CURRENT MISSION

Earning a living without having a career

ABOUT ME

I'm doing an internship in Japan as part of a master's degree in International Politics from Uppsala University in Sweden.

I was born and reared in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois, USA. I love the midwest, but there are so many other things to see in the world. I'm pretty close with my family, although I don't see them that often. We stay in good contact, and they support my traveling. I also have a fantastic dog named Buddy, but he had to stay in the US.

When I was in university, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Granada, Spain for 6 months. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Based in Spain, I was able to visit Portugal, France, Italy, Malta, and Tunisia. I have also visited Canada, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, the British Virgin Islands, and the US Virgin Islands. That was just the start, but there's much, much more to come.

PHILOSOPHY

I'm still trying to figure this out, but generally I feel that the most important thing I can do is to give other people respect in order to gain their respect. Ideally, this will lead to a rich, deep relationship where both parties benefit. I am also very interested in defending the disenfranchised.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I've hosted several people in Sweden, and I met a couple couchsurfers traveling through Asia. A friend of mine who backpacked across Asia highly recommended it, and I am excited to continue to participate. Hopefully it will continue to be a great way to meet fascinating people as I continue to see the world.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've hosted a several people, and I've met some people while traveling in Asia. I'm hoping to meet some people as I continue to travel and live abroad. Everyone seems super laid-back, and very interesting.

Interests

I have been an athlete all my life. Soccer (football) will always hold a very special place in my heart, as I played competitively for 16 years. I was also a competitive cyclist for 5 years, and I enjoy most all sports. I am also very interested in photography, cooking, international affairs, and human rights issues.

• dogs
• photography
• human rights
• cooking
• athlete
• partying
• politics
• traveling
• backpacking
• snorkeling
• sailing
• skiing
• sports
• soccer
• study abroad

Music, Movies, and Books

I love blues music. I am generally pretty mellow and easy going, and not particularly in to hardcore music. Europe is starting to ingrain dance and club music in me, however. I love non-fiction books and documentary movies, but I also have a streak that loves movies such as "Shaun of the Dead" and "Dumb and Dumber."

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've been very blessed thus far. I've had the chance to backpack through Yosemite National Park and Philmont Ranch. I've been able to ski in some beautiful places, my favorite being Banff-Lake Louise. I've been sailing and snorkeling in the Caribbean. I've seen ancient structures in Rome. I've seen the sun rise over the Alhambra. A motorcycle tour through Central Vietnam, Angkor Wat, Ninh Binh.

I think being an uncle is the coolest, though. My nephew is awesome.

Teach, Learn, Share

I love this idea! I think I can contribute my English skills, perhaps photography, sports, Spanish, sculpture, American cooking (it's not as bad as you think). I'll do my best to help anyone who's curious!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Bahamas, Cambodia, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Germany, Italy, Laos, Mexico, Switzerland, Thailand, Viet Nam, Virgin Islands, British

Countries I’ve Lived In

Germany, Japan, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United States

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