Hello, I'm Caleb with a C! I grew up on the west coast of the USA, moved to Hawaii in 2014, and came to Australia in 2019 for my first work and holiday year--it was amazing and I did the farm work to get a 2nd year... and now I'm on a provisional skilled visa and hoping to stay here forever! Before coming to Aus I did a 6-month road trip around the US, while supporting myself through rideshare and food delivery driving, and of course staying with Couchsurfers all the way. I've got big travel plans for the future, starting with Latin America and continuing to southeast Asia, New Zealand, and maybe a bit of Europe.. But for now I'm living on the Gold Coast and teaching high school science, geography, and digital technology. I love the outdoors and travelling, so I know we'll get along. Can't wait to hear your stories!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

For me the best part of travelling is experiencing places and cultures through the people who live in them. People are what give meaning to travelling. And there's no one better than Couchsurfers, who are so generous in letting me into their lives and sharing their stories. I've hosted before as well, and definitely plan on hosting again once I have the space to do it--I love meeting people from all over.

Interests

I love doing anything in the outdoors--when I'm alone I'm usually looking for epic walking tracks or really cool places to go kayaking. If I stay with you, I'd love to experience your favourite activities. And it doesn't have to be outdoors. I'm also super into art museums, weird unexpected public art installations, and secondhand book shops.

• cooking
• indian food
• reading
• hiking
• canoeing
• kayaking
• camping
• surfing
• art
• food
• bike riding
• climbing
• programming
• web design
• bushwalking
• abseiling

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Hmm... In general I like alternative and indie rock, but not the singer/songwriter vibe. Instrumental electronic, some house, and tropical house. Shoegazing and modern pyschedelic rock. Post-rock is actually really cool too. Currently into Dope Lemon, Pond, Whitney, Jadu Heart, Vessels, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Local Natives, The Gloomies, Foals. And always always always Odesza.

Movies: Most that are artsy/nontraditional/make you say wtf at the end. And a good number that are more predictable. Oh. And cinematography. If they have amazing cinematography I'm so happy. If they have amazing cinematography and are also artsy/confusing/ambiguous, my life is complete. Some of my favourites are The Prestige, Snowpiercer, Moonrise Kingdom, Inception, Donnie Darko, Metropolitan, Fargo, The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Books: Realistic fiction/modern literature. Donna Tartt is the best. J.K. Rowling is incredible; I finished the Harry Potter series (def realistic fiction) at the age of 28 and am now re-reading Philosopher's Stone in Hawaiian. As a new English teacher I can say there's some great YA fiction out there. Philip Pullman and Philip Reeve are two of the best. And I devour everything Rick Riordan writes. Back to adult books, I'm currently in the middle of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Served as a high-adventure trek guide for a summer camp in western North Carolina. We did whitewater rafting, backpacking, and rock climbing every week, and I often learned as much as the kids I was guiding but it was an amazing time.

Teach, Learn, Share

I've been developing an app on Django, so if you want to learn some Python, I gotchu. I know some useful knots and fun ways to start fire! If you're learning Spanish or German, I'd love to practise with you--I don't claim to be an expert, but it'll be fun. And of course, if you want to learn some phrases in Hawaiian or Romanian to impress your friends, I can teach you some great ones.

I love to learn new dishes I can cook or bake. I think recipes and cooking techniques are a really cool type of knowledge we have, and it's fascinating to be exposed to other people's knowledge in that area. I'm always looking to expand my musical horizons. I can tell you about artists I *guarantee* you've never heard of (who doesn't want to feel like a hipster?) and if you want to share any recommendations, I'll take them!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Tips on being a driver for Uber, Lyft, Postmates, DoorDash, and Menulog. Tips on not finding remote online work--and then eventually finding it. A pretty good Indian meal--you choose the level of spicy!--as long as I can find a few ingredients.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Mexico, Panama, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, United States