! I have a love for language (being that it's the primary way that we connect to one another), and I would like to become proficient in a language other than English. I have thus far managed to learn basic Spanish.

What I Can Share with Hosts

As of now, in the midst of travelling myself, about all I can share is myself, my experiences, an adventure or two, a cup of tea... essentially, time with me :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Antarctica, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, England, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Laos, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Poland, South Korea, Switzerland, Thailand, United States, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

Antarctica, United Kingdom, United States

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