CURRENT MISSION

Work on my fluency in various languages. Meet cool people (duh): artists, journalists, farmers, punks, and travelers tend to be my favorites but I get along with most people.

ABOUT ME

I'm a professional freelance translator and cellist. I'm really into languages, experimental art (particularly music), and having fun with friends. Generally "fun" for me is more about conversation or adventure than it is about drinking and dancing... but I'm flexible.

PHILOSOPHY

Learning is my favorite thing, but I think having fun is equally important.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Anyone is welcome to stay with me wherever I may be. Currently that is Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

At this point I've hosted almost a hundred people from around the world and try to do so on a semi-constant basis. It has been awesome.

I've stayed with Couchsurfers in [chronologically] Paris, Madrid, Altea, Pisa, Athens, Larissa, Sighisoara, Bucharest, Ferrol, Alicante, Providence, New Orleans, Buenos Aires, Cordoba and Lima so far, and I've hosted/helped host many many groups of people in Philadelphia. It has been great.

Interests

Music, travel, languages, cultures, art, fun, bikes, acting like an idiot in clever and creative ways, surprising myself, consuming music, making music, conversations, paradoxes, singing with large groups of people, being perceptive but not utterly jaded, horrible screeching noises, etc.

• animals
• arts
• writing
• books
• singing
• acting
• politics
• traveling
• painting
• music
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

Iannis Xenakis, Cheval de Frise, Alberto Ginastera, Behold the Arctopus, John Zorn, Dillinger Escape Plan, Venetian Snares, Aesop Rock, Steve Lehman, Daughters, Bela Bartok, Lard Free, more more more

Jorge Luis Borges, Iannis Xenakis, J.G. Ballard, George Orwell, James Joyce, Philip K Dick, much much more

Werckmeister Harmonies, Koyaanisqatsi, 2001, Damnation, Jacob's Ladder, La Planete Sauvage, Taxidermia, Come and See, Possession.. i watch a lot of movies and dislike most of them.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

The pacific coast of Colombia is just amazing.

Teach, Learn, Share

Just one thing: challenge yourself creatively as much and as consistently as possible. A simple way to do this is use interesting words instead of basic vocabulary. A complex way to do this is writing an 8-part fugue or painting a photorealistic portrait of an imaginary animal. Those things or anything in between there is great and will make you more fun to be around and a better overall person, not to mention more satisfied with yourself. Be a creator and a thinker and not just a receiver of sensory information. You can learn learn learn and regurgitate that shit all you want but true value and happiness lies in synthesizing, reapplying and pioneering, even if it's something silly.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, France, Greece, Italy, Peru, Romania, Spain, Uruguay

Countries I’ve Lived In

Argentina, Colombia, Spain, United States

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